Follow This Path to Beautiful, Healthy Roses

Roses are not as difficult to grow as you may think. Here are the steps to growing beautiful, healthy roses:

Choose locally adapted varieties. Do some research to make sure you plant the best roses for your area. Not all roses grow well everywhere. In certain areas, some varieties are more susceptible to insects or disease. Others don't bloom well under particular temperature regimes. Even the color of a rose can be slightly different depending on where it's grown. Local chapters of the American Rose Society are a good source of rose information. Public rose gardens are also great place to learn exactly how roses grow in your area.

Plant in full sun. Most roses need a minimum of six to eight hours of direct sunlight. Less sun means fewer blooms and more disease problems. For more on planting roses, click here.

Water and mulch. In midsummer, most roses do well with one good, deep irrigation per week during dry spells. Newly planted roses may need more frequent irrigation. In hot summer climates like the desert southwest, watering twice a week may be necessary. Water early in the morning and try to keep the foliage dry. Drip irrigation is best to water slowly, thoroughly, and deeply without wetting foliage. Mulch with compost, bark chips or other organic matter to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.

Fertilize. Roses are heavy feeders and need regular applications of nitrogen fertilizer to keep blooming. Feed every four to six weeks from early spring until late summer to early fall.

Prune and deadhead. Roses need annual pruning during dormancy to keep them healthy and vigorous. For more information, see the rose care page. To keep roses blooming during the growing season, remove faded flowers (deadheading), cutting stems back to the first leaf with five leaflets. Varieties that bloom in clusters, such as floribunda and shrub roses, can be lightly sheared to remove spent blooms.

Control insects and disease. Insects, including Japanese beetles, aphids and whiteflies, can be serious pests of roses. Diseases like black spot, powdery mildew and rust can be even more troublesome. To control insects, diseases and fertilize at the same time, use Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Concentrate. One application applied to the roots feeds and protects for up to six weeks. If you prefer a granule product for your roses, try Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Systemic Rose & Flower Care Granules. It feeds and protects against insects and mites with one application. Just sprinkle around the base of the rose bush and water in. To control insects, diseases and mites, use Bayer Advanced™ 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control Ready-To-Use. For those needing only disease control, use Bayer Advanced™ Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs Concentrate. It controls major fungal diseases that harm roses, flowers, trees and shrubs. The rainproof protection won't wash off once it's dry. Always read the label and follow the directions.

Mini-flora Roses

Depending on who you talk to, Mini-flora roses have either been around for almost 30 years or for almost 10 years. The phrase "Mini-flora" can be traced back to the early eighties when that's what Star Roses called their new series of Sunblaze roses. But Mini-flora roses didn’t become official until 1999 when the American Rose Society recognized them as a classification "as those roses whose leaf structure and leaf morphology and bloom structure are essentially smaller than a Floribunda but larger than the typical Miniature."

So Mini-flora roses are too big to be a miniature and too small to be a floribunda. But forget all that. Here's what Mini-floras really are - great garden roses: free-blooming and colorful, perfect for pots or use in the landscape as edgings, low borders or mixed in perennials borders. They are also increasing in popularity among experienced rose growers, a sure sign we'll all be seeing more of them soon.

Favorites Mini-floras (there are now over 300 varieties) include the Memphis Series with dark red 'Memphis Magic' and the eye-catching, yellow and red striped 'Memphis Music'. There is also the yellow blend 'Solar Flair' and whitish pink 'Leading Lady'. Another favorite is the medium yellow, 'Butter Cream'.

In general, Mini-floras grow between 3 to 5 feet high and bear their flowers in large clusters. However, growing habits can vary and, particularly in areas with long growing seasons, plants can get taller. Like all roses, they grow best in full sun with regular water and fertilizer. To feed and protect from insects and disease, use Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Concentrate. No spraying is necessary. Just mix with water according to label instructions and pour at the base of the plant.

Look Out for These Pests in Your Region

Some pests, such as aphids and scale, occur almost everywhere in the United States. Many others are problems only in specific regions of the country. Here are three pests that, although can't be found everywhere, are serious problems if you live where they are common.

FIRE ANTS: Warming spring weather marks the start of another fire ant season in many mild-winter areas, especially the southeastern United States. Fire ants sting more than 5 million Americans every year. Those stings can be so bad that approximately 25,000 people are forced to seek medical attention annually. Bayer Advanced™ Fire Ant Killer Dust is an excellent way to kill the entire mound, including the queen.

SLUGS AND SNAILS: In mild-winter parts of the western United States, snails, and their shell-less brethren slugs, are one of the most frustrating and destructive garden pests. Hiding during the day and feeding mostly at night, they can consume almost anything with fruit, flowers or foliage. Often, all you see in their wake, other than damaged plants, is the shiny slime trail they leave behind. Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Snail and Slug Killer Bait Granules is a highly effective way to protect your plants from these pests.

EMERALD ASH BORER: The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a very destructive, wood-boring insect that has killed millions of ash trees in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Bayer Advanced™ Tree & Shrub Insect Control Concentrate offers up to 12 month protection from the emerald ash borer with a single application.