As we have emphasized on this page multiple times – maintaining a healthy and living soil profile is of utmost importance. This is because whatever you feed into your soil will be the feed for your plants – or your roses to be specific.
It’s a given that commercial potting soils come in different compositions, but we never really did a side-by-side product comparison to determine which one is the best. Just my assumption, we can figure that it may take a lot of work and time to do. However, one thing that we can stand by as a component of great potting soils is well-composted manure.
Using Well-composted Manure
We did not put much thought into the potting soil – we used a basic mixture for starters, then we took out from very old manure from the further back of the pile. This was especially beneficial on our part since we were starting to add perennials into our gardens, and this addition contributed nicely to the ideal host environment. Not only did the manure nourish the seeds as they sprouted, but it also attracted several beneficial insects to help with the growth.
When our plants had grown to a decent size for potting, we transferred them into containers. First, we mixed some basic potting soil and placed them into the container. But, you can always go for high-quality mixes if you have the budget. With that, we then added enough amount of the well-composted manure to keep the soil rich and alive. Just make sure that your container is at least 45cm or 18 inches both in diameter and depth at the least. This allows your roses to create deep roots, which facilitates their growth.
Additional Potting Soil
Over time, you may feel the need to add some soil into your mixture, and at this point, go for top-quality organics. You can also add some manure into a basic potting soil mixture. Your roses will start growing so make sure your plants have the nourishment they need.
When we were done repotting, we reckoned it was just in time for the warmer season, so these roses will have enough time to grow.
Moreover, if you’re wondering which roses grow best in containers or when repotted, you can consider including mini-floras, china roses, polyanthas, and floribundas in your list. Smaller shrub roses qualify for this category.