Gardens

Growing Roses in Australia

Roses are popular and easy to grow in Australia and is a drought resistant plant once mature. There are many different varieties of roses and you can select from your local nurseries or by mail order to find the perfect rose for your garden conditions.

Roses come in small, medium and large sizes and styles of roses include Ground Cover Rose, Weeping Rose, Bush Rose, Climber or the Standard Rose. Before deciding which type of rose to grow, ask the nursery how big the rose bush will grow and about the best times to water and fertilizers for your rose.

Roses Growing Conditions

Roses need a minimum of six hours of full sun a day.
As with most plants, well drained soil with added organic matter such as rotted manure or compost will give a boost to your plant growth. Beside that, Gypsum that is added to clay soils will also help.

Planting Roses

Prepare soil 2-3 weeks in advance before planting (2-3 weeks) and add well-rotted manure and compost before planting.

Trim away the rose’s damaged roots and soak the roots in water with stimulant. This will help the plant to get off to a good start. Plow the ground well. For bare rooted roses, it is best to stick to an area of about 60cm wide and 30cm deep. Make a mound in the centre and place the rose plant on it, enabling the roots to spread. Thereafter, cover the hole with soil and tamp down. Top up soil around the plant to half the hole’s depth and depress in the center to assist with watering.

Rose Care

The way to water is to avoid wetting the leaves and close to the root. Feed your roses regularly with recognized rose food about three times in a year and prune your roses once a year. Your local DIY store may have workshops, as do local garden clubs or nurseries.

Potted Roses

For roses in containers, it is advisable to repot every second year at around July, and prune the roots back by a quarter. You can get the best quality potting mix available at your local DIY store like Bunnings Warehouse or your local nursery.