How to grow Roses in the UK
The classic! Choose a scented one, and pick a 'disease resistant' kind for an easy life.
- DifficultyA bit more care
- WhereBeds or Pots
- Sunfull sun
- Grows to120cm
- Spacing75cm
- Time to first pickabout 16 weeks
- Typeshrub
When to sow, plant and harvest roses
| Plant | early November to late March or early April to late June |
|---|---|
| In flower | early June to late September |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Planting it
- Water your new plants in their pots first
- Dig a hole a bit bigger than the pot
- Tip the plant out gently, holding the leaves, not the stem
- Pop it in the hole, firm the soil around it, and water well
- Space the plants about 75cm apart each way
Top tips for growing roses
- Feed them in spring and again after the first flowers.
- Watch the thorns - gardening gloves on!
Looking after roses
- Week 4: Snip off dead roses just above a leaf so new flowers come
Soil and feeding
Poor soil - really!. Nasturtiums flower best in poor soil. Feed them and you get all leaves and no flowers.
Pests and problems
- Blackfly & greenfly: tiny bugs that crowd the tips and suck the sap
- Squash greenfly with your fingers, or let ladybirds do it
Harvesting and eating roses
Cut roses in the morning, just as the buds start to open.
Saving your own roses seed
Late spring or summer.
- Snip a soft, non-flowering shoot about 10cm long, just below a leaf
- Pull off the bottom leaves and push it into a small pot of gritty compost
- Cover with a clear plastic bag and keep it out of hot sun
- In 4-8 weeks it grows roots - a new plant
Where to buy roses plants
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
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Roses questions
When do I plant out roses?
Plant roses out from early November to late March or early April to late June.
When can I enjoy roses?
Roses is ready from early June to late September. Cut roses in the morning, just as the buds start to open.
How long do roses take to grow?
Roughly 16 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are roses easy to grow?
Roses are rated 'a bit more care' for beginners, and can be grown in the ground or a raised bed or in pots and containers.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
Start growing - it's free