Growing great roses is easier than you think

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Growing great roses is easier than you think

by Jacqueline

February 20, 2008

Roses, lovely as they are in a bouquet, can be intimidating to gardeners.

But beautiful back-yard roses really don’t deserve their high-maintenance reputation. So says Steve Jones, president of the American Rose Society. “Generally speaking, roses are very easy to grow, despite what people think. They’re resilient plants.”

Just be aware of what disease problems you might face, depending on what part of the country you live in. If you deal with East Coast and Midwest humidity, your roses might be prone to black-spot fungus. On the West Coast, mildew on the leaves causes them to be white as well as distorted and curled.

So, before you plant, make sure you choose the best variety for your soil and climate. That way, your roses are less likely to depend on fungicide or pesticide to stay healthy and look good.

“There are so many types of roses – you can find one for almost any color and size in your yard,” he says, adding that there are about 40,000 rose varieties worldwide.

For more information about choosing, growing and pruning roses, to find out about an upcoming rose show or to become a member of the American Rose Society, visit ars.org.

On a personal note, Jones’ passion for roses runs in his family. His grandmother’s first name was Rose and his mom’s middle name was Rose. “She liked roses,” he says of his mother, “so we always did rosy things.”

(Rose photo courtesy of the American Rose Society.)

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