Roses in Alaska: Growing Roses in Pots

If you want to grow tender roses, such as the fragrant hybrid teas, the cluster-flowered floribundas or the wonderfully prolific miniature roses, you may want to consider growing them in pots. Tender roses in Alaska grow better in pots than in the ground, possibly due to the warmer soil provided by the pot.

Pots are usually portable and can be moved to sunnier locations or turned to show off a rose's best side. Pots can be moved inside for overnight shelter from frost. They also can be moved indoors during the winter, saving a rose for the following year without digging and repotting.

Just as roses in the ground benefit from a big hole, roses in pots benefit from having a large container. A two-gallon pot is the minimum size but is not recommended. A four- to five-gallon size is much better.

Black pots about 12 inches in diameter and 16 to18 inches high work well. They hold heat, which helps in cool climates. Half barrels are excellent but difficult to move.

Containers must have adequate drainage holes on the bottom or sides. Without them, roots will drown. But block the drainage holes with a piece of window screen or landscape fabric so soil will not fall out. Pots should be set above the ground on rocks to increase drainage.

One of the biggest differences between roses in the ground and roses in pots is the medium in which they grow. Local rose experts recommend a soil-less mix, available at local greenhouses and stores, for pots. Soil from the garden is heavy, making pots less portable. Also, it may not drain properly.

Watering is key to keeping a rose happy in a pot. Containers, especially those made of wood or clay, dry out quickly. In warm weather, you may need to water pots at least once per day.

To plant a rose in a pot, make a mound of soil in the middle. Most roses have a wide crown where the roots start. Place the plant on the mound. Keep the bud union, where the plant starts, at or just below the rim of the pot. Hold the rose tight and add extra soil to one inch below the rim. Gently firm the soil. Soak the newly planted rose and let it drain.

Mound extra soil over the bud union to keep it moist until roots form and leaves emerge. You can also place a paper bag over the pot and then set it in a cool spot for seven to ten days to allow roots to start growing.

Once the canes are growing, pull the bag off and grow the rose normally.

In the absence of regular soil, roses in pots also will need to be fed. An 8-32-16 fertilizer, with the numbers representing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, is a good all purpose fertilizer. Adding small amounts of alfalfa meal and Epsom salts to your potting soil helps roses.

© 2002, Alaska Rose Society, All Rights Reserved.
This article was originally published in the Anchorage Daily News, June 28, 2002.

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Last modified: February 02, 2003