Miniature Roses

Child's Plany Miniature Roses

Miniature Roses are charming to look at, hardy to zone 4, offer tons of color, and are easy to grow. Minis are a wonderful addition to any garden, especially when garden space is limited and there the perfect potted plant along with any annual. Their small stature make them a good choice for the front of the perennial border, or for filling in small openings in your landscaping.

There are quality nurseries that specialize in miniature roses, including Nor East Miniatures or Ralph Moore Sequoia Nursery (considered the father of modern Minis), John's Miniatures, Regan Nursery, and others. You'll get the best selection of Minis from mail order nurseries so check online! Most minis are shipped in small 3" pots and leafed out and some are even blooming on arrival. Due to their small size, most survive quite well through the UPS or Fed Ex shipment.

Look for these popular tried and true Miniatures:

• Chasin' Rainbows-Micro Mini - 6" yellow with an orange edge
• Jeannie La Joie - A climbing miniature-light pink - profuse bloom-7-9'-fan shaped shrub, can be trained upward or to grow arched over.
• Climbing Rainbows End - yellow-pink and orange - 6-12' very disease resistant
• Childs Play - White & pink edged-beautiful and profuse bloom
• Cupcake -Hardy - 12-18" Light Pink - continuous bloom- a great mini
• Overnight Scentsation - pink- the Most fragrant mini ever-24-36" -large bloom for a mini
• Rise n' Shine - sunshine yellow color-16-20" of continuous blooms
• Hot Tamale - Vibrant orange & yellow 18-30" -continuous bloom-unusual color
• Black Jade - Dark Red almost black-beautiful and hardy- 18-24"
• Winsome - Mauve- 18-24" long lasting blooms and continuous -winter hardy-very pretty
• Irresistible - pure white -22-36" Spicy fragrance-hardy-a large bush for a mini
• Jean Kennally - apricot -a long time favorite of mini growers, vigorous-and continuous bloom

Growing miniatures is similiar to other rose bushes. Choose a location with at least 6 hours or more of sunlight, with good drainage, and a clay-sandy loam soil is best. Dig a hole 1'x 1' and plant the mini out of the wind. Improve the soil when planting a new miniature rose in the spring before the rose bush leafs out and after the 1st flush of bloom in summer. Fertilize with -1/4 cup bone meal,1/8 cup-blood meal, 1/8 cup alfalfa meal, 1/8 tsp Epson salt, 2-tsp wood ashes, and 2 cups of compost or composted manure. Minis are own root roses, so plant at ground level and keep them well watered the first 3 weeks unitl the roots set. Get a good rose spray to keep your minis free of pests and diseases and follow spray directions.

To prune minature roses, start in the spring by pruning off any dead wood by cutting at an angle with bypass runners, to encourage spring and summer growth. Deadhead flowers in summer to promote new flowers by cutting at an 1/4" above the last 5-leaflets on the stem, cutting outwards to encourage growth that way.

If you live in zone 5 or colder, winter protection will be needed. Cover your rose bush with 6-10" of loose potting soil, then cover loosely with dry oak or maple leaves, uncover in the spring when it warms up right away.

Minis are easy to grow, and make a beautiful addition to any garden. Just keep them fertilized, well watered and pruned and you'll have beautiful roses for years to come!