Forum home› Problem solving

How to keep Christmas Roses

WhippetWhippet Posts: 145
in Problem solving
Please can you tell me the best way to keep the miniature Roses that make up Christmas basket arrangements ?  They arrive in bloom and last a while but after that its hit and miss...mostly miss. 
There are usually three or four plants making up the whole thing but how can I keep them going or are they doomed anyway?

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,505
    They are usually suffering the plant version of PTSD, having been raised in perfect conditions in a greenhouse, then sent to sit in a supermarket till purchased and then they end up in a living room, that is likely to be too warm , too dry and too dark and subject to hit and miss watering. Not good omens!
    Ideally they would be outside plants, but, given their history, they are better off somewhere cool but bright (as they still have leaves at the wrong time of year) and watered just enough to prevent the compost drying out completely. If they make it through till spring you could repot them into a slightly  larger pot using  a mix of multipurpose and John Innes. Water a bit more if they show signs of growing  and add an occasional feed.  They can be gradually hardened off once the cold weather is over. They will need tomato feed later to encourage them to flower. Good luck to you and them!
  • WhippetWhippet Posts: 145
    Thankyou very much for the advice. 

    IF  (big if) they survive is it best to have them in containers or garden......and  to take them inside late Autumn?
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,482
    They are supposed to be pretty hardy, they are just little roses bred to be grown in pots and troughs for patios and smaller gardens.

    As Buttercup says ideally they are outside plants

    I think if it were very cold I would wrap the pots or give some protection if you do not plant them in the ground in future years.
    We have had a couple of climbing patio type roses in some plastic pots for a few years now and despite being frozen and no protection at all they have been okay. But we do live in the South of England.

    I may be wrong about the very tiny ones, though I guess you don't know yet how big they will get.

    Fingers crossed you following Buttercups advice will help you get them through.
    Good Luck.
  • WhippetWhippet Posts: 145
    We are in the East but fairly sheltered here and this particular area rarely has snow even in a 'bad' winter.

    There isnt a cool place in the house......centrally heated. I could perhaps move them to the green house (unheated but bubble-wrapped) and give them some fleece? They are so pretty and look strong that I don't want them to die :(
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,437
    I like these little roses, and there's no need to fret... during mild weather just put them outside they will continue to bloom but start a gradual winding down because of the abrupt change in conditions... during freezes it would be advisable to just bring them in temporarily... on no account should they be kept indoors permanently..  I used to keep some in the greenhouse too, and they will make sizeable plants if potted on... I got mine from asda… they're just rooted cuttings, usually 3 or 4 to a pot.. are these what you mean?..

    After they've gone dormant and defoliate, they will regrow again in Spring and then you can pot them on... here's a photo of mine I took end of July, in full bloom again.. they can be planted in the garden, no need to mollycoddle, they are hardy in UK..

    They have no scent, and not so much in the way of longevity value, but nice for a while..

    East Anglia, England
  • WhippetWhippet Posts: 145
    Hello, yes, these are what I mean. I was given two for Christmas / birthday, one deep yellow and the other a pure white which has another plant with it, a mass of tiny white flowers.
    I also have a pot with a Poinsettia, something that looks like a Lily and the same tiny white flowers that arrived for Christmas courtesy of Flying Flowers.   :)
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,437
    Oh I see, yours are mixed up with houseplants it seems...  mine were bought singly, just as roses in a pot...   at some point I would have to split those up, and remove the roses... perhaps for now you'd best leave them... but I don't do houseplants so it would muddle me up having roses in there too... 
    East Anglia, England
  • WhippetWhippet Posts: 145
    I don't do houseplants either from choice but neither do I want plants to die so  ::shrugs::

        :)
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,482
    Ah, I feel the same, it is nice to get a gift, but bit of a nightmare.
    The lily like thing is probably Spathiphyllum.
    The other two similar ones a Kalanchoe or Calandiva.

    i still have a little yew tree, (now quite big) from a mini indoor trough gift from years ago. It had an indoors Cyclamen, a Kalanchoe, Ivy and aforementioned seedling tree. No idea who thinks these up :D

    Do the best you can then split them when it starts looking pants?
    Roses into your unheated greenhouse is what I would do too then until they acclimatize more.


  • WhippetWhippet Posts: 145
    Will definitely do my best.


    Thankyou all for your advice. :)
Sign In or Register to comment.