Are roses a good introduction to gardening?

[Sealpikachu]

I have never grown anything before, but I have always loved the way roses look. Are they very hard to grow? How long do they take? I dom't know if these flowers would be too hard as my first attempt and I should start out with something else or If I should just go for it. What are your thoughts?

 

[Chuck]

For a beginner gardener roses might be a bit challenging, but having said that if you want to learn and are prepared to have a few setbacks along the way, growing roses is a great hobby. If you can grow perfect roses you can grow about anything. The reason I say it might be challenging is because roses are susceptible to some things including different types of fungus and some strange insects that can be quite irritating. Roses also require more maintenance than most other plants. My wife grows a bunch of different kinds and has for years and she is always screaming about this or that that is happening with them. Me, I just stick to simple things like vegetables.

 

[Sealpikachu]

What would you recommend for starting to grow them? When I say I am new I do kean that so I don't even know what materials I might end up needing. Could you please give me an estimate of what I would need? I have absolutely nothing yet.

 

[Chuck]

What would you recommend for starting to grow them? When I say I am new I do kean that so I don't even know what materials I might end up needing. Could you please give me an estimate of what I would need? I have absolutely nothing yet.

First of all you have to decide what you want to grow. There are all kinds of roses, everything from little miniatures to climbers that get huge and about everything in between. There are varieties you can grow in containers and others that should be in the ground. Go to a real nursery and talk to the folks there. They will be glad to show you examples and guide you in the proper way to grow and maintain them

 

[marlingardener]

Being in Mexico, you need a rose that can withstand heat. Being in Texas, we have roses that can withstand heat! Get own-root roses, which means that the rose is not grafted, but growing on its own roots. A grafted rose has a large bump just above the soil line in the pot. Avoid!
Here is a site that has great descriptions of different kinds of roses--https://www.chambleeroses.com/
You need a spot that gets morning and early afternoon sun, and late afternoon shade.
As to materials you might need: a shovel, a pair of pruning shears that are by-pass, not anvil, and a bucket and water supply. We like to mulch our roses with about 3" of wood chip mulch to keep weeds and grass down.
Roses are not difficult to grow. Most problems with roses come from the wrong rose being sold to a gardener. Chuck's advice about going to a local nursery is very good. The local nursery wants your return business, and won't steer you wrong.
Also, roses in our climate are best planted in the fall (October, November). Depending on your altitude and average fall temperature, this may work for you, too.

 

[maxen57]

My mother bought an already planted rose plant. It was a beautiful, white rose that's bigger than I've ever seen. Someone recommended to her to put ice cubes on the surface of the soil to keep it cool because we live in a tropical weather. It only lasted a few weeks and died. This was years ago. I wish she had gotten a better advice from an actual gardener. I don't know who gave her the advice but mom shoud've started with a plant that's easier to take care of.

 

[Sealpikachu]

Being in Mexico, you need a rose that can withstand heat. Being in Texas, we have roses that can withstand heat! Get own-root roses, which means that the rose is not grafted, but growing on its own roots. A grafted rose has a large bump just above the soil line in the pot. Avoid!
Here is a site that has great descriptions of different kinds of roses--https://www.chambleeroses.com/
You need a spot that gets morning and early afternoon sun, and late afternoon shade.
As to materials you might need: a shovel, a pair of pruning shears that are by-pass, not anvil, and a bucket and water supply. We like to mulch our roses with about 3" of wood chip mulch to keep weeds and grass down.
Roses are not difficult to grow. Most problems with roses come from the wrong rose being sold to a gardener. Chuck's advice about going to a local nursery is very good. The local nursery wants your return business, and won't steer you wrong.
Also, roses in our climate are best planted in the fall (October, November). Depending on your altitude and average fall temperature, this may work for you, too.

I had not even considered the heat! Which was dumb of me to be honest. I will go to a nursery to check out prices for stuff needed and what roses they have available. Hopefully they will be able to help! The house we live in right now is rented so we don't want to invest too much, just make it prettier while we live in it.

 

[headfullofbees]

Roses are a great plant to get started on, as they are quite forgiving, up to a limit, and you have time to learn, as they grow, how to grow them well.
DON'T plant roses unless you're sure you want them permanently, though, because roses will impact on your soil, and although the first plants in will be big enough and strong enough to tolerate some of the plant pathogens you will likely encounter, by the time they build up, that cannot be said of many replacement plants.
Research "Replant Disease".

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Its the Type of rose you select that is the issue, not rose in general. For a novice I would go with a very hardy shrub rose, it is in one of the families, can not recall the name now. But its very sturdy. So get a good rose book, or online to read up on them. I have lots of shade, but years ago selected one rose plant, and still after 20 years it keeps blooming, and this one has never needed any dusting etc. will not recall the name now. But I know in my selection, I made sure it had all the stuff going for it to be successful. Now there are others, I would not get near, simply because I am not one to want to fuss with plants, have too many, and too little time. Maybe when I retire.

 

[Rayaustin]

First of all you have to decide which color of roses you like the most because there are many different varieties and types of roses, and decide which one is right for you!

Rose classes
There are three main groupings or classes of roses, and within those groupings there are a variety of different types of roses. The groupings refer to the plants history, how they grow, and their breeding.

1. Old roses
Old roses are also called antique or heritage roses. These types have been around since at least 1867 without being changed. Old roses flower once, in early summer and are known for their strong fragrance. They are incredibly hardy and require very little pruning.

Popular old roses:

• Lady Banks
• Rose de Rescht
• Green Rose
• Yolande d'Aragon
• Francis Dubreuil
• Baronne Prevost

2. Modern/hybrid
Modern or hybrid roses were created by taking the best parts of old rose varieties to create new and better roses. These new varieties have been bred for specific color, size and fragrance, as well as to resist disease, and bloom for longer or more frequent periods. This class of rose can be further broken down into Floribunda and Grandiflora.

Other popular hybrid roses:

• Fragrant Plum
• Gold Metal
• Amber Queen

3. Wild/species roses
Wild roses are those that have been growing wild for thousands of years with no help or interference from people. These wildflowers have five petals and usually come in pink, red, and white coloring. Unlike other types, species roses also feature brightly colored hips. Species roses tend to be easy to maintain, very hardy, and bloom once per year.

Popular wild roses:

• Rugosa rose
• Multiflora rose

 

[marlingardener]

Unless you have acres to cover with one rose, do not get a Lady Banks! They bloom once a year in either yellow or white, and will take over an incredible amount of space (one in Arizona covers 40 feet of trellis). We had one in town and it pretty well ate the front of our workshop.
We have a Nagodoches rose that would do well for you, too--disease resistant, takes full Texas sun, blooms almost constantly, and is a gorgeous yellow color with a light scent. It does get fairly tall (ours is about 5') and wide, but gentle pruning would keep it shorter if you like.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

First of all you have to decide which color of roses you like the most because there are many different varieties and types of roses, and decide which one is right for you!

My first thought is not the color. my first thought is will the plant be successful. To me all rose colors are beautiful.

 

[LillyBelle]

Roses were one of the first flowers I ever grew. That was probably 10-12 years ago and they always did very well every year. Just be sure you start out with a hardy rose and be sure to get the root deeply in the ground before you cover it.

 

[NatalieW]

I started with roses... but learned the hard way not to start with delicate tea roses. Some good ones to begin with are floribundas and shrub roses. Knock out rose is a hybrid brand that is easy easy easy and low maintenance. You see them in landscaping everywhere because they require no real work. they come in red, pink and yellow, the yellow being the most delicate of the three, but also the only one of the three that is fragrant.
Carpet roses, also called drift roses, are another easy rose to grow and are very beautiful.

Are you growing roses for their beauty ... do you want fragrance? Do you want something that will require low to moderate maintenance or do you like the idea of maintaining and working on them?