Hi everyone first time poster.
I have a question for you.
Tonight I received a mini rose plant. As it is the dead of winter here in Maine, roses should be dormant.
Is there any way I can possibly keep this bush alive in my house until spring?
Probably, as long as you treat it with care. It may need to be repotted, especially if it's one of those small plants in a 2 or 3 inch container. If it's a larger plant, it would be helpful if you posted a photo for us, so we can evaluate it more precisely. At the moment, pics can't be hosted here, so you have to first put them on a site like photobucket. That should be changing this weekend, or soon thereafter.
Other than the size of the pot, your mini rose will need very bright light, so provide as much as you can. It doesn't need especially cool temperatures, but be careful not to let it get overheated, either.
Water it thoroughly, then allow it to dry a bit before you water it again. Not knowing the size of the plant and container, I can't be more specific than that as far as watering goes.
I've managed to keep them alive, although not blooming, for as long as 2 months indoors. As soon as your weather permits, I would start taking it outdoors for a couple of hours each day, to begin the hardening-off process. Don't put it in direct sun right away, of course, or it will lose its leaves to sunburn. You want to have it fully hardened off as early as possible, so it can move outdoors. That's where it really wants to be.
A warm welcome to the forum! I hope you post often.
Other than the size of the pot, your mini rose will need very bright light, so provide as much as you can. It doesn't need especially cool temperatures, but be careful not to let it get overheated, either.
Water it thoroughly, then allow it to dry a bit before you water it again. Not knowing the size of the plant and container, I can't be more specific than that as far as watering goes.
I've managed to keep them alive, although not blooming, for as long as 2 months indoors. As soon as your weather permits, I would start taking it outdoors for a couple of hours each day, to begin the hardening-off process. Don't put it in direct sun right away, of course, or it will lose its leaves to sunburn. You want to have it fully hardened off as early as possible, so it can move outdoors. That's where it really wants to be.
A warm welcome to the forum! I hope you post often.
https://oddcrap.blogspot.com/2012/02/mini-rose.html
here's a picture of the rose. After closer inspection I realized that there were a few broken branches and dead leaves on it so I clipped them off.
Here's the plan...
Right now it's on a window sill with a few other plants. There it will stay until it's warm enough to go outside. I hope the soil is good enough so it can stay put until it's time to re-pot it in the spring.
here's a picture of the rose. After closer inspection I realized that there were a few broken branches and dead leaves on it so I clipped them off.
Here's the plan...
Right now it's on a window sill with a few other plants. There it will stay until it's warm enough to go outside. I hope the soil is good enough so it can stay put until it's time to re-pot it in the spring.
Is that a 4" pot? If so, it can probably stay in that for another couple of months. You could gently remove it from the pot and check the roots, though, just to be sure. The one thing I've found that kills mini roses faster than just about anything else is being root bound, and plants forced for sale on a holiday are almost always root bound, sadly. I read in your Intro that you have experience with bonsai, so you probably know how to remove a plant from a container without harming it.
Clipping off the damaged parts was a fine choice. One thing I would encourage you to do is to check it carefully for any pests, especially the beginnings of spider mites. I've found mini roses to be prone to them. You definitely want to do that right away if you're keeping it near other plants you have. Spraying thoroughly until it's dripping (4 to 5 treatments 5 to 7 days apart) with a soap and water solution (be careful to use real soap, not a detergent) will solve the problem.
It's a pretty little rose!
Clipping off the damaged parts was a fine choice. One thing I would encourage you to do is to check it carefully for any pests, especially the beginnings of spider mites. I've found mini roses to be prone to them. You definitely want to do that right away if you're keeping it near other plants you have. Spraying thoroughly until it's dripping (4 to 5 treatments 5 to 7 days apart) with a soap and water solution (be careful to use real soap, not a detergent) will solve the problem.
It's a pretty little rose!
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
It is pretty! I have one that I have had for three years now, going on four. Mine stays outdoors in a large container, year round. But I am in zone 6. I think they are only hardy to zone 5. I'm guessing in Maine you are in chilly zone 3 or 4. If so, you will need to bring yours back in each winter.
Good luck with it. I love mine, which was also a gift and just blooms and blooms all season.
Good luck with it. I love mine, which was also a gift and just blooms and blooms all season.
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
I wouldn't worry so much about a little bit of roots coming out the bottom. The question is what it looks like inside the pot. Does it have roots circling around the pot on the outside of the root ball? That's potbound. Those circling roots eventually smother the plant. When you repot, those need to be loosened up and straightened out.
- Intriguedbybonsai
- Senior Member
- Posts: 262
- Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:03 pm
- Location: Escondido, CA (USDA Zone 9-10)
I don't think I'd worry so much about it in southern CA, because it's probably warm enough for your rose to be outside. Whether it's inside or out, I would certainly check it over for pests, especially spider mites and aphids.
If your rose is living indoors, you should probably begin hardening it off, so it can move outdoors. Mini roses really are not any different than regular roses, as far as care is concerned. I had a friend in Pasadena who planted them all along the front walk to his home. They were beautiful.
Sometimes mini roses will grow unexpectedly large if planted in-ground or when moved to a large container. I had one that grew to be 20" tall, even though it was a tiny little sprout in a 3" pot when I bought it.
Mine are in containers, but I leave them outside all year. I put them on the south side of my house, up close to the foundation, when the weather is expected to be cold.
If your rose is living indoors, you should probably begin hardening it off, so it can move outdoors. Mini roses really are not any different than regular roses, as far as care is concerned. I had a friend in Pasadena who planted them all along the front walk to his home. They were beautiful.
Sometimes mini roses will grow unexpectedly large if planted in-ground or when moved to a large container. I had one that grew to be 20" tall, even though it was a tiny little sprout in a 3" pot when I bought it.
Mine are in containers, but I leave them outside all year. I put them on the south side of my house, up close to the foundation, when the weather is expected to be cold.
Do tell. My sister, the one who lives here in the Bay Area, got me a yellow miniature rose several years ago. I tried to keep the poor thing alive in the north-facing kitchen window--the only one I can guarantee cats won't attack *and* the plant will receive sunlight--but finally had to move it outside.Kisal wrote: Sometimes mini roses will grow unexpectedly large if planted in-ground or when moved to a large container. I had one that grew to be 20" tall, even though it was a tiny little sprout in a 3" pot when I bought it.
Where it promptly became root-bound, b/c the top growth got ahead of the bottom growth and space in the 4-inch pot. I moved it into a 10- or 12-inch terra cotta pot, into a mixture of potting soil and my own compost, in a desperate attempt to keep it alive. (Yes, I root-pruned it, too.)
Oh. Lord. The "miniature" rose bush is now about 24" tall and throws off full-sized brilliant yellow roses with (trust me...) absolutely minimal attention. It's just amazing.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
I wasn't rough at all with the roots . I figured the tree was stressed enough already. I loosened the ones at the bottom and took some old soil from the top. Most of the root ball was untouched.
The re-pot went well. I clipped all the flowers off and reduced the water. I put it beside my sink where it gets 24 hour florescent lighting. It's warmer than the window sill. So far the leaves have stopped yellowing and falling off and it seems to have perked up.
The re-pot went well. I clipped all the flowers off and reduced the water. I put it beside my sink where it gets 24 hour florescent lighting. It's warmer than the window sill. So far the leaves have stopped yellowing and falling off and it seems to have perked up.