A co-worker asked me to look at a much treasured mini rose bush that she received as a gift a couple of months ago. She replanted it about a month ago, and in that time, it has grown massively. Aside from it needing to be divided (it was a supermarket purchase, and there are actually four in this pot), I can see that she is having a problem with powdery mildew. But would this also cause the rose buds to dry out perfectly without blooming? I mean, they would be perfect for a potpourri, but that is not what she is wanting!

I plan on dividing the bushes into two larger pots for now, until she knows what she wants to do with them. There are a couple of stems that are close to the soil that have started to droop, so it is okay to replant them under the soil so that they will stand upright? Or should I stake them up? I'd love to prune it a bit, but that will have to be done with her permission and supervision (don't want her to panic).

Also, is there a watering system for this indoor baby? She was informed that roses don't like "wet feet", so she has started watering it very sparingly. Not really her fault, because she used a peat mixture, and she was told that if any soil comes off onto her fingers when she presses on it, then it does not need watering. I could offer her the "weight test", but she is deathly worried about overwatering.

She and this rose is like a child and a puppy, and she is so desperate to be successful in growing them, so if anyone can help with any advice, it would be very much appreciated!!!!

Thanks,
Holly

This lady is very "exact and precise", and doesn't do well unless things are cut and dry. I think that I will take the plant back to her after I've done all I can, then monitor them for a couple of weeks, to see how fast the pots dries out. Then perhaps I can better tell her how much and how often she needs to water them.

Thanks,
Holly