Bette Midler sang about it. William Shakespeare, Gertrude Stein and Robert Burns wrote about it. It is the national flower of both the United States and Great Britain. It is the rose, a delicate but rewarding flower that has been grown in gardens for hundreds of years.

Roses are a labor intensive plant. Before you plant roses, be sure you are willing to do the work required to keep them healthy. Due to their susceptibility to many insects and diseases, they need to be cared for on a regular basis to grow and thrive. In most areas of the United States they require cold weather protection in the winter, and need constant tending, care, and ideal conditions the rest of the year. But the reward for your efforts is an elegant, regal flower that decorates any garden space--big or small--and a gorgeous cut flower for a vase arrangement indoors, or a treasured gift to a loved one.

If you would like to learn to grow roses, look no further. Get your roses blooming by following this guide on how to grow roses.

Roses can be classified in a variety of ways including by growth habit, lineage and flowering characteristics. Rather than go into the thousands of different types of roses, a general overview of the different classifications is given.

1. Bush roses: Self-supporting and grow upright. They can range from 6 inches to 6 feet in height.
2. Climbing roses: Produce long, vigorous canes that need support and may grow over 20 feet in length.
3. Ground covers: Low growing varieties that can reach 2 1/2 feet in height.
4. Modern roses: One of the three main groupings of roses. It includes all classes of roses that were in existence after 1867 including all miniature, hybrid tea, shrub, floribunda, grandiflora as well as all climbing varieties of these types.
5. Mounding shrub: Roses that are more rambling than upright varieties.
6. Old garden roses: One of the three main groupings of roses. It includes all classes of roses that were in existence before 1867 including all tea and climbing tea varieties.
7. Species roses:One of the three main groupings of roses.These are from the genus Rosa and are found growing naturally throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Species roses often have single blossoms that bloom once a year, are very hardy and disease resistant.
8. Upright plants: Medium to large shrub roses with uniform foliage and bloom.

1. Roses should be planted in the fall or early spring while they are still dormant.
2. Choose a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.
3. Spots that receive morning sunlight are preferable to sites that receive afternoon sunshine.
4. Make sure the site allows for good air circulation.
5. Soil should be well draining.
6. Roses prefer a soil with a pH level between 5.5 and 7.0.
7. Plant spacing varies according to the variety. Here is a basic guideline of how roses should be spaced:

• Hybrid teas, floribundas & grandifloras: 18 to 30 inches
• Shrub roses: their mature height
• Climbers (on fences): 8 to 12 feet
• Climbers (on walls): 3 feet
• Miniatures: 12 to 15 inches

1. Dig a hole that is wide enough and deep enough to fit the roots of the plant.
2. Add fertilizer and lime according to soil test recommendations.
3. Most soils will benefit the addition of organic matter, such as compost, rotted manure, leaf mold, peat moss, composted sewage sludge, fine grain potting bark or similar material. Turn the organic matter into the soil with a shovel or garden spade to a depth of 1 foot.http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/plantroses.html

Planting Bare Root Roses

1. Remove wrappings.
2. Place roots into a bucket of warm water for at least 8 hours but no more than up to 24 hours.
3. Prune off any damaged or diseased stems and roots.
4. Remaining roots should be pruned until they are between 8 to 10 inches long. You want to remove about one-third of the root system, which will stimulate new root growth.
5. Prune canes to remove any thin or weak growth. Try to keep about three to five canes per plant with each cane having three to five buds. Remove any canes that are thinner than a pencil.
6. Prune the tops of hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, and climbers back to 12 to 15 inches.
7. Create a cone-shaped mound of soil in the center of your hole and spread the roots around it.
8. Place the plant so that the bud union is at soil level.http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/hort2/mf799.pdf
9. Add soil until the hole is two-thirds full.
10. Water thoroughly to allow the soil to settle between the roots. Do not tamp the soil.
11. Once the water has drained away, add more soil and repeat until the soil in the hole reaches the original level.
12. Build another soil mound around the bush to cover two thirds of the canes until new growth is approximately 1 to 2 inches long.http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/hort2/mf799.pdf

Planting Potted Roses

1. Tip the pot on its side and gently tap the root ball out.
2. Prune canes to remove any weak, diseased or broken canes.
3. Dig a hole at least 8 inches wider than the root ball and deep enough to plant the rose at the proper depth. You want to plant the rose so the soil reaches the graft union or slightly below the soil line. (graft union at or slightly below the soil line).http://urbanext.illinois.edu/roses/planting.cfm
4. Place soil in the hole around the soil ball.
5. Water thoroughly.
6. Do not tamp in the soil after watering.

Fertilizing should be done on a regular basis. How much and how often will depend on various factors. Some will recommend fertilizing once a month, others only three times a year. Therefore, you should test your soil before applying any fertilizer.http://www.springvalleyroses.com/learn/growingroses.html

1. Soils around existing rose bushes usually lack nitrogen and potassium.
2. Using a higher nitrogen fertilizer at the beginning of the season will promote leaves and roots to grow.
3. Phosphorus helps promote flowers to bloom. Use a fertilizer that is higher in phosphorus once buds begin to appear.http://www.gardenersnet.com/roses/roses02.htm
4. Roses are susceptible to iron chlorosis. This will cause leaves to turn a light-yellow color while the stems remain a dark green. It can be treated by spraying iron chelate onto the leaves.
5. Although general-purpose fertilizers as well as rose-specific fertilizers exist, some gardeners choose to use other ingredients, including:

• • • • • 1. Manure
        • 2. Alfalfa or alfalfa tea
        • 3. Epsom salts
        • 4. Bone Meal or rock phosphate
        • 5. Fish or kelp liquid fertilizer

Roses love water and need at least one inch of water each week during the growing season. However, this amount can change depending on different factors. A mature rose bush can lose as much as 5 gallons of water in one day during hot or dry weather.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/water_why.html

1. Consistent moisture is essential. Do not allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
2. Soak the soil using a slow-moving stream of water around the base of the plant until it reaches a depth of 8 to 10 inches.
3. Water in the morning to ensure that leaves dry quickly in the warmth of the daytime sun.
4. Water at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the leaves.
5. Roses should not be standing in water because it will rot the roots.
6. Roses will wilt, drop leaves, grow smaller leaves or stop bloom production when they are not receiving enough water.
7. Signs of too much water include limp and yellow leaves and leaves that fall off the bottom of the bush prematurely.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/water_why.html
8. Water clay soils less often than loam soils and loam soils less often than sandy soils.

Pruning should be done in the Spring after the danger of frost has passed because it will improve the size, quality and color of your roses.http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0157/ Before pruning, make sure you have a pair of sharp pruning shears and some heavy gardening gloves. Here's what to do in order to safely prune your roses:

1. Make all cuts about 1/4 inch above a bud that is facing the outside, and always cut at a 45-50° angle.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/pruning-basics.html
2. First, prune any dead, damaged, or weak growth.
3. Next, prune any canes that cross over and rub against each other.
4. Always remove older canes before removing newer canes.
5. Seal your cuts with a drop of carpenter's glue, nail polish, or black pruning sealer to ensure a quicker recovery.
6. When you are finished, you should have removed about one-third to one-half of the volume of the plant and your rose bush should have only healthy canes with the center of the plant should be open.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/pruning-basics.html

• If you live in an area where the temperature goes below 5°F in the winter, you will need to learn how to protect your roses. There are various methods this can be used. The most common is to mound or pile up soil around the plant:

1. After the first hard frost, prune back the rose plants until they are about 24 inches long.
2. Tie the canes together with twine.http://www.rose.org/site/epage/13765_429.htm
3. Place an 8 to 12 inch mound of loose soil or compost around the base of the plant.
4. You can add an additional layer of hay, evergreen boughs, hardwood leaves or straw, if desired, after the mound has frozen.
5. Remove the mound when spring arrives.

If your gardening area experiences extra cold conditions, your roses may require additional shelter, including rose tepees and cones to keep them protected from winds and ice.

One very important part of learning how to grow roses is learning about insect pests that bother roses. Here are some of the more common pests and for suggestions for dealing with them:

Aphids

Aphids are the most common pests on roses. They are soft-bodied insects about 1/8-inch long that vary in color from red, green, yellow or black and do damage by sucking sap from their stems and buds, which can cause curling, yellowing, and distortion of leaves and stunting of shoots. They also produce a clear sticky sap-like substance called "honeydew," which may develop a sooty mold fungus. Early detection is essential when trying to control aphids. Be sure to check your roses at least twice a week. If you find any signs of them, here are some suggested remedies:

1. Use an insecticide such as carbaryl, or horticultural oil or insecticidal soap and apply to affected plants per package directions.
2. For a more natural control method, try spraying plants with a mixture that is 1 part Listerine, and 1 part water. This mixture has been known to make plants unpalatable to aphids.http://www.rosemagazine.com/pages/pests.asp

Japanese Beetles

Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are 1/2-inch long metallic green and copper brown beetles that feed on flowers, buds and leaves of roses from late June to early October.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/pests_japanese_beetle.html Remedies:

1. A chemical product called Sevin (aka Carbaryl), or neem oil can provide excellent control.http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic2107.htm
2. Although beetle traps are available, most experts advise against using them, as they tend to attract more beetles to the area. ref>http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/pests_war.html</ref>

Thrips

Thrips are extremely small insects that range in color from translucent, yellowish-white, brown or black and are usually found inside blossoms. They cause brown streaks on blossom petals or cause petals to become distorted, and can also feed on the upper surface of leaves.http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7466.html Fragrant, light-colored roses are attacked more often and damaged more severely, whereas cultivars with sepals that remain tightly wrapped until it blooms have less problems with thrips. Thrips also tend to be worse when temperatures are warm during late June, July and August.http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/roses/disease-insect.html

Controlling thrips can be difficult since insecticides are most effective when thrips are still developing and hidden deep within buds and flowers. Here are some remedies:

1. Remove spent blooms from bushes promptly and destroy them (along with any thrips inside).
2. Regularly water your roses.
3. Permethrin is an effective chemical control that is available at most gardening centers.

Spider Mites

Spider mites suck the sap out of leaves, leaving them yellowed, dried, and curled up before they fall off. They are the biggest problem during dry, hot weather.

There are a few sure signs of spider mite activity on plants. First, you will notice a very fine webbing between branches and leaves, and the plant will begin showing decline. Here is a quick test you can perform to check and see if your plant has spider mites: Just hold a blank white piece of paper under an affected branch and shake it back and forth, and inspect the paper closely. If you see tiny orange or brown dots that start moving around the paper, those most likely are spider mites. Here are some treatment options:

1. Spray insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, or neem oil on the underside of the leaves to kill mites.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/pests_mites.html
2. Apply rubbing alcohol to the affected leaves.
3. Use a garden hose to spray the underside of the leaves every two to three days to manage mites by interrupting their life cycle.http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/roses/disease-insect.html

Scale

Scale insects will form tiny gray, white, or tan crust-like formations on the stems of roses and will leave a sticky honeydew substance on leaves. If the infestation is light, try scraping off scales by hand and destroying them. Prune and destroy heavily infested canes. Horticultural oils can be applied when the temperature is between 40 to 85°F.http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic2107.htm Insecticidal sprays that are effective against young scales (known as crawlers) include malathion and permethrin.

Rose Leafhopper

Rose leafhoppers are 1/4- to 1/2-inch long, wedge-shaped insects that vary in color from white, gray, yellow or green. Adults lay eggs within rose canes in the fall and hatch in the spring. The resulting wounds can lead to stem canker and other fungal diseases. Both adults and nymphs feed on the undersides of leaves which causes white stippling and spots.

Because they can be very difficult to control and rarely do any serious harm, most control methods are generally not recommended.http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/INVERT/leafhoppers.html

Rose Slugs or Sawlfy Larvae

There are three types of rose slugs that can cause problems on roses—all are actually the larvae of sawflies. Depending on the species, rose slugs will feed on either the upper or lower surface of the leaves between the veins and may chew large holes into the leaf. Rose slugs can removed using your fingers or with a strong stream of water. Once removed, they cannot climb back onto the leaves. You can also kill rose slugs with an application of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Spray both the upper and lower leaf surfaces and the soil under the rose bushes where the larvae pupate prior to overwintering.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/pests_slugs.html

Other Insects That Affect Roses

• Caterpillars: occasionally seen feeding on the leaves of roses. Remove the caterpillars by hand.

• Nematodes: microscopic, eel-like roundworms that live and feed on plant roots. There are no chemicals available on the market that will control nematodes.

• Rose Midges: very tiny flies that lay eggs inside the sepals of flower buds. When eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the flower buds, causing them to wither, blacken and die. The rose midge has no known predators and no natural means of control.

• Rose Galls: caused by a species of wasp that secretes a chemical and causes a round mass on rose canes in which it can lay its eggs. Pruning off affected canes should provide sufficient control.

• Dealing with disease is an important part of learning how to grow roses. As with any problem, prevention is always better than treatment. Below you will find how to do both with some of the major diseases that affect.

Black Spot

Black spot (or blackspot) is a very common problem among roses caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae.

Symptoms: Small, round or irregular black spots that ranging in size from 1/16-inch to 1/2-inch in diameter. Canes may develop raised, reddish-purple spots. The spots will be mostly on the upper surface of leaves and leaves eventually turn yellow and fall off prematurely. Unlike other leaf spot disease, black spot has fringed margins and darker, blacker spots.http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/plantdiseasefs/450-617/450-617.html

Causes: Fungus needs a wet environment of about 85 percent humidity with a temperature of at least 75°F. If these conditions continue for over seven hours, the fungus will germinate and symptoms will appear with three to ten days.http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/plantdiseasefs/450-617/450-617.html
It can be spread by splashing water as well as on clothing, tools and your hands. Miniature roses are more susceptible than other varieties of roses.The fungus can overwinter on fallen leaves and stem cankers.

Treatment: Treatment for blackspot includes pruning and using Neem Oil or fungicides that are labeled to treat black spot on roses. Remove infected canes by pruning them back to within 1 to 2 inches of the bud union in the fall or early spring. Remove infected leaves when they appear. For a natural home remedy, you can try using a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 quart of water and a few drops of liquid soap. Always remember to keep rose plants as dry as possible when watering, space your plants far enough apart for good air circulation, and only water plants early in the morning, never at night.

Powdery Mildew

Powdery Mildew is caused by the fungus Sphaerotheca pannosa var. rosae and is a widespread and serious problem with roses.

Symptoms: White to gray fuzzy powdery growth on both surfaces of the leaves, shoots, sepals, buds, and petals. Mildew will affect the top of the plant first. Flower buds may fail to open or produce poor-quality flowers.

Causes Powdery mildew occurs when temperatures are between 70 to 80 degrees F and the humidity is high at night but low during the day. Mildew is spread by wind and is rarely seen during hot weather.http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2106.htm 'Treatment: Once powdery mildew is visible, it can't be eradicated, but there are some things you can do to limit its effects:Prune diseased leaves and canes during the growing season and apply a fungicide that is approved to treat Powdery Mildew on roses. Neem Oil is often a good choice for this.

Downy Mildew

Downy mildew is a fairly common problem on roses that is caused by the fungus Peronospora sparsa.

Symptoms: Purple, red or dark brown spots about 1/2-inch in diameter on the leaves. The undersides of leaves may be covered with gray downy fungal growth. Spots may be surrounded by a yellow halo, and leaves may yellow and drop within two days of infection. Symptoms will appear on the top third of the plant and move their way down the plant. http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0505/

Causes: It is most common when temperatures are below 80°F and humidity is above 85 percent, and can be spread by splashing water or through the air.

Treatment: Because it is often mistaken for black spot, it is important that you have accurately diagnosed the problem before beginning a treatment. You should remove and destroy any diseased canes and leaves. Apply a commercial fungicide that is labeled to treat Downy Mildew on roses. Always follow product label instructions.

Stem Canker and Die Back

Canker is a disease caused by a combination of stress and a form of fungi.

Causes: Canes are infected through wounds during periods of humid weather.

Treatment: Prune and destroy any infected canes. Make sure you disinfect your pruning shears in alcohol after each cut. Apply a commercial fungicide that is labeled to treat Canker on roses. Always follow product label instructions.

Botrytis Blight

Botryris blight is caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea that attacks dying tissue on rose bushes. It is also called gray mold.

Symptoms: First symptoms appear as small light-colored spots that are sometimes surrounded by a reddish-maroon halo that can expand into large, gray-brown, irregular blotches that cover much of the petal.http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/disease_spots.html Infected canes have discolored sunken areas and will die back. More frequently found on older parts of the rose bush, and is more common during cool and rainy weather during the spring or summer when the temperature is between 62 to 72°F. Develops more often on canes that have been damaged or are kept too wet. http://www.ars.org/About_Roses/disease_spots.html

Treatment: Apply fungicides that control black spot, such as captan and neem oil. Prune out infected blooms, canes and buds immediately.

Prevention: Preventing Botrytis blight is done though good sanitation practices and reducing humidity. Prune the bush to improve air circulation.

Rust

Rust is a disease caused by several species of fungus that are more prevalent on the West Coast than the East Coast of the United States.

Symptoms: Small, orange, powdery pustules appear on parts of the plant starting on the underside of lower leaves. In the late summer or early fall, it can appear as masses of dark brown or black spores on the leaves and stems.

Causes: Develops when the temperature is between 65 to 70 degrees with continuous moisture for over two hours. Rain and wind will spread spores.http://www.rosemagazine.com/articles02/pages/rust.asp

Treatment: Remove and destroy any affected leaves. Apply a commercial fungicide that is labeled to treat Downy Mildew on roses. Always follow product label instructions.

Now that you know the basics of how to grow roses, you may want to learn more about Organic Gardening, or if you have a shady yard, check out How to Grow Flowers in the Shade. Planting a new flower bed? You should read How to Plant a Flower Garden. Into garden design? Check out How to Find Free Garden Design Software. Whatever you want to learn about gardening, we have it here at Mahalo, and if you can't find it, please ask me a question, and I'll be glad to help.