Proper Care of Drift Roses

Drift roses were developed in response to increased demand for smaller, year-round bloomers. These shrub flowers fill a unique niche in the market. While Drift roses aren’t “everblooming,” they do produce a lot of flowers throughout their flowering season, which runs from early April to November. Conard-Pyle/Star Roses, the same company that gave us Knock Out roses, created these.

Drift roses are actually just a hybrid of full-size ground cover and miniature roses. They preserved toughness, disease resistance, and winter hardiness from their groundcover qualities.  Additionally, they retained their well-managed size and repeat-blooming behavior from the miniatures. Drift roses are ideal for tiny gardens and combo planters because of their low, spreading behavior.

Planting and Caring for Drift Roses

Drift roses are easy to grow and can be planted at any time of year. Choose a sunny position; these roses thrive in direct sunshine and should be planted where they will receive 6–8 hours per day. Choose a well-drained, organically rich soil and mulch to a depth of 1 to 3 inches. Roses prefer a pH of 6 to 6.5 in their soil. Prune your rose bushes between late winter and early spring, before new growth begins, to maintain them healthy and vivid all season. Approximately one-third to one-half of the plant should be removed. In the spring, treat your drift roses using a slow-release or controlled-release fertilizer. Adding a late-summer treatment can encourage a sizeable number of fall blossoms.

Pruning

Pruning should only be done in the early spring, never in the fall or winter. As the spring season progresses, keep an eye on your rose bush for new shoots coming from the canes, which is an indication that it’s time to prune. Because your rose bush will normally triple in size following trimming, it’s best to prune it back by around 2/3. When a rush of rose flowers begins to lose its brilliance, you may feel compelled to remove the less-than-appealing, spent blooms. Although this may not be necessary because Drift Roses are self-cleaning (they do all the work for you!). Deadheading is a simple activity that may be completed anytime you feel like cleaning.

When to Plant

Plant these hardy, beautiful, and multipurpose Drift Roses in the spring. They’re best planted in the spring, summer, or fall. Planting in the summer is always more taxing on plants due to the greater temperatures and drier environment. If you opt to plant in the summer, make sure to water your plant properly and frequently to aid in its establishment.

If you want to put these exceptional roses in lovely decorative containers on your deck or patio, we recommend putting them in a container that is two sizes larger than the pot they are now in. Keep them well hydrated as well, because containers dry out much faster than in-ground plantings.

The drift rose is a low-maintenance shrub that reaches a height of around 2 feet. They are min plants that can be used in any setting and you are sure to see color almost all year. They come in a variety of colors, including red, coral, pink, and even peach. A drift rose is a fantastic choice for any kind of landscape and can provide a touch of elegance and class.