What does my indoor mini-rose need now?

[Kansas Terri]

I LOVE miniature roses, but mine have always died inside. And, I cannot grow them outside because our winters are too cold.

Well, I did not KNOW that roses needed to be dormant for a while, so I decided that that might be the trouble. So I have decided to try again, this time getting them to go dormant for a while.

I put two mini-roses outside in a sheltered spot this Fall, in hopes that they would go dormant before the real cold arrives in January. Well, one went dormant and one did not. We had a warm snap in December, and the one dormant mini-rose broke dormancy and has put out new growth. So, I brought it in and I put it in a south-facing window.

NOW what do I do? This is new to me! Do I fertilize it now or do I wait until the leaves are larger? Right now the leaves are still little nubs of a quarter inch, but they look healthy! Does it need to be re-potted, or will the old pot do? And does a south facing window give enough light for a rose?

Thanks!

 

[claudine]

In my opinion you should put it back outside. I worry it might not survive if you keep it indoors.
December has been unusually warm here too. One of my miniatures started growing, but I didn't do anything about it. I always keep all my roses in the attic until early spring.

 

[Kansas Terri]

Two years ago we reached -20 Fahrenheit, which is the same as -29 Celsius. EVERY miniature rose left outside will die, plain and simple! They always have.

So, if I bring in the one that never really went dormant, do you think it will go dormant if I put it in a dark place? THAT I can do!!!!!

 

[Mika]

do you think it will go dormant if I put it in a dark place?

Only if it's cold too! Putting nearly any plant in a warm spot with no light will kill it! I've never grown them personally; however, I was told I should put them in the basement for a few weeks. Our winters here get too cold and it will kill them. If you don't have a basement, I've been told putting it in the fridge will work as well. Make sure you put it in a box though so it doesn't get tipped over! I've never tried the fridge treatment though! I've always used my basement for my other plants. Good Luck!

 

[gata montes]

Two years ago we reached -20 Fahrenheit, which is the same as -29 Celsius. EVERY miniature rose left outside will die, plain and simple! They always have.

So, if I bring in the one that never really went dormant, do you think it will go dormant if I put it in a dark place? THAT I can do!!!!!

Roses are much tougher than people realize and although your roses probably wouldn't survive being exposed to prolonged temperatures of - 20F - they would in fact quite happily survive temperatures of around zero and even just below - in fact providing they are no long being fertilized and their watering has been reduced - they will survive quite happily in those conditions.

However as roses need to go dormant prior to being put in a dark place - I wouldn't recommend doing that with the one that you thought was not dormant - in fact the best option for that one at the moment - is to reduce its water and place it in a cool/cold but light place - as that will encourage it to go dormant.

 

[Kansas Terri]

Roses are much tougher than people realize and although your roses probably wouldn't survive being exposed to prolonged temperatures of - 20F - they would in fact quite happily survive temperatures of around zero and even just below - in fact providing they are no long being fertilized and their watering has been reduced - they will survive quite happily in those conditions.

However as roses need to go dormant prior to being put in a dark place - I wouldn't recommend doing that with the one that you thought was not dormant - in fact the best option for that one at the moment - is to reduce its water and place it in a cool/cold but light place - as that will encourage it to go dormant.

Actually, cold and dark sounds a lot like my garage!

Next week will be a relatively mild freeze at 8 F (about -13 C) so perhaps the outside plant will go dormant, and after next week I can stick it in the garage. As far as the plant that has already broken dormancy, I think I will keep it inside. I have never had much luck when my plants freeze after leafing out: even the hardy outside plants usually die when that happens.

I have tried to winter mini roses over before in my back yard, several times. Alas, the death rate has been 100%! Perhaps it is because it is very windy in Kansas as well! I one had a blueberry plant behind a low windbreak, and the part of the blueberry plant that was protected from the wind lived and did well while the exposed top died. It looked like somebody had drawn a line across the plant: dead above, living below.

 

[claudine]

Your garage sounds like a perfect place for your miniatures If I were you, I wouldn't wait, I'd put them all there as soon as possible.
If it's very cold there, cover their pots with thick fabric or cotton wool.

 

[gata montes]

Actually, cold and dark sounds a lot like my garage!

Next week will be a relatively mild freeze at 8 F (about -13 C) so perhaps the outside plant will go dormant, and after next week I can stick it in the garage. As far as the plant that has already broken dormancy, I think I will keep it inside. I have never had much luck when my plants freeze after leafing out: even the hardy outside plants usually die when that happens.

I have tried to winter mini roses over before in my back yard, several times. Alas, the death rate has been 100%! Perhaps it is because it is very windy in Kansas as well! I one had a blueberry plant behind a low windbreak, and the part of the blueberry plant that was protected from the wind lived and did well while the exposed top died. It looked like somebody had drawn a line across the plant: dead above, living below.

Yes your garage would be the ideal place for the rose that has already gone dormant - in fact as that rose is already dormant there is no reason to leave it outside any longer - as it would be fine to put it in there right now - but preferably above floor level.

As for the rose that you brought inside - as it is not yet dormant and you don't want to take the risk of putting it outside - I would suggest that if you have somewhere in your house that is cooler than elsewhere - that would be the best place for it - it would however be a very good idea to remove it from the south facing window as leaving it there will encourage it to grow rather than go dormant.

Oh how I hear you regarding cold winds - especially as I experience something very similar where I live and because icy winds are often far more damaging to plants because of the wind chill factor - meaning that - although the air temperature may be - 12 C the windchill factor is more often than not something like - 20 C the only real solution is to protect everything with newspaper and horticultural fleece and especially pots - and if its of any help - what I generally do to make sure the plants in my pots survive - is to first wrap the whole of the pot in newspaper and then a layer of horticultural fleece - which is then followed by a further layer of fleece to cover both the top of the plant as well as the pot.

 

[Kansas Terri]

I will try the garage, then.

If it works I will invest in a LOT of mini roses, as I love the variety of colors the roses provide! Both of these are a coral red color!

 

[claudine]

I hope it will work Your garage does sound like a perfect place, so everything should be fine. Miniature roses are the prettiest plants in the whole world, I want to buy more of them too
I've never had a coral red rose.

 

[scotkat]

How many do you have Claudine?

 

[claudine]

Currently, I have 8 miniature roses. I had had more of them, but some of them didn't survive being watered by me
I'll have 4 really big window sills now, so I'll have plenty of space for new roses

 

[Kansas Terri]

It is 4 Fahrenheit right now: that is about -15 Celsius! True winter has arrived right on schedule!

I would rather talk about roses. Do the mini's come in bicolors? Out here they mostly sell the pink, red, and white ones but if they come in pink and yellow combined I can always buy from a catalogue!

 

[gata montes]

It is 4 Fahrenheit right now: that is about -15 Celsius! True winter has arrived right on schedule!

I would rather talk about roses. Do the mini's come in bicolors? Out here they mostly sell the pink, red, and white ones but if they come in pink and yellow combined I can always buy from a catalogue!

They do and as miniature roses are literally nothing more than smaller versions of many of the well known larger roses and especially Hybrid Teas - there are thousands and thousands of bloom colors to choose from - they also come in many forms too from compact and bushy to cascading - in fact if you have a favorite Hybrid Tea rose that you like - you'll more than likely find a miniature version of it somewhere.

Like for instance " Bees Knees "

" Peace "

" Little Sunset "

and " Rainbow's End "

 

[Kansas Terri]

PERFECT! The pink and yellow ones have always been my favorites.

Looking through catalogues of flowers is a lovely way to spend the winter, and so I will order myself some!