6 Things You Can Do to Help Your Roses Grow Faster (and Fuller), According to a Rosarian

Roses have a bit of a reputation for being “high maintenance,” but not all varieties are as persnickety as others, and some variations are actually quite easy to grow once established. Still, you may find yourself routinely checking on your empty or sparse rose bush and willing those fragrant blossoms to hurry up already. 

Fortunately, with the right tricks up your gardening gloves you can speed things along and encourage faster, fuller blooms. From smart soil moves to sunlight strategies, we asked gardening gurus—including a rosarian (someone who specializes in growing roses) and horticulturists—about their best rose growing tips. 

Feed Them Rose Food 

Fertilizing your roses is a no-brainer, but make sure you’re feeding this pretty flower a rose-specific fertilizer, advises Wes Harvell, rosarian at Jackson & Perkins. “Roses are heavy feeders and benefit from consistent nutrition,” he explains. “Using a balanced fertilizer formulated for roses supports root strength and flower production throughout the growing season.”

Give Your Roses Full Sun

Roses thrive in sunshiney spots, so plant them in an area where they’ll get full sun. “Roses need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day,” Harvell says. “Ample sun encourages strong stem development and abundant blooms and helps prevent disease by keeping foliage dry.” Without enough sunshine, the rose bush itself might grow but it won’t produce many (if any) blossoms. 

Fill the Soil With Nutrients 

While rose food can help produce gorgeous, full blooms, planting them in nutrient-dense soil is just as crucial. The good news is that most soil can be easily amended to create an excellent environment, says Juliet Howe, horticulturist and founder of Twigs Design. The key is to add lots of organic matter, manure, and/or compost into the soil.

“Once your rose is planted, add about one to two inches of mulch, being careful to stay a few inches away from the base of the stem,” Howe advises. (Mulch placed directly against the stem retains moisture, creating an opportunity for fungus and pests to damage the plant.) Well-placed mulch helps retain the nutrients you’ve added to the soil, allowing your roses to grow faster and fuller. 

Prune Roses in the Early Spring 

Pruning is one of the most important aspects of caring for roses, and the best time to prune them is in the early spring just before they leaf out. “Not only does this keep the roses full and growing in the shape you like, but it also safeguards the health of your roses by providing air flow and discouraging fungus, bacteria, and pests,” Howe says. Harvell adds that you should also remove dead or crossing canes to further reduce disease risk and to channel energy into healthy parts of the plant. 

Deeply and Infrequently Water Roses

Roses do best with deep and infrequent waterings. This means you should water them very well, soaking the ground completely, and then allow the ground to dry out completely before watering again. 

“This way the rose will send its roots downward, deep into the soil for water, creating a strong plant,” Howe explains. “Frequent, shallow watering can interfere with the health of the plant by causing the root system to grow upward.” Eventually, when the plant is deeply rooted, the roses will only require occasional waterings (unless it’s a particularly dry summer). 

Ward Off Pests and Disease 

Their susceptibility to fungal diseases, insect infestations, and viruses is partly why roses get a “high maintenance” rap. It’s important to safeguard your bushes from these issues via preventative treatments and regular feedings to ensure healthy growth, says Jessica Booth, a landscape architect at Yost Design.

“If a rose becomes infected with a virus, the best course of action is to prune and remove the affected branches,” she adds. “Be sure to dispose of them in the garbage—not the compost pile—as viruses can spread to other plants through contaminated compost.” 

To help prevent these issues in the first place, regularly inspect your roses for signs of trouble and apply preventative treatments like neem oil or a gentle fungicide early in the growing season.