Rose Plant: 10 Easy Tips on How to Make Rose Plant Bushy?

Rose plants are very beautiful when they have full of roses. It also has thrones in the plant, which makes it difficult for pets to eat the leaves.

Rose plant flowers are used for many things, flowers themselves look so beautiful and used for decoration purpose, bouquets, They are also used for making deodorant. This also smells so good. Recently I read people also use organic flowers for smoking purposes which I felt so weird.

To make rose plants bushier start preparing plants before 20-30 days of flowering season by pruning, fertilizing, giving enough exposure to sunlight, watering when needed, mulching, inspecting of pest importantly deadheading, pruning after cut of flowers if we take care of all these plants will grow bushier with more flowers.

Here are the steps I follow every year to take care of my plant so that it gives more foilage and bigger flowers every time and these are the things that worked out for me.

1. Pruning

Pruning plays an important role to get new shoots and new shoots will give more buds for sure. Just prune 20- 30 days before the flowering season. To encourage the new growth of the plant

The best season to prune is early November when we get the next 3 months full flowering season to get full flowers and more foilage from it.

Some tips for pruning your rose plants:

• Use your Best well-sanitized tools to prune correctly.
• angle cut just above a bud eye to prune it properly.
• Another tip is to prune the outward-facing bud eye.
• prune thin or crosses stems, this also helps in good air circulation.
• remove dead stems (remove as near to base stem possible)
• Pruned cuttings can be used to grow a new plant.

After 10 days new stems and buds will start growing. After another 10 days will produce more buds, Plant will try to give buds in the coming days.

2. Fertilizing

1. Alfalfa Meals

Alfalfa has good overall organic amendments and results in faster, vigorous growth and makes plants more bloom. This is one of the most commonly used for my rose plants.

2. Compost

Compost promotes the overall growth of plants, helping roses to be more resilient to pests and diseases. Mix into the soil while planting the plant or apply 1-2 layers each spring around the base of established plants.

We can buy the compost from online stores like amazon or offline in nurseries.

3. Manure

Manure can also be mixed with soil while planting the plants or once it is well established we can mulch the layers of manure so that nutrients will reach roots when we water the plants.

It is better to manure in the spring and make sure manure is well-aged so that it won’t burn your rose plants.

4. Bone Meal

Bone meal can be applied in spring as a slow-release fertilizer for the rose plants. it will have an effect through the growing season again fall to promote root growth and for next years flowers to bloom well.

5. Kelp meal or sea weed

Kelp meal or seaweed promotes root development and boosts the plant’s immunity to pests or diseases caused by insects. This fertilizer we can use throughout the growing season.

6. Fish Fertilizer

Fish fertilizer is used with the combination of kelp meal and this encourages the plant to grow lush green. usually applied every 3 weeks to get most of it.

7. Coffee extract

The coffee extract can be used to sprinkle around the base of the plant at any time during the growing season for boosting the nitrogen. Coffee is acidic, so soil PH may be adjusted with lime or other alkaline sources.

8. Cottonseed meal

Cottonseed meal boosts overall plant health, apply only once in 6 months this is slow releasing fertilizer effect throughout the growing season. It is acidic in nature so soil PH may be adjusted with lime or other alkaline sources.

9. Epsom salts

Epsom salts promote bloom color and green foliage, more vigorous growth on the stem. Apply it in spring to make full use of it.

we can say Epsom salt is not alone fertilizer, we can give Epsom salt with fertilizer to enhance the nutrients for the plant.

Epsom salt is an easily available house and its common name is magnesium sulfate. It has Magnesium and sulfur in it.

Epsom salt helps the plant to increase chlorophyll production and helps to restore green leaves (If leaves are suffering from other problems, dry).

How to use Epsom salt for Rose Plants?

Step 1: Mix well with two tablespoons of Epsom salt to one gallon of water.

Step 2: Wait until the soil of the Rose plant is fully dry.

Step 3: can also be applied as a spray to the Rose plant or to leaves directly.

Step 4: Pour the mixture gently into the base of the Rose plant.

Step 5: Apply every month until early fall.

10. Tea powder as fertilizer for Rose plant

Used Tea powder is also one of the good fertilizers for the Rose Plant. After using Tea powder for making tea. you can apply that to the Rose plants to get good results. It has 4 % nitrogen along with phosphorus and other micronutrients that benefit the soil for plant growth.

How to use Tea powder as fertilizer for Rose plants?

Step 1: Don’t throw away after using Tea powder in the kitchen.

Step 2: Wash the Tea powder thoroughly before using it as fertilizer this is a must.

Step 3: Apply to the top layer of the soil without disturbing the roots in the soil.

Step 4: This can be applied every month to boost the Rose plant growth.

11. Rice water as fertilizer for Rose plant

This is one of the common kitchen wastes found in every home, This can be perfect as the fertilizer for the Rose plant. After you wash your rice leftover water contains starches and even good minerals.

Can contains also macronutrients like NPK that help to grow Rose plant well. It is known that unpolished rice contains good rich in vitamin B. This may also stimulate the new growth of roots in the rose plant.

How to use Rice water as fertilizer for Rose plants?

Step 1: When washing the rice in the kitchen, don’t waste the washed water, keep it for your Rose plant.

Step 2: Pour the stored water into the base of the Rose plant.

Step 3: You can also apply rice water instead of regular watering to the plant. This will surely help plants to grow faster and stronger.

12. Eggshells as fertilizer for Rose plant

This is one of the best fertilizers for the Rose plant at home. The crushed eggshells are very rich in calcium and very important for any plant to provide nutrients for the plant. Calcium makes the plant grow vigorously and helps to grow a good quantity and quality of green foilage in plants.

How to use Eggshells for Rose plants?

Step 1: Keep the two to three eggshells in the zip-lock package.

Step 2: Crush the eggshells to the smallest possible.

Step 3: Sprinkle the crushed eggshells on the soil of the Rose plant.

Step 4: Mix the top layer of the soil (1 inch) without damaging the roots of the Rose plant.

13. Vegetable Waste or fruit waste

This is also one of the common thing vegetable waste or fruit waste which is very rich in micro and macronutrients, that helps to grow fast for the Rose plant.

You don’t even need to compost them, just chop them into small pieces and bury them in the soil near the plant. They will release nutrients as they broke over time.

you can even use the pulp of those wasters and give them to plants to increase the rate of growth. This is usually called liquid fertilizer.

There is also another way to use this if you have good sunshine. you can dry them, powder them, and can give them to plants.

For any fertilizer give it in small quantity, observe the plant is it ok for few days, later you can give more. Don’t apply it in large quantity at one go.

14. Banana peel fertilizer for rose plant

This most commonly asked question can we use banana peel fertilizer for the rose plants. We can use this as same as vegetable waste, fruits waste, flower waste.

Banana fertilizer can be used as liquid fertilizer by keeping banana fertilizer in a jar for weeks and pouring them into the rose plant.

we can chop the banana peel into small pieces and bury them in the soil near the plant so that they will release nutrients to the plant.

We can also dry the banana peel and give them to plants to get good results.

For more information read this

3. Deadheading Roses

Deadheading is a basic pruning technique.

It is as simple as removing the aged or brown roses from the stem of the plant. It may be as simple as doing it by hand.

We can also deadhead the rose by pruner to give the rose stem a clean cut.

Just check and check for the place where you need to prune by checking from the top of the stem where you get more than 3 leaves to prune at the stage and new shoots will start to appear from there.

Deadheading will tidy up your rose plant and encourage flowering and new growth of the plant.

Once you prune for deadheading roses, the plant will reduce producing hip and seeds

I always prefer to prune my plants by pruner instead of doing it by hand.

4. Location

The location or place where the plants are placed will matter for sure. You need to keep the plant where rose plant need six to seven hours of direct sunlight. This plant cannot be grown fully on indoor where you wont get enough sunlight.

The rose bushes love the sunlight to perform its process of growing. More of sunlight can leads to good growth of bushes.

The disadvantage of the rose plant incase if its kept in shade place is that, the plant does not bloom properly, diseases may get attacked to the plant and plant stops growing in-between , weakens the root conditions and bushes of the rose plant.

5. Exposure to sunlight

Rose plant need six to seven hours of direct sunlight. Rose plants can not be grown as a indoor plant because roses need minimum sunlight to grow.

The rose bushes love the sunlight to perform its process of growing. More of sunlight can leads to good growth of bushes.

The disadvantage of the rose plant incase if its kept in shade place is that, the plant does not bloom properly, diseases may get attacked to the plant and plant stops growing in-between , weakens the root conditions and bushes of the rose plant.

6. Soil

Dig up the top layer of the soil for airing the roots.

The important step for the proper growth of the rose plants is the preparation of soil with proper drainage.

The poor drainage leads to drown the well growing roses.

Better mixture of soil for rose plant that leads to fast growth is add 50 percentage of garden soil and to it mix 50 percentage of compost (peat moss).

Peat moss helps to retain the nutrients longer and make sure if you are using peat moss you are not supposed to allow the soil to get completely dry out.

The composted manure of cow , goat , sheep are highly preferable for the mixture of soil.

The manure should be added at the bottom of the hole to avoid the burning of new roots.

7. Mulching

To start with the definition of mulching ,mulching is a process to cover the open surface of ground by a layer of external material.

The main reason for the usage of mulching process is to save water and also reduces soil temperature.

Rose plant grows well if mulching process is used. Organic mulch such as shredded leaves, chipper chips, bark, well rotted manure of cow, goat, sheep, horse can be choosen.

Make sure you do not use saw dust unless it is well composted as saw dust needs nitrogen to decompose.

Incase if the material of mulching is not decomposed then you have to spread the nitrogen fertilizer to get the decomposition done.

To get an effective mulching a good and thick layer of at least two to three inches of mulch is required.

When the mulch is performed with at least two to three inches then it helps in holding the moisture and decreases evaporation. This leads the rose plant to grow better with proper and sufficient moisture.

Mulching also helps to prevent thawing and alternate freeze, which helps in destroying the fine root hairs near the soil and helps to keep the ground warm.

Mulching helps to reduce the growth of weed and this leads in the favoring of plant by conserving soil moisture.

The best period to apply mulch is in early spring. Make sure to replenish every two to three months.

8. Watering

Its common that all the plants need water to survive. But rose plants need water supply based on the weather conditions.

There are few factors to be considered like the type of soil used, drainage, mulching, variety of plant, weather and area which determines how much and how often the plant needs the supply of water.

Rose plants requires more water if the weather is too hot or dry. In some locations where there is lots of sun, heat and sandy the soil will drain fast and retains very less water. Therefore, water supply should be more often in such areas.

Similarly, in some locations where the place is cool, wet, shaded places, protected and clay soil requires less supply of water the soil drains more slowly and retains very more water and hence water supply should be less in such areas.

All the plants requires organic matter like compost which boost the water retention and drainage.

If you feel the soil is completely dry then water it deeply.

In some cases the soil on the surface level may feel dry but in the lower level the soil may be wet. In this case the plant does not need the supply of water.

Some times the lower soil may feel soggy which means the plant as got too much of water supply which leads to kill the roses.

When the new plants are planted they will have small root systems, Which requires more water for little time until they start to establish properly.

When you are watering make sure the water is supplied slowly and deeply inside the soil so that the entire root zone is evenly wet.

In winter season its suggested to water the plant with the help of hand as there will be limited supply of water to the soil.

If the soil seems to be too dried and if you are planning to water more then it’s better to water the plant a little earlier, So that the water dries off before evening.

If the soil is too wet for a long time then it leads to the growth of fungus-like powdery mildew, black spot, and rust.

Do not water the plant of rose bushes unnecessarily during winter months and when the snowfall or rain is more.

9. Constantly inspect for pests

I always inspect my rose plant for pests, dead stems and I always remove them from the plant.

Sometimes I use soapy water to remove them, sometimes I use insecticides to remove them from plants.

Rose plants suffer from black spots, basically from winter, just remove the foilage whenever they occur.

It also suffers from mildew, needs soapy water or sprays water to remove them from plants. (White powder-like substance on buds or plants top.)

10. Remove Blind shoots

Removing blind shoots should be carried while you are removing deadheading roses.

This is basically removing new shoots which don’t have buds to bloom. This happens because of less sun exposure to plants.

May be planted, kept in shade. so removing the blind shoots and causes new branches to start from there and they may have new buds in the coming days.

Final Thoughts:

After following these procedures, I am able to get more foliage and bigger roses compared to earlier what about you? shoot me in the comments. Happy Reading!