Most kinds of roses can be successfully grown in containers with a little planning and special effort. Growing roses in containers has become very popular, especially for patios and decks and for people with not much gardening space and people with limited mobility.

Choosing the right varieties of roses, the best type of container, and the best soil and fertilizer gets container roses off to a strong start. Correct pruning and regular watering will then keep them lovely all through the growing season.

Almost any rose can be raised as a container plant, but larger climbing varieties are too wild for pots, and some of the larger rugosa roses will feel constricted fairly quickly. Choose smaller shrub roses or miniature roses for best results.

Most hybrid tea roses can also be successfully grown in containers for a single season, but since hybrid teas are very susceptible to winter cold, they are not likely to survive unless transplanted and protected before the first hard freeze. Keep in mind that any rose grown in a container will have to be transplanted to a regular bed within three years.

Roses are heavy feeders, and require rich soil, regular fertilizer applications, lots of water, and excellent drainage. Never put any rose in a pot smaller than 15 inches in diameter. The larger the pot the happier the rose will be. The roots of roses are extensive and large, and cramping them produces poor results.

To prepare the pot for planting, place about an inch of gravel or stone in the bottom to encourage good drainage. The pot should have a hole in the bottom for drainage as well, and should have its own saucer to keep it up off the ground and catch run-off after watering.

Choose a rich soil mix (you can purchase potting soil mixed especially for container roses) and add a cup of perlite and a cup of bonemeal to enhance drainage and make the mix even richer. You can also work in a little blood meal or fish meal, both of which are high in the nitrogen that roses love.

Make a mound of soil on top of the gravel and spread the roots of your rose over that, then fill in around the roots with the rest of the potting mix. The soil should be level with the bud union; the place where the rose roots are grafted to the stem. Do not cover up this bud union or bury the stem of the rose.

Water your potted rose with a shot of root-stimulating plant food according to the directions on the bottle. Fertilome makes a great all-purpose root stimulator that smells like B vitamins and can be purchased in gallon jugs and used on all your plant material to get it off to a good strong start.

Water and feed your rose regularly, and place it in a sunny location with good air circulation. Don’t crowd a lot of other pots around your container rose. Roses need good air flow to keep their foliage in clean, green condition. Too close and the leaves become prone to black spot and mildew. While black spot will not kill a rose, it’s unattractive and avoidable, so take steps to avoid it from day one and you won’t have to worry about getting rid of it.

Occasionally roses get hit by aphids; little green bugs that like to suck the juice out of the stems, and Japanese beetles also enjoy eating the leaves. Aphids can be simply sprayed off with a hose, or, if that doesn’t work, you can use a mild solution of dish soap and warm water. Spray the rose down with the soapy solution and the aphids will go away.

For Japanese beetles, you can use Sevin (a mild insecticide) or buy a Japanese beetle trap. Place the trap far away from wherever you are growing your potted rose. Otherwise, you will simply lure even more Japanese beetles to your patio, where they will snack on your rose before dying in the trap. So, for example, if the roses are on your deck, hang the trap at the farthest corner of your back yard.

Many special fertilizer formulations are available for roses. Ask at your garden center for a good one for container roses, and feed your rose according to directs. Anything you can do to enrich the soil will be appreciated, including working a little blood meal or compost into it at regular intervals throughout the growing season.

Prune your rose carefully so as to maintain good air circulation around the branches, removing any branches that criss cross in an awkward fashion, and any deadwood and old wood. Lightly pruning the tips will encourage a full shape. Don’t be afraid to prune; pruning actually encourages growth in rose bushes

Deadheading your container roses will encourage them to bloom more frequently, and cutting roses for bouquets and floral arrangements encourages them to make even more blossoms.

Growing roses in containers can become addictive. Check out the different varieties of roses online before you buy, and read through some of the great free advice available from suppliers and gardening web sites. Most of all enjoy your roses!

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