Soil Amendments

• Roses grow well in an area with six hours of full morning sun and well-drained fertile soil. The soil pH needs to be 6.0 to 7.0. If you are not sure if your soil is rose ready, have your local university extension conduct a soil analysis or obtain a kit from them and conduct your own test. Refer to the results for the amendments necessary to add to the soil and how much to use. Amendments to raise or lower the soil pH could be lime or sulfur. In addition to the soil analysis results, add a 4-inch layer of compost over the entire planting bed, with 3 lbs. of superphosphate per 100 square feet. Mix to a depth of 10 to 12 inches. These amendments will create rich, fertile, well-drained soil, making it an ideal growing environment for your roses.
  
  

Water

• Water each rose bush with 1 inch of water per week during the growing season, soaking the soil 12 to 18 inches deep to ensure all the roots receive water. Apply directly to the soil with a soaker hose in the morning, which will prevent diseases if water splashes on the foliage by accident. Check your roses and soil moistness frequently during the summer months and times of drought. Water more often if need be. Mulch with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch such as wood chips or pine straw to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Leave a few inches around the base of the rose bush unmulched.
  
  

Fertilize

• Feed with a rose food or general flowering-shrub fertilizer three times during the growing season. First feed in early spring after major pruning, followed by when the flower buds appear. The last feeding should be in mid-July. Do not feed after August 15 to help slow down the growth of the rose bush. Apply 1 cup of fertilizer per feeding. Sprinkle around the soil starting 6 inches away from the trunk of the rose bush and applying 18 inches out. Water thoroughly to make sure the roots receive the nutrients.
  
  

Prune and Deadhead

• Remove dead, diseased or damaged canes and foliage during the growing season to prevent diseases from spreading. Remove debris removed from the rose to prevent pests. Deadhead spent roses to promote the growth of new ones. In early spring, once the last frost has passed, cut canes back to 12 to 14 inches with sharp pruning shears. Cut on a 45 degree angle above an outward-faced bud.