Mini care concerns and pictures

14 years ago

I live in Savannah GA.

I recently purchased a "grocery store rose" from...the grocery store. I went ahead and re-potted it into a pot a few inches larger than the original pot a few days after buying it and then a few days later I came to this forum to see how to care for it.

I have made some mistakes.

I didn't know they are 4 plants and did not separate them. Should I wait till the blooms have died then separate and repot them?

I read about people putting their single, separated mini into 1 gallon pots each...how does this look? How big do they get? how long does it take them to get this big? I am not a fan of seeing a tiny little plant in a huge honking planter. Nor do I really have the money to buy several large planters- though I do have several small pots like the one pictured. Once separated can each mini be put in its own pot of this size? I am guessing it is 6 inches.

I want to keep the roses in pots. I can place them indoors or outdoors. Whatever they will thrive best in for my climate. I understand that once established they like full sun, not a lot of water (spraying/misting is recommended)...I live in South GA- if they are outside does humidity effect them?

I read one thread that suggested putting the potted plant over a dish full of rocks and water...creating it's own misting system? Is this meant for inside or outside?

I read that minis are "on their own root" or they are "their own root system"...I don't know what this means.But the forum regulars seem to think this differentiates these plants from other plants care methods.

Overwintering them- I have read about techniques of bagging them/putting them in a basement/keeping them in darkness/keeping them in snow-like temps but not freezing temps....I live in SE Georgia. I don't have a basement. Winters days average maybe 30 degree at the coldest- we keep the house in the 60's. How can I overwinter these guys?

And overwintering them...I just cut all the leaves off them- but leave dead foliage and let them stay like bare sticks all winter?

When does the blooming season end? In GA- when do I know it is time to winter them?

Comments (9)

rosesnpots
14 years ago
Hi

First take a deep breath. You will do fine.

Seperate them using the instruction found on this forum. If you just repotted them, I would wait a about 2 weeks. Repot into 1gal pots is just temporary until they get some size on them. If you want to keep them in pots, a 5gal (approx 12" wide X 12" deep) size pots should be good their final homes. Remember to use good quality potting mix and also remember roses like it outside more than inside

Living where you are you do not have to worry about dragging in the pots during the winter. You do not have to give special care over the winter. I live in Virginia Beach and have never lost a potted rose over a winter. The only thing you may want to do is if you are going to have a hard freeze or a cold noreaster is to cover them with something like sheets.

Blooming season in my area is usually end of March to November. But it depends on the rose as well.

An own-root rose means it was grown by taking a cutting of the 'mother plant' and placing that cutting into dirt so cutting grows roots, making a new rose. Most roses these days are grown as own-root except for many of the modern HTs. The other you will find is a grafted rose. I have attached a great link to some super rose care videos and these should help you.

Remember minis are roses too and no matter what the size, the care is the same.

Liz

Here is a link that might be useful: Roses are Plants Too videos
gamecock43
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you! It sounds like once I separate them, I can plant then in their final containers- put them outside and not worry much about them!

I am curious to know how fast they will grow and how big they will get.

I don't know if I need 4 of these guys growing in large pots around my house...I think that once established my next door neighbor is getting a pretty pink rosebush as a gift for being a good neighbor!

One last question: If I keep the rose trimmed- will that make it stubbier and bushier? I prefer the full look it has now as opposed to long tall stalks with a few leaves and a flower.
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rosesnpots
14 years ago
Don't worry about pruning the first year. Just let them grow. These are not hybrid teas so if you do want to prune them just take enough off to shape them. I really do not touch my young roses until year 2 in my yard except deadheading (removing the spent blooms).

How big they get will depend on what rose you picked up. Being a "grocery store rose" it will most likely stay about 18" or so. Being own-root they may take 2 years to get to full height. Remember these are babies. So do not feed them until they look like they are settled in. The best thing to use some thing that is slow release and cut the amount in half at least for the first few months.

Also, make sure you use pots that have good drainage. roses hate sitting in soggy dirt.
gamecock43
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks! I hope to have these roses for many more years!
rosesnpots
14 years ago
Take care of them and they will be with you for a long time. Please do not hesitate to get on the main rose forum to ask questions if you need to. There is a wealth of knowledge out there to help you.

Good luck
gamecock43
Original Author
14 years ago
Well with this forum I feel like my roses stand a good chance of making it! I am sure they send you all their full gratitude for sharing your knowledge with me.
twotut
14 years ago
Are mini roses bunched into several plants when and if you buy it from the store? I just repotted some of my mini roses and I was wondering about that because it looked like there are at least 3 single plants in one pot. Should they be seperated or can they be grown together? And what food would you recomend?
I've had bad luck with the little ones and I don't want to screw these up. If they can survive the flowers they will produce will be beautiful.
Thanks for any info you can give
twotut
gamecock43
Original Author
14 years ago
From what it says on the forums-
minis coming from a grocery type store do come in 4 plants to one pot.

They need to be separated so that the roots wont kill one another.

As for food- it sounds like people are suggesting to feed them lightly. Do not feed them when they are getting used to a new pot, or during the winter when they are dormant. Maybe feed them every other month once they are each established in a big pot.

Hopefully an experienced person can help you out- I am a newbie.
rosesnpots
14 years ago
twotut

On this forum is an excellent thread explaining how to seperate the roses. Once seperated treat them like any other rose. Just remember the roses you bought at a grocery store have been in a greenhouse and forced to bloom. Roses really need to be outside.

Many people have had great success growing theses minis.