Don't throw those grocery store mini roses away when the flowers disappear.
Learn how to care for them, step by step.
And keep them blooming inside.
Every year, I buy myself a mini rose bush at the grocery store and I receive at least one, from my thoughtful husband, as a gift.
And every year I manage to kill them in very short order.
It's a depressing cycle, but one I'm sure I'll break out of each time I drag those poor suckers home with me.
The plan is always the same, keep them alive long enough to plant them in the garden come spring.
It rarely works out this way.
Well, this year, I decided that instead of just looking at the tag for care instructions, I would ask the nice lady who works in the plant department at the food store for help.
She's super knowledgeable and keeps a very nice little gardening section. It's always well stocked, attractive and I get assistance there that I can't get at the big box stores.
She gave me some tips and tricks to keep my plants alive until it was time to move them outside and some lovely words of encouragement, too.
This time, when I left the store with a pair of mini rose bushes, I was pretty confident about my gardening skills...and so far, so good.
Here's what I learned.
How To Care For Miniature Roses Inside
Step 1: Leave them in the container they came home in until they are done blooming.
If you want to display them in something other than their plastic pot, drop it inside a larger planter. Just don't upset the apple cart until the flowers are done blooming.
This sounded perfect to me, the queen of lazy decorating, and it's what I've been doing for years.
This stage was not my problem area.
Step 2: Place them in a sunny area and keep them moist.
Roses like sunshine and moist soil. So place them near a window.
And don't let them dry out, but don't over water them. If the soil feels damp when you touch it, you're good.
Simple enough.
Step 3: When the flowers are done blooming, move the plant outside in the garden or transplant them until you can.
Ok. Here is where the trouble begins for me. When the flowers are gone, I lose interest.
That's terrible, I know, but it's the truth.
I let those little plants sit in their tight plastic pots, getting root bound.
I tuck them in a corner and water them, hoping that they'll start to flower again someday, but they die long before that ever happens.
In the garden they'll thrive, I just never seem to be able to keep them alive long enough to make the move. So on a very rare, snowless day a few weeks ago I transplanted them to pots.
Hopeful.
Turns out, I had a ton of old items that could be used for planting, along with a few actual pots.
I grabbed my favorite potting soil...or mix...my plants, a newspaper to protect my new patio and a handful of rocks.
I was going to dig out (unintentional pun!) my husband's handy DIY gardening tool, but it was just easier to grab a plastic fork from the kitchen.
And I wonder why my plants keep dying...hmmmm.
Step 4: I lined the bottom of each pot with a handful of the tiny rocks for drainage.
If my pot had holes, this wouldn't be necessary. You don't want a pot where standing water is going to get trapped in the pot and rot the roots.Or drown the plant.
Step 5: I used my used my hands, again, to grab dirt and drop in the pot over the rocks.
Step 6: I turned my planters upside down to pop the roses out.
I made sure the roots weren't bound and twisted into themselves and placed them in the dirt and then covered the root ball up with more.
Step 7: I used the fork to move the soil around and tamp it down.
Now, if your mini rose bush has some dead twigs sticking up, remove them. They're gone and never coming back.
However...and this is the important part...if the sticks are leaf-less but green and alive, leave them! They are dormant and they will spring leaves again.
I didn't understand this and I used to toss my plants when they reached that stage.
I was sure they were beyond recovery and I gave up on them. The flower lady said this can be normal. Do not give up hope.
Keep them in a bright spot and water them normally until they wake up again.
If your plants hold on to their leaves, even better.
Step 8: Again, place them in the sunshine and keep them moist.
I pop mine in a full sun window sill in the morning and then move them to the table and the window next to the sink in the afternoon.
Once the weather is warm enough and the threat of frost is gone, I'll move them to a sunny location in my yard.
For now, however, they're safe and snug inside, protected from Mother Nature's lingering chill, and doing a great job of decorating my home.
Of course, an early burst of spring would be nice.
I mean, I'm reasonably sure they're going to make it this time.
But it would certainly take the pressure off.
I'll keep you posted.
UPDATE!! It worked!! This is the same little rose bush from the red pot. With a little bit of love and a lot of sunshine it bloomed and bloomed inside until it made its way to the great outdoors.
Are you a mini rose fan?
I love mini roses and have used them in the past in window boxes, too. One thing I do when I transplant is to tease the root ball apart a bit so it is already reaching out towards new soil-new life...and water it well immediately after transplanting.
ReplyDeleteGood luck- I have faith in you!!!! xo xo xo
Great tip, Diana, I just added that to the post. Root bound plants aren't going to thrive. And thanks for the faith. I'm pretty determined this time. I'm getting tired of being pegged as a plant murderer! 😉
DeleteIt is wonderful to get such encouraging advice from the plant lady at the store! I had always had a problem with mini roses dying as well. However, last year my husband bought me a Parade Mini Rose and it literally has had a bloom on it ever since, no kidding! I've never had one do that well! I keep it indoors, as it would never survive here through our winters. It bloomed all winter long. I save coffee grounds once a week, and add about a tsp of them to the soil, and then water it. Honestly, I think the coffee grounds have kept it alive and happy, as roses love coffee and banana peels. I don't care for the sight of a banana peel on the plant, so coffee grounds work for me. Mine now has 2 roses growing on it, and I may have to transplant it to a bigger pot once they are done. Anyway, wishing you the best with your rose, I'm rooting for you girl :) (Pun intended, haha!)
ReplyDeleteOh Marilyn, I need to check out the Parade Mini Roses. It's not me, it's the plant!! 😉 That might be the key and it makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only one who's had trouble with these little guys. I'll have to keep your coffee grounds tip handy too, I bet it makes the house smell great. I'm off to Google them right now!
DeleteThis was a great post Kim. I was like you and when they looked dead in the garbage they went. I always get a few flowering rose plants at Easter so I will know how to transplant them. Happy Friday.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
Kris
I love when they flower, Kris, I'm hoping they'll do that again soon. Fingers crossed for me and these little pretties! Hugs and Happy TGIF!!
DeleteI've never purchased mini roses before but I've always loved them. I'm 'rooting' for you and hope it all works out this year :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sara!! Love the pun!!
DeleteI would have never thought to transplant them. What great info!
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny! This post is actually making me feel better. Sounds like a lot of people toss them like I used to. Glad it's helpful.
DeleteWill you plant them in the garden once you move them outdoors, Kim, or keep them in pots? We have absolutely no sort of plants/flowers at my local market which I guess is good as it keeps the temptation down for me to buy a bunch of beautiful flowers. I do have a pretty bulb garden on my counter that my sister sent for my birthday, though - can't wait to see all those blooms come up!!
ReplyDeleteThat’s the goal, Debbie. One time many years ago, I bought one on the cusp of summer and I did plant it in the garden and it thrived. Since then I seem to buy them too far away from the right time to plant…plus I don’t have to tell you, the past few winters haven’t ended until like May! That’s a long time for those poor little suckers to have to hang on with a bad gardener at the helm! 😉 You've inspired me though, so I’m trying. Your bulb garden sounds lovely. You’ll have to share when it blooms.
DeleteAND…we have one small grocery store with that sweet floral area. It’s been in our town forever. My friends worked there when we were in high school. Sadly it was just bought out by a huge chain store. I have a feeling that the days of that charming gardening department are numbered. Boo.
Oh I too love mini rose plants. I will remember this when I want to transplant mine in the garden. Yay for spring and warmer temps soon. :)
ReplyDeleteI’m with you, Julie…yay for spring. The mere fact that I’m talking about gardening is making me smile!
DeleteKim, Two peas in a pod, I tell you. I take care of my house plants in the same way and it never turns out well. If I get plants from the store or wherever, if they are big (older) to begin with I am doing all right, but if they are just little things, they don't seem to want to grow bigger (or better) under my care. I knew being old was better!!..I will give it a try..xxoJUdy
ReplyDeleteJudy, I am the worst!! My mom used to say that plants loved me, but that’s only because she told me when to water them and feed them and transplant them…and HOW to do it all. She was a great gardener. When I’m on my own, it’s a mess. I have one…count ‘em, one…houseplant that has lived longer than a year. It’s a hearty ivy (that I bought as a large plant) and honestly I have no idea how it stays alive. Maybe I should forget about the flowers and go for more of those ivy plants!!
DeleteI'm so glad I'm not the only one! I always fall for the miniature roses and always give up on them when they get scraggly and bloom-less. And my husband, who owned a garden center for years, is no help at all because he has a fatalist view that I'm going to kill them anyway. Ha! I'll show him now! With these hints and the big sunny kitchen window I have now, I think I'll try them again. I hope there's a yellow one waiting for me!
ReplyDeleteDewena, I can never pass up those beautiful little flowers, but I’m glad to know that even someone with a pro in the house has difficulty keeping them alive! I’m really going to give it the old college try this time. Fingers crossed…and yellow, huh? I’ve never had one that color. I’m on the hunt!!
DeleteAhhh Kim, I'm sure your mini roses will do well with love, attention and lots of water. I haven't had much success with store bought minis I'm afraid. I swear they give them super hormones so they can look showy and lovely and as soon as we bring them home the roses suffer from withdrawal. Here in South Africa we have a really well known rose guru called Ludwig. He's roses are amazing and they've been grown in a natural way, so whenever we buy from him, the roses survive. One thing he told me many years ago was to always plant roses in a bigger pot that they can live in for the rest of their rosy little lives ;-) Roses don't like having their roots disturbed and it helps them manage heat stress much better. Their roots don't get pot burned. Anyhows, here's wishing you lots of lovely blooms
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Michelle! Everything you said makes sense and it supports what my flower lady said...don't mess with them when they're blooming and then put them in a big pot. I'm hoping her advice works, but we'll see. I'm cautiously optimistic!
DeleteI am a fan of roses but my brown thumb prevents me from doing anything about it. Good luck on your rose care and hopefully they will be planted and blooming outside in no time.
ReplyDeleteRight there with you, Mary! It's been a tough road, but I'm forging forward.
DeleteI love any roses, regular and mini. But they don't like me. If I try and take care of them I kill them, so I pretty much ignore the ones that were planted at this house when we bought it and so far so good. LOL.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Linda! I'm great with cut roses, but if they have roots they're doomed! 😉 I hope that the advice I got works out well....for both of us...me and the plants.
DeleteI love mini roses but always kill them. Thank you for the tips on keeping them alive. I will give it a try also and hope they make it. Definitely post the progress...I always get discouraged when I kill plants and feel that I should at least give them some sort of memorial service or something. Looking forward to seeing them once they are blooming again! Love and hugs!
ReplyDeleteI always feel terrible, too, Benita. Thankfully these little roses are already beginning to bloom again. So far, success!!
DeleteI love mini roses but have never grown roses of any kind. I just believed my green thumb wasn't green enough for roses!!! I would like to try some though so will keep your post in mind. Now that spring has hit our area, I've been working in my yard for almost 2 whole days and I am SORE, SORE, SORE!!!! Planted some gerber daisies today and transplanted some hostas (which is terribly difficult in my opinion!) Hope your roses turn out well!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cheri, believe it or not they are beginning to bloom again! I am shocked. Seems like the tips are working. I'm sorry to hear that you're sore, but a bit envious of your ability to be outside. It's still super cold here. There are pansies in the markets, but they'd never actually make it outside yet. And I adore hostas we have them all over our yard, but I agree, splitting them is a bear of a job!! Enjoy the weekend!
DeleteThat's great information! I only once planted one outside and it did well for a season. I don't know whether my husband sprayed it and killed it or not. However, now I know that I can transplant them outside and keep them alive, I may have to buy a few! I've always loved them!
ReplyDeleteThey're so pretty, Deanna and those teeny flowers always make me smile.
DeleteGirl, you will be a Master Gardener yet. xx oo :-)
ReplyDeleteHa! Oh Carla, if only!! xoxo
DeleteOh I love these adorable roses I planted one outdoors last year...let's see if it comes up this year. Thanks for the tips. Have a great week dear Kim!
ReplyDeleteI hope it comes up, too, Angela. My indoor roses are starting to bud again. I can't believe it!!
DeleteLike many here, I too like mini roses but don't always have success with them … I appreciated the tips.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Thanks Jan! Mine are growing quite nicely in pots. I have to say, I'm impressed.
DeleteI like roses of all kinds, mini roses included. I hope yours do very indeed. We don't have to bring in our flowery friends, it doesn't get that cold around here (though it is pretty chilly today, our winter has come back).
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Your weather sounds dreamy, Amalia! It gets so cold here from about November to May. I'm not a fan. Roses however, I love.
DeleteI just bought a white one. It's in the 80s where I am. Can I put it outside in a shady spot?
ReplyDeleteIn my experience the do better in a bit of sunlight, so if you can put it in a sunnier area I think that's what I'd do.
DeleteJust found this post. I just bought my first mini rose in my favorite color, orange and really want to make it live past this summer. It's mid July and still in it's original small pot and getting a few new buds. My question is should I bring it in this fall or plant it outside or even try to overwinter outside in a larger container ? Really trying to figure out where I would even plant it, it's so small.
ReplyDeleteHi! So I have overwintered them in the house, especially when they're that tiny. They're usually pretty close to capacity in the store bought pots, so I would replant it in a slightly larger container and keep it inside in a sunny spot until next spring and then move it outside. Once outside, you can keep it in a pot or a bed, but if you keep it in a pot you can bring it in again in the winter. I hope that helps...and orange?? Wow, that sounds spectacular. I've never seen one in that color before! Good luck!!
DeleteI already repotted mine (a Mother’s Day gift) into a bigger clay pot, does it stand a chance?
ReplyDeleteYes!! Just don't overwater it and if it gets all "sticky" don't give up on it. Give it some time to come back. Good Luck!
DeleteI had to leave all my precious rose bushes behind when I left Arizona for Washington state. So I was at the grocery store the other day and saw a GORGEOUS mini with multi-colored blooms, like a peace rose. And only $7.99 for a very healthy plant! Despite killing all but one of the many minis I've bought over the years, I caved. It came home with me. Then I went back to the store and bought its sister. Now to keep them alive until March! Do you think a west-facing, north-facing, or east-facing window would work best in a gray, cloudy climate?
ReplyDeleteHi there! Your roses sound beautiful and now I want to go check my own grocery store to see if they have the variety you mentioned. I would say, southern facing would be best, however in its absence, I would go for a west facing window, since you'll get the longest exposure to light from afternoon to sunset. I hope that helps and good luck! I'm rooting for you!!
DeleteThanks for writing about these! I love grocery store mini roses! I'm on my third one now. I planted one in the garden of our last house and it thrived. I was so upset when I had to leave it behind that i bought another one (the second one) in the spring while waiting for our next house to be ready. I planted that one in late summer and it's doing great. I just bought number three in mid-January and transplanted it immediately and it is really happy. As soon as the soil warms, and there's no danger of frost, I'm planting it in one of the front beds. I was surprised and thrilled that there is someone that appreciates these little beauties as much as i do. Thank you so much for the post!
ReplyDeleteKeoni - Annapolis Maryland
Hello Keoni! So glad you took the time to leave a comment. Aren't they just the most darling flowers? You have been very luck and must have a very green thumb. I needed a lot of help to get mine to flourish. I've started to see them in the grocery store this season and I'm going to pick up a few more for the yard, They really do make the garden a brighter space! Thanks for sharing your experience with us! Happy Gardening!
DeleteI bought a miniature rose bush at the grocery store. I love roses but wish they bloomed all year. I loose interest in them when they loose their blooms. Right now they are thriving in a sunny window. I will take your advice & place them in my garden in the fall. Hopefully they will keep blooming because we have full sun in Florida & rarely get frost. If it gets cold I will cover them.
ReplyDeleteI hope they keep blooming for you in your lovely sunny window!! They may go dormant for a quick bit, or not since you're in a warm climate, but keep the faith. Those twigs will bloom again!!
DeleteWhat a lovely blog, Kim. So adorable to read your comical way of writing it up.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much!! I love comments about my DIYs, but writing is my true passion, so comments about my words are the very best. ❤️
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