Released: February 06, 2004

Miniature Roses Brighten Doldrums of Winter

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Miniature roses aren’t the most care-free choice as a houseplant, but they can be well worth the effort, according to horticulturist Ward Upham.

“They’re dwarf versions of roses – including the classic hybrid teas – so top out at only 12 to 15 inches tall,” he said. “But they can really brighten up the drab winter months indoors.”

Upham, who coordinates the Master Gardener program for Kansas State University Research and Extension, said three things can make all the difference in the tiny shrubs’ success as a houseplant:

1. Lots of light – a necessity for good flowering. A southern exposure may be enough. To ensure good bloom, however, gardeners can supplement that with flourescent light placed 3 to 4 inches above the top of the plant and left on about 14 hours a day. A timer can automatically turn the light on and off.

2. Humidity – important for both long-lasting flowers and pest control (No. 3). At minimum, the plant’s relative humidity level needs to be 40 percent. Preferably, it should be 50 to 60 percent. Keeping the plant’s pot on a shallow tray of moist pebbles will help raise its humidity level. Placing a humidifier nearby will help even more, plus perk up many of the more traditional houseplants.

3. Pest control – vital for keeping the rose plant from being devastated by spider mites, its most serious pest. Spider mites like warm, dry conditions. So, keeping the rose’s humidity level within optimum range can help control these tiny mites. Washing the plant once a week in tepid water will help prevent problems, too. If mites do develop, a houseplant insecticide that’s labeled for mites will control them. Several applications will be necessary because these products do not kill mite eggs, only the mites themselves.

Miniature roses can go outdoors during the summer, Upham said, to allow them to take advantage of the season’s higher light levels.

“You shouldn’t place a plant in full sun immediately, but rather gradually move it into increasing amounts of light over a period of several weeks,” he advised. “If you then sink its pot in the ground, you won’t need to water as often as you would if its pot were exposed. You will, however, need to turn the sunken pot 180 degrees every few weeks to break off any roots that escape and move into the underlying soil.”

Another option is to remove a light-adjusted miniature rose from its pot and plant it as a permanent part of the landscape.

“These plants may be small, but they’re surprisingly tough,” the horticulturist said. “Even in Kansas, you just need to mulch them for winter, as you do for your other roses.”

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Kathleen Ward, Communications Specialist
kward@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News