“Roses are easier to grow than tomatoes”, says Laura Dickenson, rosarian, member of Kansas City Rose Society and former Johnson County Extension Master Gardener. On 05/16/26, Laura provided rose education for our master gardeners and community members.
Plan a visit to the Rose Garden in Loose Park or Topeka’s Reinisch Rose Garden to see stunning displays of thousands of varieties of roses. If you’re interested in becoming a rosarian or a garden groomer, you can find more information at Kansas City Rose Society.
If you desire “floral shop” roses, growing them in your garden is unrealistic. These roses are grown in central South America under highly controlled conditions, genetically altered, and have no smell. Laura says, “It’s important to pick the “right” rose for your garden.” Roses come in many shapes, sizes and colors to compliment the landscape and provide months of beautiful blooms and fragrance. Roses require 6 hours of full, preferably morning sun. Don’t plant roses on the west side of the home. Rose can be suspect to insect pests and disease.
High maintenance roses are hybrid tea and grandiflora, and are usually grafted onto “Dr. Huey” plant stock. For this variety, plant the graft at least 2” inches below the soil to prevent Dr. Huey from taking over the grafted rose. Low maintenance roses include modern shrub roses, such as Knockout roses or old garden roses, grown on their own roots. Middle of the road maintenance roses include Floribunda and climbers.
When shopping for roses, it’s important to read the plant descriptions. Get plants that are hardy to Zone 6 and are labeled disease resistant. Grafted roses require more winter protection than roses that grow on their own roots.
Before planting, it’s a good idea to have your soil tested. Roses like acidic soil at 6.5 pH. Prepare the soil bed to be at least 2 feet wide and 18 inches deep. Don’t replace native soil, rather amend it on top. Plant roses so that you can walk around them and are able to see through them. Avoid root competition with trees and don’t plant companion plants to close.
Roses need watered regularly and require at least one inch of water per week. Water in the morning and at the soil level to prevent disease. Plan fertilizing around soil test results. Roses need extra nitrogen, but too much fertilizer invites pests and disease. Whether using synthetic or organic fertilizer, follow label directions. Also, you may need to add a fungal spray every 7-10 days during the growing season. Deadheading is optional, but allows the plant to re-bloom quicker. Stop deadheading at the end of August to allow the plant to begin its dormancy phase.
Pruning is done annually, usually in mid-April. Prune off dead, damaged, diseased and cross rubbing canes. Make sure the center of the rose is open for air circulation and light penetration. Prune to an outward facing bud. Prune back ⅓ to ½ of the prior plant height. Mid-season pruning is optional to maintain desired shape and size.
Access the Kansas City Rose Society website to find additional information and learn about rose varieties. The Quietness rose is Laura’s favorite rose. It was originally bred in Iowa by Griffith Buck and is hardy to our area. As Laura mentioned, “Every garden should have a rose.”