| Can I grow hybrid tea roses in containers? |
| Yes, you can grow hybrid tea roses in containers, as long as you overwinter them in a protected location. Use the largest container available, such as a 1/2 whiskey barrel. Fill the barrel with a mix of compost, peat-based potting soil, and some perlite (for drainage). Plant the rose as you normally would outdoors, placing the graft union about 1 inch below the soil surface in cold climates and above the soil in warm regions. Grow the roses all summer in full sun, keeping them watered and fertilized monthly. Come fall, let the rose naturally drop its leaves and go through some below-freezing temperatures. Then bring the containers into an unheated garage, wrap the canes with burlap and leave them through the winter. It's a good idea to place hay bales or some other insulation around the containers to minimize freeze/thaw cycles. Before you get started, remember that the containers will be very heavy to move. |
