Roses in a pot: care & planting

It is a myth that roses take up a lot of space. We will show you that roses can also be planted in pots and give tips on choosing a variety and caring for it.

If you don't have enough space in your garden bed for one rose (pink), but still don't want to do without the queen of flowers, we have a very simple solution for you: After all, smaller roses also thrive in pots on the balcony or in tubs on the terrace Marvelous. In general, rose varieties with a rather compact growth are best suited for this. So that your chosen rose will also produce many beautiful flowers and you will last as long as possible However, you should already enjoy some aspects of your pot plant when you are planting it note. In addition, in this article we will explain to you how to properly care for roses in pots and what measures you should take for successful wintering.

Due to the limited space available, potted roses have special requirements for their location and care. We will explain below which rose varieties are best for the pot and what you need to consider when planting and caring for it.

Small rose varieties for pots and pots

Blooming dwarf roses, bed roses or hybrid tea roses with a compact growth are ideal for cultivation in pots. Shrub and climbing roses should not be too vigorous for a pot culture, because the space in the pot or bucket is limited. Here is a small selection of roses that are suitable for pot culture:

• Miniature Large ‘Lavender Ice ’
  Lavender-colored, medium-sized flowers with a light fragrance; bushy growth; reaches heights between 30 and 50 cm; very hardy.
• Dwarf rose ‘Roxy’
  Very double pink to purple flowers; does not smell; Height from 30 to 40 cm; bushy habit; good leaf health; conditionally hardy.
• Dwarf rose 'Maidy'
  Red, semi-double flowers with a white underside; grows rather upright, bushy; reaches heights of up to 40 cm; only partially hardy.
• Floribunda rose ‘Amber Queen’
  Will in Austria too ‘Prince Eugene of Savoy‘ called; produces yellow flowers with a light rose scent; long flowering period; reaches heights of up to 60 cm; grows rather upright, bushy.
• Floribunda rose 'Sirius'
  Beautiful, semi-double, creamy white flowers; bushy to upright growth; grows up to 80 cm high; very good leaf health; good winter hardiness.

A comprehensive collection at Rose varieties for the pot and the garden bed can be found here.

Planting roses in a pot: location and procedure

When buying the rose, make sure that it is healthy and free from pests to avoid unpleasant surprises. The next step is to choose a suitable location on the balcony or terrace. Roses prefer an airy place with lots of sun and warmth. Strong temperature fluctuations between day and night can put your darling at risk of frost damage, especially in early spring increase, so the rose in the tub should be moved to a sheltered place and winter protection at the beginning of winter obtain.

Since roses are deep-rooted, you should choose a sufficiently deep pot or bucket. The pot should not be an open-pored clay pot, as these lose a lot of water through evaporation and the rose gets stressed by drought so quickly. Since potted roses do not tolerate permanent waterlogging, it is best to bring one right at the beginning A drainage layer made of gravel or expanded clay so that excess irrigation water from the hole in the bottom of the pot can drain. Then fill the planter with special rose soil or a mixture of garden soil, ready-made compost and clay granules such as bentonite. In addition, it is best to work with a primarily organic long-term fertilizer like ours right from the start Plantura organic rose fertilizer in the ground. You should then completely replace the substrate every few years, as even the best substrate will eventually collapse and condense to the detriment of the rose roots.

Summary of planting roses in a pot:

1. Soak the dry pot ball or bare roots of the rose in water before planting
2. Shorten the roots a little
3. Fill in drainage material and some soil
4. Do not use the rose too deep, the refinement point is just above the earth's level
5. Fill up with soil, add slow release fertilizer
6. Press the soil down lightly and water it well
7. Cover the soil with mulch to prevent it from drying out quickly

Caring for roses in the pot

If you have already ensured good starting conditions for planting, the maintenance effort for potted roses is limited later. We have now summarized for you what you need to consider when watering, fertilizing and cutting roses in pots.

Water the roses in the pot

Roses generally have a fairly high water requirement. The best way to find out if your potted rose should be watered is to do a finger test. When the substrate feels dry to the touch 5 cm below the surface, it is high time to give water again. After watering, however, your rose should never sink into water, because potted roses do not tolerate waterlogging at all. A drainage hole on the underside of the pot and a drainage layer ensure that excess irrigation water can drain away.

Tip from the professional: When cultivating potted roses, you should also make sure that the plant does not dry out completely during hibernation. You should only water on frost-free days so that the roots are not damaged.

Cut roses in a pot

To maintain natural and healthy growth and abundant flowering, you should prune your roses in spring (March / April) just before they sprout. First, use sharp secateurs to remove all diseased, dried up and overly dense shoots. The further procedure then differs depending on the rose class. Shrub roses, for example, are hardly touched at all, old shoots are only removed every few years. Bouquet roses, on the other hand, are radically cut back to a few buds above the ground every spring. Climbing roses that bloom more often are usually only cut in the periphery: the side shoots of the main shoots are shortened here. For dwarf roses (dwarf bengalroses), about four to a maximum of eight healthy shoots remain, which are shortened by about a third. Everything about the cut of the different rose classes can be found as simple instructions in our article on the right one Cut roses read up.

Note: Regardless of the rose, always start the cut about 5 mm diagonally above an outward-facing bud. Diseased shoots should also be removed during the growing season to avoid the spread of fungal diseases.

Fertilize the roses in the pot

Even when planting potted roses, you can use something primarily organic slow-release fertilizer such as our Plantura, which was specially developed for the needs of roses Organic rose fertilizer use, which decomposes over time and in this way gradually releases the nutrients for the plant. Roses have a relatively high nutritional requirement. From mid-May and as long as the flowering continues, you can therefore regularly supply your plant in the pot with liquid fertilizer, for example with an organic liquid fertilizer such as our Plantura Organic flower & balcony fertilizer. You can fertilize potted roses in the room until September. If you prefer to use a fertilizer with a long-term effect, two to three fertilizers a year are completely sufficient. More about Fertilizing roses you can find out in our associated special article.

Hibernate roses in a pot

If you want to overwinter your potted rose outside, you should bear in mind that some rose varieties are not completely hardy and can be damaged in severe frosts. Therefore, you should choose a sheltered parking space for the cold season - for example on a house wall - and take suitable protective measures early enough. Above all, additional protection of the roots is of great importance. Direct contact with the ground should be avoided if possible. It is therefore best to place the pot or bucket on a wooden or styrofoam plate. Then pile up the rose with earth, mulch, or fir green in order to protect the grafting point as best as possible. Basically, it is also advisable to cover the entire center of the rose bush with fir green and to provide high-stem roses with a crown pad and trunk protection. Finally, wrap the pot with jute sacks or bamboo mats and tie them tight. Well protected, there is usually nothing standing in the way of successful wintering. If your garden is very endangered by late forest and you usually have a harsh climate, get them To be on the safe side, put potted roses into the house and place them in a cool, dark room, for example in the Basement, cellar.

Tree roses are particularly decorative and can be kept very well in pots. You can find the best in our special article Tree rose varieties.