Nostalgic Roses

A plain guide to growing roses

Roses that bloom for years, grown with simple habits

Roses have a fussy reputation, but most of their care comes down to a sunny spot, good soil, deep watering and a sensible prune once a year. These guides walk through each step.

Deep red and soft pink old-fashioned roses in full bloom on a garden fence, with green leaves and warm morning light

Where to start

If you are new to roses, read the guides roughly in order: find a type that suits your garden, plant it well, then learn the pruning and watering habits that keep it healthy. If you already grow roses and something has gone wrong, jump straight to the page you need.

Rose types

Old garden, climbing, shrub and modern bush roses, and how to read a plant tag before you buy.

Heirloom roses

The old classes, from gallicas and damasks to Bourbons and teas, and why gardeners still grow them.

Climbers and ramblers

Choosing a support, tying in canes and training them sideways for more flowers.

Planting

Sun, soil, spacing, bare-root versus potted plants and how deep to set the graft.

Pruning by season

The main spring prune, summer deadheading, a light fall tidy and winter protection.

Pests and diseases

Black spot, mildew, aphids, beetles and rose rosette, and where to get local advice.

The rose year at a glance

Roses follow the seasons, and so does their care. The two wheels below show a typical year in a garden with cold winters and one with mild winters. Each ring is a task, and the colored arcs show when it usually falls.

The rose year at a glanceNorthern Hemisphere, typical timing. Each ring is one task, read clockwise from January at the top. Shift everything a few weeks to match your own frost dates.
Cold-winter garden: rose care calendar. The table below gives the same months in words.Plant: April to MayPlant: SeptemberMain prune: AprilFeed: May to JulyWater deeply: May to SeptemberDeadhead: June to SeptemberScout for pests: May to SeptemberMulch and protect: MayMulch and protect: November to DecemberJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Cold-winter gardenRoughly USDA zones 4 to 6, where the ground freezes hard

Mild-winter garden: rose care calendar. The table below gives the same months in words.Plant: January to FebruaryPlant: October to NovemberMain prune: January to FebruaryFeed: March to SeptemberWater deeply: April to OctoberDeadhead: April to NovemberScout for pests: March to NovemberMulch and protect: MarchMulch and protect: June to JulyJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Mild-winter gardenRoughly USDA zones 8 to 9, with light or rare frost

  1. PlantRing 1 from the centerBare-root roses while dormant; potted roses any time the ground is workable and the weather is mild.
  2. Main pruneRing 2 from the centerThe hard prune of repeat bloomers, as buds swell and hard frosts end.
  3. FeedRing 3 from the centerLight, regular feeding from new growth until about six to eight weeks before first frost.
  4. Water deeplyRing 4 from the centerLong, deep soaks at the base whenever the top few inches of soil are dry.
  5. DeadheadRing 5 from the centerSnip spent flowers on repeat bloomers. Stop late in the season to let hips form.
  6. Scout for pestsRing 6 from the centerA weekly look under leaves and at new shoots catches problems early.
  7. Mulch and protectRing 7 from the centerFresh mulch in spring, and winter mounding where the ground freezes.
Read the calendar as a table
TaskCold-winter gardenMild-winter garden
PlantApril to May, SeptemberJanuary to February, October to November
Main pruneAprilJanuary to February
FeedMay to JulyMarch to September
Water deeplyMay to SeptemberApril to October
DeadheadJune to SeptemberApril to November
Scout for pestsMay to SeptemberMarch to November
Mulch and protectMay, November to DecemberMarch, June to July

Your own garden will sit somewhere between these two, or outside them. The month-by-month page explains how to adjust the calendar to your frost dates.

Five habits that matter most

  1. Plant in a spot with at least six hours of direct sun a day. Morning sun is especially helpful because it dries dew off the leaves.
  2. Water deeply at the base, then let the top few inches of soil dry before you water again.
  3. Keep two or three inches of mulch over the root area, held back a little from the canes.
  4. Prune once a year at the right time for your rose, and cut out dead, damaged and diseased wood whenever you see it.
  5. Walk past your roses every week and look under a few leaves. Most problems are easy to manage when you catch them early.

Timing, pests and the best treatments differ from one region to the next. Your local cooperative extension service, often run with a land-grant university, offers free or low-cost advice for home gardeners. The pests and diseases page explains how to use it.

Common questions

Are roses hard to grow?

Some are more demanding than others. Many shrub roses and some old garden roses grow happily with little more than sun, water and a yearly tidy. Roses bred mainly for exhibition flowers tend to need more care, especially in humid places where leaf diseases spread easily.

Can I grow roses in a pot?

Yes. Smaller roses do well in large containers, ideally at least 15 to 20 inches across, with drainage holes. Potted roses dry out faster and need more regular feeding than roses in the ground, and their roots are more exposed to winter cold.

Do roses need spraying?

Not always. Choosing disease-resistant roses, giving them sun and air, and keeping fallen leaves cleared up solves a lot. When a problem does need treatment, ask your extension service what works locally and always follow the product label.