This post is brought to you by our rose friend "Yen Vo" in College Station, TX. If you're in our Growing Roses In Houston Texas Facebook group, you may have seen Yen's beautiful roses that she grows in pots. Why growing roses in pots you ask?
Yes, realistically roses will do best in ground as they have big root system but not everyone has ideal space or soil condition in their backyard. This is where pots come in handy and there is no one way in doing things. We make what works for each of us.
In this blog post, I asked many questions that you want to know about growing roses in pots, and most importantly, is it possible/doable?
What area are you located in?
I live in College Station about more than an hour from Houston.
When did you start growing roses in pots?
I have always wanted to have a rose garden of my own but did not find the time to get started until 2020.
Why did you decide to grow roses in pots versus ground?
We have bad soil and drainage problem.
How many roses do you have in your container garden?
Oh, I lost count :-). I would say around 50 roses.
What kind of pots do you use for most of your roses?
All of my pots are the 22 inches suncast.
What potting soil works best for you?
I am currently using Kellogg Potting Mix on all of my roses
How far apart do you place those pots from one another?
I would say about 10-12 inches for now.
What did you wish you knew sooner about growing roses in containers? Any trials and errors?
I would have invested in good soil and organic matters if I had known about it before starting my first 6.
Pros and cons of growing roses in pots from your personal experience?
The good thing about growing roses in container is you can control the quality of the soil.
The downfall is that you have to feed and water your roses more frequently.
Are most of your roses David Austin roses? How many David Austin roses do you grow?
Yes about 80% of my roses are David Austin.
Do all of your roses grow and bloom well? Any varieties in particular that don’t seem to bloom or grow much in pots?
Not all my roses are doing well. I use same method for every roses but some are thriving and some are not.
How often do you water your potted roses in the summer? How do you water? Hand watering? Irrigation system?
I hand water mine everyday during hot months.
How much do you prune your potted roses to keep them at manageable size?
I don’t prune much since they are only in their first year.
Your potted rose care routine in summer months?
During July and August, I don’t prioritize on the blooms but shift my attention to feedings and waterings.
I tend to chop of buds of the weak and unhealthy looking bushes and let them rest. They do bloom during these months but some produce very ugly blooms.
I try to feed fish fertilizer weekly, longest is bi-weekly. On top of that, I also feed rose tone monthly and either/ or mill magic every 2 months. My roses love rose tone more than the others.
I hope you enjoyed this interview and got some great tips. I personally grow about 60% of my roses in pots as well.
Thank you so much Yen for taking the time to share your experience. I hope y'all learned something new about growing roses in pots. If you're wondering what pots we love, here's the link to the pots that Yen and I use.
Information and photos kindly provided by
Yen Vo