“What a lovely thing a rose is,” said Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once. Apparently former U.S. president Ronald Reagan felt the same because on November 20, 1986 he signed a resolution making the rose the national floral emblem of our country. Fortunately with over 150 species there is a rose type for everyone. At Workman’s Friend we love roses. We all know that this flower requires tremendous work and ongoing care to thrive. That’s why we’re encouraging all of our customers to consider planting a rose bush in honor of national rose month. But before you dig, plant or prune, remember to apply a small amount of our Barrier Skin Cream it will make your rose gardening a lovely thing.
Related: How to Grow an Indoor Garden
Choosing a Rose Bush
First and foremost consider the location of where you’re going to plant your roses. These flowers regardless of the species requires at least 6 full hours of direct sunlight. Often poor or low light conditions prevent a rose from producing their expected amount of blooms in a season.
Check the bush’s tag to know how big it is expected to grow. You don’t want to have your rose bush planted in a spot it will quickly outgrow. That may kill it and the other plants around it.
Buy roses that are sold in larger pots such as a 2-gallon container or bigger. Stay away from the smaller sizes because the root system will be smaller and therefore they will take a lot longer to establish themselves in your garden.
The stems or canes of the rose bush should look healthy and thick, free from insects and disease. When inspecting a rose bush, make sure there are no dead leaves, branches falling over and it is properly pruned.
The soil in the rose bush container should be moist to the touch. If any you don’t see these signs of good health on your bush, move on to the next one or visit a different nursery.
But when you do find your rose bush, take it home apply a layer of Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream, and start planting.
Growing and Maintaining a Rose Bush
As previously mentioned successfully growing a rose bush requires at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. If this condition isn’t met your plant will produce far fewer flowers and they will be weaker.
Roses also require deep watering during droughts or prolonged dry spells. In this case using drip irrigation is a perfect way to feed your plant. This allows you to feed the flower from the roots upward. It will also help with disease which often starts with wet foliage.
Apart from watering, pruning your rose bush is critical to its survival. Just as you would cut your lawn to ensure it looks and feels healthy, the same should be done for your rose bush. Each one of these flowering plants uses different pruning techniques. With over 150 species of roses and over 11,000 hybrid versions of this flower make sure to do your research to learn the best way to take care of it.
Additionally, don’t forget to apply Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream before you begin any type of maintenance on your roses. Our formulation will protect your hands from the chemical products used to grow these magnificent flowers.