Lil' Bush Girl...Meet Obama Girl

Rose Bushes Grown Indoors

Bush

The rose bushes that are grown indoors means we do not have to be deprived of beautiful flowers in the winter. Miniature rose bushes adjust to indoor life very easy. The miniature rose bush will need more humidity and light than some of your other flowering indoor plants.

Mini rose bushes are a small version of a full size rose bush. These mini bushes can vary in size from 5 inches or smaller to roughly four feet tall. The roses range in size from 1/2 inch to 2 inches across and have an enormous parade of colors. For growing miniature roses indoors you many wish to acquire the small versions so that your containers will only be about 4 to 8 inches across.

The miniature rose bush, like its regular counterpart, needs plenty of bright light from south- or west-facing windows. They will do quite well if they are able to receive between 6 and 8 hours of light a day. They need a modest amount of heat, but if they receive too much they will become dry very fast. If they get too cold they will go dormant so you will need to keep temperatures above 60 degrees F. Grow lights come in very handy if you want them to bloom repeatedly or if they need more sunlight.

The indoor air, for the most part, is quite a lot drier than the air outdoors. Because of this we should give the rose bushes extra humidity. You accomplish this by setting the plants on top of small stones that are in a water-filled container, or you can actually use a regular room humidifier. The leaves on rose bushes will turn yellow, shrivel, and drop if the air is too dry. These roses will also need more frequent watering than your garden roses because the containers have a tendency to dry out faster. Growing rose bushes indoors will also need good water drainage to flush out any salts, to prevent root-rot, and it will allow breathing room for the roots.

The potting mixture you use when you plant your miniature rose bushes into your own containers can be a commercial grade but make sure it contains vermiculite and perlite. You also want to fertilize your roses with a rose bush fertilizer or a fertilizer that is high in potassium. It is best to dilute the fertilizer to one-quarter strength because it is for a container rose and not an in ground rose. The high potassium in the fertilizer will encourage the plant to produce more blooms.

You always want to watch out for the signs of pests. Spray white flies with a horticultural light-weight oil. If you end up with spider mites you can wash the rose bushes very thoroughly every few days. If the spider mite infestation is severe you may need to remove all the rose bush leaves and cut back the bush to about half. A healthier new growth should appear very fast. Poor air circulation around your bushes will attract spider mites and aphids. Dirt and dust will also congregate on the leaves and smother the plant. A fine paint brush or soft cloth can be used in the removal of dust from the leaves.