Four Secrets to Growing Indoor Miniature Roses
- on 06.20.08
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Every year, thousands of people purchase miniature roses, only to have them die in a few months. In many cases, these plants won’t even flower once they’re brought home. Unfortunately, roses aren’t well suited to growing indoors. That said, with a little bit of care, you may be able to get them to grow long enough to produce a second set of beautiful flowers in your home.

Pruning and Repotting
As soon as you bring your roses home, it’s important to prune them back and take off all the flowers. Look carefully at each stem and determine which one has the most leaf buds. Once the original leaves fall off, these buds will develop into new leaves and stems – so keep the stems with the most intact buds. It may also be helpful to repot the plant so that it has access to nutrients from fresh soil.
Use Tea Bags for Fertilization
If you drink tea on a daily basis, simply place the used tea bag near the base of your miniature rose plant. This will help create a more acidic soil environment. In addition, if you see that the leaves are becoming pale green or yellowed, add a little extra iron. Miracid works well for this purpose and is also helpful for increasing the acid content of the soil. You may also want to try fertilizer formulas specifically designed for roses that can be found in any lawn and garden store.
Once your miniature rose plant begins to make new flowers, it’s important to take note of their color. If the plant originally had pink or red flowers, and now produces ones with a pale yellow color, you’ll need to repot the plant – if it even survives the second flowering. Typically, this lack of color is due to insufficient acid content in the soil and indicates a lack of nutrients in the soil.
Provide as Much Lighting as Possible
Even when planted outdoors, roses require an enormous amount of direct sunlight. When compared to other kinds of plants, roses require more sunlight than almost any other kind of plant. Unfortunately – regardless of how bright your home may be – miniature roses will still need more light. If you’re going to try adding extra artificial lighting, it’s best to use a grow light. You may also want to purchase a light meter in order to determine if sufficient light is actually reaching your rose plants.
Regulate Water
At first, you may be inclined to over water miniature roses. While this may keep the leaves growing, it will cause the roots and stems to rot. As a rule, if the soil is moist and there is some water in the drainage plate, don’t add more water! If you notice leaves falling off or dying, try providing the plant with more light and check if it’s lacking in nutrients.
In many cases, you’ll find that growing miniature roses indoors can be very challenging. That said, with a little bit of practice, you should be able to get your plants to flower at least once. If you find the right balance of light, water, and nutrients, you may even be able to keep your rose plants looking healthy and beautiful for a number of years.
