How to grow potted roses? Growing methods, pruning techniques and precautions

Roses are the embodiment of love and beauty and are deeply loved by people, so many people like to grow a pot of roses on their own balcony. So how do you grow potted roses? What are the growing methods and precautions for potted roses? How do you prune them?

The rose belongs to the order Rosales, family Rosaceae, a deciduous shrub, with many thorny needles on the branches, odd-pinnate compound leaves, 5 to 9 leaflets, oval-shaped, with dense white down on the underside and marginal prickles. The petals are obovate, double to semi-double, and the flowers are purplish red and white; the fruiting period is August-September, and the fruit is oblate.

I. Growing methods for potted roses

1. Environment

Roses like sunlight, and when grown indoors they should also be kept on a balcony with plenty of sunlight; the soil for potted roses should be loose, fertile and well-drained. Note that roses grow poorly in clay loam and bloom poorly. They should be planted in a well-ventilated place far from walls to prevent sunlight reflection from scorching the buds and affecting flowering.

2. Watering

Potted roses should not be watered too much. Roses are drought-tolerant plants that fear waterlogging, so strictly follow the principle of “don't water until dry, and water thoroughly when you do”; if you water roses frequently (especially avoiding excessive watering on humid, low-evaporation rainy days), root rot and plant death easily occur.

3. Fertilizing

Potted roses should be given mild fertilizer; avoid heavy fertilizer (especially chemical fertilizer), which can cause localized root rot and death. Depending on the size of the plant and pot, apply 20-40 granules of compound fertilizer evenly 1 cun below the soil at the edge of the pot every 1-1.5 months, or water once or twice a month with fully fermented rice-washing water.

4. Pruning

Normally no pruning is needed; for older plants, just remove overly dense branches, withered branches and diseased or pest-infested branches. Roses bloom, and as each bloom fades it should be picked off; they will bloom again after picking, otherwise they bloom only once. For roses to grow well and bloom abundantly, pruning is very important; generally when overwintering, all branches should be cut back to about 10 cm above the ground so the plant can overwinter smoothly.

5. Pest and disease control

For potted roses, the main pests are caterpillars and scale insects. Caterpillars are easy to control, but once scale insects break out they are harder to deal with, causing the whole plant to become infested and leading to disease; therefore controlling scale insects is the key point in home rose growing. To control scale insects, place the roses in a well-ventilated, well-lit place, and cut away the branches with many roses, keeping a few main branches to allow air circulation inside. Keep the potting soil moist, but not waterlogged.

When white spots are found on the rose branches, scrape them off promptly with a bamboo strip; if the condition is severe, directly cut off the entire branch or even all branches, and combine this with spraying medication for scale insects.

II. Precautions for potted roses

① Potting time. It is best done in early winter after the leaves fall or in early spring before the buds sprout.

② Fertilizing and watering. Roses like fertilizer; after potted roses have established, apply 1 time of fully rotted organic liquid fertilizer every 10 days,    and during the bud formation period apply some liquid fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium. Watering should be done according to weather conditions; in hot summer      days they need watering every day, and at ordinary times water thoroughly as soon as the potting soil is dry; after flowering, promptly remove the faded flowers.

③ Pruning. Since pruning should be carried out during the dormant period, this can promote vigorous plant growth and prolong the flowering years.

④ Pest and disease control.