A Grower's Guide
Growing Roses in Alabama
Growing your own roses provides a great sense of satisfaction. This guide covers the basics of planting and caring for roses in Alabama.
America’s national floral emblem and the most popular garden flower is the rose. Today there are more than 6,000 varieties, offering a wide range of forms, colors, and fragrances from spring through late fall. Roses can be used in the landscape as single specimen plants or in masses for an impressive color display, as borders or hedges, on trellises, or in cut-flower beds. New varieties are introduced by breeders every year. With some thought, planning, and a little regular care, anyone can grow roses successfully.
Questions not covered here can be directed to one of the Society’s ARS-certified Consulting Rosarians via the Contact page.
Eight Steps to Success
Choose a sunny site
Select a planting site that receives a minimum of 6 hours of sunshine daily.
Prepare the bed
Plant roses in a well-prepared bed of garden soil liberally mixed with organic matter, such as well-composted animal manure, peat moss, or decayed leaves.
Test your soil
Take a soil test several weeks before planting to determine the fertilizer and liming needs of the rose bed.
Water consistently
Water rose bushes frequently, providing about an inch of water each week from rain or irrigation, applied during the early morning hours.
Deadhead spent blooms
Remove spent flowers from the plant without damaging the remaining parts. Make clean cuts with a sharp knife or pruners.
Prune every year
Prune the plants every year to keep them healthy and well-formed.
Watch for pests and disease
Regularly inspect plants to prevent insect or disease damage, and treat as needed.
Mulch the bed
Mulch plants to conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds.