Miniature roses as Houseplants. Growing Roses for Indoors.

Miniature roses are often sold as houseplants. There are many different varieties, but they are often just labelled as Miniature Rose. All of them are suitable for growing indoors

The secret of growing roses indoors as houseplants is to ensure plenty of light - including full sunlight for part of the day. A shaded corner of the room will result in a short-lived disappointment with the rose flowers soon disappearing.

They should be grown in a well drained potting compost, watered freely - ensuring moist root system, with occasional misting - but not in full sunlight.

Feeding should take place every other week with a weak liquid fertilizer, or the indoor roses can be few once in spring with an osmocote-type slow release fertilizer.

Propagation of Miniature Roses.

Miniature roses are propagated by cuttings./ You will often find that your newly bough houseplant rose, is in fact just five or six separate cutting/plants grown in one pot. In the dormant season, these can be gently eased apart and potted up singly to grow on. Use a general potting compost for this, and gently bring back into growth from March (UK) onwards.

Pruning Of Houseplant Roses.

The miniature house plant roses can be lightly trimmed in early spring, allowing new shoots to develop which will increase the amount of flower from the miniature rose.

Houseplant roses can be grown outside for much of the year - and once the flowering has finished indoors, then this might be a good time to take the rosebush outside. Keep in full sun, and do not allow to dry out.

If the rose is to remain outside for the winter, then shelter it so that the rootball does not become frozen. A cold greenhouse will be ideal for this. Alternatively you can continue to grow it indoors, but it will need as much light as possible.

Pests and Diseases of miniature roses grown as Houseplants.

As well as the normal pests and diseases associated with roses in general, there is the added problem of Red Spider mite and possibly mealy bug when roses are grown indoors. Both of these can be treated with a general house plant insecticide.