Successful Rose Growing in Delhi

Planting roses and having a healthy flush of flowers in Delhi’s climate is not a difficult task. Here is a guiding tour to the process:

 

Broad Classification of Roses

These have an Individual big rose on one stem (30 to 50 petals).

These hybrid blooms appear in a cluster.

Flowers of this type of rose are in large clusters but smaller in size than other roses.

Plants are shorter and blooms too are smaller.

This type of rose has small and compact flowers.

Flowers are produced in clusters(5 to 15 inches growth in all directions).

These have long arching canes that can be trained onto fences or trellises.

Soil for Roses

Roses like good, fertile, well-drained soil, which has moisture retention capacity and is rich in organic matter.

 Potting mixture for rose plants

A good potting mixture contains khangar, vermicompost or cow dung manure and bonemeal.

Container grown roses – Use a 12 to 16 Inch pot (repot every year).

In Ground – Plant 3 feet apart to allow ample space to grow.

Light requirements

Roses grow well in an open sunny space which receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.

Propagation of roses

Roses are grown by the grafting and budding method.

Water requirements

Soil should be kept moist, ensuring no water logging occurs. The soil should be well drained.

Pruning of roses

Mid-September to the end of October is the best time of the year to prune roses. The day and night temperature should have a difference of 10°C, or when the day and night temperatures, when added together, equal around 50°C.

There are two types of pruning:

Hard pruning –

Cut 1 foot above the grafted part of the plant.

A word of caution Floribunda and Climber roses are never hard pruned. They are always light pruned.

Light pruning –

• • • • • Keep the primary stem and prune the secondary ones.
        • Cut the stem where the 5 leaflet leaves start because the branch is strong from there onwards.
        • Remove the blind shoot.

Process of pruning

• • • Remove weeds and plough the soil after rains.
    • Allow the soil to dry for 2 days.
    • Prune on the 3rd day.
    • Water on the 4th day.
    • Feed on the 5th day.

Feeding rose plants

Use leaf compost , gobar khad ( well-rotted cow dung manure) or vermicompost for good plant growth.

After 3 weeks, when the plant has grown well, neem khal, sarsonkhal and bone meal are required for stimulating budding. Follow the procedure below:

Liquid manure:

• • • Add 1/2 kg sarson khali and 1 litre rice water (left after boiling rice) to a 20 litre bucket of water.
    • Mix well. Keep covered for 3 days.
    • Use 1/2 mug of this for each plant every 10 to 15 days.

Alternatively, Jeevamrutha can also be used.

Slow release fertiliser:

• • • 1 kg – Bone Meal
    • 1 kg – Neem Khal
    • Spread 1 spoon around the plant every week.

Also, every week feed the plant with banana peel tea or add 1 spoon of dried, ground banana peels to the soil around the plant.

Plant care

• • Roses do well in full sun.
  • Do not overwater but keep the soil moist.
  • Plough the soil regularly as it stimulates bud formation.
  • Spray foliage with liquid manure. This will not only feed the plant, but also keep the leaves clean.
  • Wash the foliage throughout the year.
  • If there are clusters of buds then remove a few for bigger flowers.
  • Keep the PH level of the water and soil between 6 – 6.5