Warm-climate rosarians should be thinking now about forcing dormancy on their roses.  Warm weather keeps roses growing year-’round- or nearly so- it’s incumbent on the rosarian to force his plants into a brief rest period so they can gather their strength before they’re expected to thrill you with another season of great growth and lots of flowers.

The timing for forcing dormancy is different in the variety of tropical and sub-tropical climates in the United States.  The best bet is to decide when you want that huge flush of first bloom in your garden, and work backward.  About three months before first bloom, stop fertilizing, cutting flowers (unless you see a really terrific bloom!) and deadheading.  A month later, apply, once a week for two weeks, a combination of dormancy products- a strong mix of insecticide, a horticultural oil, and Bordeaux Mix.  This will eliminate any bugs, nests, mites, and diseases that may be on the plants.  It also damages the old foliage enough so that it can be easily removed.

The week after your second dormancy spray, prune the plants harshly- to a foot or 18 inches for hybrid teas, a little higher for floribundas and shrubs.  Remove all of the remaining foliage and then apply the first fertilizer of the new season.  Six weeks later, wow!  The plants will have grown very fast, and all of them will be in full, glorious bloom!

Cold-climate rosarians are resting now, along with their outdoor roses.  But if you have a greenhouse, consider the fun and satisfaction of growing some miniature roses over the winter.  Don’t even think about growing big roses in the greenhouse!  If the powdery mildew doesn’t kill them, the spider mites will.  And any growth will be weak and floppy.

But mini roses are perfect for the greenhouse.  They require 60 degrees or higher in the daytime, and not lower than the high 40s at night.

Miniature roses come in a huge variety of sizes and colors to suit even the most discerning rosarian.  And they’re available by mail-order year ‘round.  The grower will ship during warm spells throughout the winter.

The plants will arrive in very small pots.  Be sure to open the package as soon as it arrives, and remove the plants from their packing material.  Remember, these are growing plants that have been deprived of light and water during shipping, so they’ll need to be re-potted and pruned immediately.  Six-inch pots are the best choice.

Carefully remove the plant from its small pot.  If the plant is rootbound, insert both thumbs in the bottom of the pot-shaped rootball and tear the roots apart.  This will encourage new roots to grow out into the fresh soil in the larger pot.  Spread the torn rootball over a cone-shaped mound of soil in the new pot, and backfill to just slightly above the old soil level the water it thoroughly to compact the soil.

The next step will break your heart, but the plant will love it!  So just do it.  Prune all the canes back to three inches.  Even if there are buds and even if there are blooms.  Just do it.  The plant will grow stronger, faster, and healthier than it would if you just left it alone.

Miniature rose plants should get full sun in the greenhouse.  Keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy and never, ever let the soil dry out completely.  Apply a good, high-phosphorus fertilizer at one-quarter strength each time you water.  High humidity will keep powdery mildew and spider mites at bay, but water directly on the foliage will encourage blackspot unless the foliage can dry off before evening.

In just a few weeks you’ll have lovely small roses!  In the spring, gradually harden off your miniature rose plants, prune them way back, and plant them in the garden for great bloom all summer long. GG

Ann Hooper is the president of Primary Products and will always answer your rose culture questions by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Request a Primary Products catalog at www.primaryproducts.com or by calling 800.841.6630.