Growing Miniature Roses – All You Need To Know

Miniature roses are real roses that have been bred selectively for staying smaller in size. Many miniatures have small flowers as compared to normal rose bushes. However, these roses also come in a wide range of colors and types. Despite their tiny size, these roses are very hardy. Even these mini roses are more winter hardy than many tea roses. Also, these roses tend to be plentiful repeat bloomers. Before growing miniature roses, let’s see how they evolve.

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The hereditary parentage of a miniature rose could be tough to define as it has been in farming since 17th C. However, most roses were initiated as genomic mutations of China roses (Rosa chinensis) or earlier garden roses (Rosa centifolia and Rosa gallica). Today, many varieties grown are due to extensive breeding and no longer look like original native rose species.

One can use mini roses as edging or a border. However, these plants are specifically perfect as a specimen plant in a container, where they could be truly appreciated and seen. Now, let’s learn how to grow roses indoors.

Different Varieties of a Miniature Rose

growing miniature roses

Climbers

Miniature rose plants with a rambling, vertical growth habit could be trained for growing against supports. One thing that is miniature about such roses is their flowers’ size. Jeanne Lajoie does not look like mini, where it reaches over 7 feet in height. Also, Snowfall that blooms white flowers with canes stretching 7-12 feet.

Trailers

These roses feature a cascading development habit. They look beautiful over walls and in baskets. Sequoia Gold features double flower yellow blossoms. Green Ice features unusual blooms, which blossom as an apricot bud. They bloom double white blooms and then, turn to light green.

Micro-mini

This rose variety is the smallest miniature one. They grow up to 12 inches in height with proportionate tiny blossoms up to 1-inch size. Chasin Rainbows feature yellow roses, which are bordered in scarlet on 15-inch bushes. Bambino rose plants feature ¾-inch orange blossoms on 12-inch plants. 

Miniflora

These roses are classified as newly grown mini roses by the American Rose Society. These plants are slightly larger in size than other miniature roses. Also, their blooms are bigger too. The average size of a miniflora plant is 2½- 4½ feet tall. 

When Does A Rose Bloom?

A rose plant blooms on and off during the entire season (from midspring to fall). This makes them the most desirable plant of all. Many modern miniatures, grandifloras, hybrid teas, modern shrubs, and floribundas are known as repeat blooming, free-flowering, or ever-blooming, while many earlier garden rose plants bloom either once both in the fall and spring or just a year.

One can expect one’s roses to flower about 6-8 weeks for the first time after development begins in the month of spring. Thus, the flower takes that long to mature and form. The first flowering season falls in the spring and when all of the roses remain in full bloom. This is the most spectacular time of the year for everyone in your locality who loves miniature roses.

Modern roses keep on producing flowers during the season. Also, the procedure for recurrent flower growth takes around six weeks. However, the plants have flowers always at different growth stages, making for an incessant display.

How to Grow Roses Indoors

growing miniature roses

Home growers can treat and grow roses indoors the same way they would a full-size rose. Firstly, dig a pit a foot wider than the flower pot your rose plant came in. Remove your rose plant from its pot carefully and loosen its roots gently. When the rose plant is root bound tightly, employ a sharp knife for scoring the root ball’s sides and try loosening the roots again.

If the soil requires it, you can put in some organic matter to it. Place your rose bush in the pit’s center with its roots spreading out. Fill in your dig and firm down your soil gently. Water your newly planted rose bush thoroughly and apply a mulch layer. 

Many miniature roses are not grafted or budded. So, growers in cold climates do not require worrying about mulching or covering the graft. Also, growers in warm climates would not require to think about dupes from the rootstalk.

How to Care for an Indoor Rose Plant

Light

So, miniature roses grow well in direct, full sun. Flowers and foliage will turn out sparse in a shady condition.

Water

The amount of water rose plants will need usually depends on the weather and soil. A general thumb rule is to provide water an inch at least every week. Throughout dry, hot spells, growers have to water their plants more frequently.

Make sure you water your indoor rose plant deeply. This is to ensure that the soil remains wet about 12-18 inches underneath the surface. Prevent your leaves from getting wet during humid, hot weather for discouraging fungal diseases.

Soil

When you grow mini roses indoor, go for a well-drained, rich, loamy soil.

Humidity and Temperature

Although miniature roses thrive well in a container and people sell these plants as houseplants, most gardeners get disappointed by the performance of them indoors. Like roses, miniature plants also need medium humidity and full sun.

One can provide these things in summer. However, humidity drops down indoors due to heat. As a result, roses can become desiccated. These flowers can be given as a gift if you transplant them outdoors.

Fertilizer

Miniature roses could be extensive feeders. As they continue flowering all season, it is quite essential to fertilize regularly. Use general-purpose fertilizers or commercial rose foods as per the label’s instructions.

For keeping your rose plant always healthy, you need to feed them when the bush leafs out for the first time. Also, feed your plant after every heavy bloom flush. However, you have to stop feeding your miniature roses about 6-8 weeks before the expected frost for discouraging new development that can be killed back throughout winter.

Potting the rose plants and repotting them

For a patio container, miniature roses turn out to be a favorite bloom. This is the only plant where potted varieties could be grown in the commercial garden soil instead of a potting mix. If you prefer, you do not necessarily have to dig up the garden soil from your garden for using in your containers. It is best to use bags of the garden soil to grow roses indoors.

Usually, potted roses require to be re-potted every three years. If you want to bring in the potted mini roses for winter, then provide them with the sunniest place you could look for. Rotate your rose plants every week so that all sides receive some sunlight.

When growingroses indoors, they would love some humidity provided that if you keep the containers in a tray occupied with gravel and water.

Pruning

Just like other rose plants, you need to prune your mini roses before new development begins in early spring or late winter. It is not necessary to do hard pruning. In the first place, prune broken or dead wood. After that, trim back around one-third of your plant for encouraging new development and maintaining its shape.

Common Issues

Unfortunately, you will face the same issues with mini roses as you do with large roses, such as fungal diseases and black spots. Also, powdery mildew could be an issue. It is best to improve air circulation for keeping such fungal problems away. As with larger roses, you can go for general rose-care goods for preventing diseases and discouraging pests.

Also, keep looking for early symptoms of any damage caused by thrips, chafers, mites, or Japanese beetles. After that, treat the same accordingly.

Now, watch this video to know about some more tips for growing a mini rose.

Conclusion

So, this is all about growing miniature roses. Although it is easy to grow mini roses indoors, you need to keep certain things in mind. One thing that you need to consider is that these plants need full sun, which is not always possible to do indoors. So, put this beautiful plant in a sunny spot and that’s it! Now, enjoy your lovely plant indoors!

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