Rose Care

The choice is endless with the diversity of roses in single or double blooms are every color imaginable. Planted in either a formal or a non-formal site within the landscape they add interest and style.

Planting: Proper preparation is key to healthy plants. Roses like full sun, so choose an area in the yard that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight. When planting (this is with any plant), dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball but just the same in depth. (Do not plant deeper, it can suffocate the plant.). With the soil that you remove, amend with one of Miller’s compost (1/3 compost to 2/3 soil), or use our Fertilite Flowerbed Mix or Tree and Shrub Mix . Place 1/2 to 1 Cup of Miller’s A to Z Mix in the bottom of the hole and place the root ball on top. Back fill the hole with the amended soil or Fertilite Flower bed mix or Millers Tree and Shrub Mix. Water in to settle the soil. Mulch with one of Millers quality barks, colored mulches or decorative rocks. Apply Millers A to Z mix again in 3 months after planting and use Miller Gro Compost Tea every 3-4 weeks until mid-August. Starting the second season we recommend using Millers Rose Food. You can always us Millers A to Z mix along with the food for a total vitamin pack for your plants as well. The first season it is best to work on establishing a healthy, hardy root system, it will pay off in years to come.

Fertilizing: (second year and after) Roses are heavy feeders. Use Miller’s Rose Food once a month starting in the spring when you notice the new growth appearing. The last application here in our area is around mid-August (check with your local nursery for your areas last application recommendations). This allows the roses to get ready for the coming winter months. Scratch it lightly into the soil (take care not to dig into the roots), then water it in. When temperatures are above 90⁰ use ½ as much or skip feeding. Millers Rose Food is formulated to the Tucson Rose Society Formula for high standards. It contains the right mix of all the nutrients that roses need to be a productive “showcase” bloomer. Maintain healthy plants with even larger blooms, and reduce heavy pest infestation like aphids and thrip by spraying Miller’s Liquid Compost using our easy ready to spray bottle. Spray all the plants in your yard at the same time on the leaves and surrounding soil for the healthiest landscape. Miller’s Rose Food is also a great fertilizer for your flowers. Stop fertilizing mid-august and stop pruning at the end of August to first part of September to let the plant use its own natural defenses and prepare for the coming winter months.

Mulching: Summer mulching uses the same principles just like any plant. Mulch with one of Millers natural barks, colored mulches or decorative rocks. Click here for Mulching Tips. Winter Mulching:For winterizing roses with mulch use our Soil Prep or Topsoil Plus, or Topsoil Blend. This can be easily removed in the spring and can be mixed back into the soil for conditioning (Don’t damage the roots when doing this if mixing into the soil). It is best for roses to be winterized in cold climates. The freezing and thawing conditions can make them struggle the following season. (This is true also with herbaceous perennial flowers. Use the same practices after they have died down for the season). For winter mulching. After the first few hard freezes, remove all off the leaves that are still on the pant and those that are on the ground. Cut back any long canes that will whip in the wind. (Your final pruning will be next spring) Cover the bud union (the little bump at ground level) with 6” of either  Millers Soil Prep, Topsoil Plus^TM or Topsoil Blend. Remove the mulch from the bud union the following spring. this is very important, do not leave it piled on throughout the growing season.



Pests: Your best defense to pests is to keep your plants healthy to begin with. By using Miller Gro Compost Tea every 3 -4 weeks in your yard, your roses and other plants pest infestations are greatly reduced and/or suppressed. Plants are not bothered by pests than they would by using other water soluble fertilizers which encourage only growth and not the overall health of the plant. Over fertilizing can acutally encourage pests. Miller's Liquid Compost and Millers A to Z and feeding at the right time with our rose food build the health and durabillty of the plant. 

Whether you are working with a tiny garden area, patio or adding detail and structure to a large garden, consider choosing a rose to provide a touch of class to any garden that will become a masterpiece and it is easy to achieve with Miller’s products.