HelpfulGardener.com

Hello, I was wondering if there was any method to dye a growing white rose into a blue one. I already know about the colored water trick with a cut rose, but I had heard that there was a way to dye a growing rose by applying something to the roots. If it matters, I would be growing these indoors.

Otherwise, is there any means to influence one of the more purple-colored roses towards the blue side, or are their colors more or less just luck?

True-blue roses are still a mythical (I.e., non-existent) object. We had a pretty spirited discussion about these "unicorns" April of last year right here. The discussion itself contains links to some scientific articles describing *why* true-blue roses are so difficult/impossible to achieve and how the pictures of them on eBay are mostly...ah...fake. As you indicate, they're dyed cut roses. No idea about the roots.

As to growing roses indoors, they're pretty sun-loving little beasts. I had a miniature rose, a gift from my sister, and I tried to keep it going in the kitchen window, the sunniest one available. No go; I had to eventually give up and put it outdoors, where it was very happy. I added compost to its growing medium and up-potted it..."miniature" rose no longer! Merely a "small" one.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

I have not tried it, but people say you can tint your roses by watering them with water with food coloring in it. Pour the water directly on the center of the roots. Theoretically they will take up the food coloring just as cut roses do and the blossoms will be tinted. You would have to do this consistently every time you water and it would take a couple weeks to show up in the blossoms. ("Everything you read on the internet is true," right? )

Keep us posted and show pictures if you try the experiment!