How to Grow Roses

Prune roses in winter or early spring once the rose starts to show signs of new growth, usually in the form of tiny red buds swelling. These buds will become new branches.

Cut out any obviously dead or damaged branches first. Then cut out all but four or five healthy main stems.

Cut the stems back by a third to a half, depending on how tall you want the bush to be. Make these cuts right above an outward-facing bud - that is, a red bud that's on the outside of the rosebush. This directs the bud to grow up and out, leaving the center of the rose bush open for a prettier shape and better air circulation.

Start fertilizing roses regularly at the start of the growing season. Roses are hungry plants, demanding lots of nutrients for best growth and flowering. Fertilize roses with a liquid fertilizer every three to four weeks during the growing season or according to package directions.

Water diligently. Roses need a steady source of water during the growing season, about 1 inch a week from rain or watering. In arid regions of the country, consider installing a drip irrigation system.

Mulch. Roses need less weeding and watering and have fewer diseases if you lay down 1 to 2 inches of organic mulch, such as wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings or other biodegradable material.

Deadhead. This simply means trimming off spent roses to encourage the bush to produce more. While some roses bloom only in one big flush in June, others are bred to keep producing off and on all season long.

Spray. If your rose bush becomes diseased or has an insect infestation, you may want to deal with it by spraying. (Try simply trimming off the affected portion of the plant and giving the buggy plant a good strong blast from a hose.) Identify the problem by trimming off the affected part and taking it to a reliable garden center, where the staff can prescribe the correct treatment.

Stop fertilizing roses in early autumn, at least one month before your region's first annual frost date. Fertilizing too long into autumn encourages roses to produce tender new growth that will get nipped by cold.

Protect roses as needed in late autumn, after your region's first hard freeze. In regions where temperatures don't fall below 20 degrees F, no additional winter protection is needed. In cooler regions where temperatures don't fall below 10 degrees F below zero, a simple mounding of several inches of soil over the base of the rose should suffice. In cold-winter regions where temperatures get colder than 10 degrees F below zero, mound to about a foot about a month after your region's last average frost date; additionally, two weeks later, the entire plant should be wrapped in burlap to protect the upper parts.