Organic Rose Gardening: Growing Roses The Natural Way

Planting & Caring for Your Rose Garden

Roses are a great addition to anyone’s life, home or yard. They add color and beauty and they smell great, but over the years, roses have acquired a reputation as being one of the most fragile and time-consuming flowers you can attempt to grow on your own.

Now you can discover the amazing secrets to growing beautiful roses anytime, anywhere – No matter what your experience level... Planting & Caring for Your Rose Garden reveals tips, tricks and techniques you can use to consistently grow gorgeous, healthy roses with ease!

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Organic rose gardening places great emphasis on using natural methods to grow roses and control pests, rather than using man made or synthetic fertilizers and chemicals. Organic gardening is much safer for your children and pets, as they are less likely to come into contact with hazardous gardening products.

The first step in organic rose gardening starts when you prepare the soil prior to planting your roses. Instead of using industrially prepared fertilizers you should use naturally occurring products. For example, bone meal is a good source of phosphorus which is essential for promoting healthy roots and large abundant blooms. Other essential nutrients are released by tiny micro-organisms that live in the soil and break down dead plant matter. This plant matter can be provided by adding compost to the soil mix you use when planting your roses.

One of the major benefits of organic rose gardening is that no synthetic chemicals are used to control pests. These chemicals are washed down into the soil every time it rains or you water your rose plants. Once in the soil they kill the micro-organisms which break down the compost into the essential trace elements required for healthy plant growth.

It is difficult to grow roses entirely on their own organically, as organic gardening places great emphasis on companion planting of other plant species to attract beneficial insects. These beneficial insects feed on the harmful insects which damage your rose plants.

For example, fennel, angelica, coriander and dill all grow large numbers of the tiny flowers favored by parasitoid wasps which feed on aphids, caterpillars and grubs. Another example of a useful companion flower is Queen Anne's Lace which is favored by lacewings, ladybugs and hoverflies. These insects feed on and control the numbers of aphids, mealybugs and mites.

With organic rose gardening it is even possible to make organic fungicides. For example, a 50/50 solution of milk and water will control powdery mildew. Another popular antifungal treatment is a mix known as the Cornell Formula. Every organic gardener has their own recipe, but they are all variations of mixing one tablespoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of horticultural oil with one gallon of water, which should be sprayed onto your rose plants every seven to ten days.