My husband bought me a minature rose plant and I have only had it for a week, but the blooms have shriveled and the leaves are turning yellow. I have been watering it twice a week and the soil feels moist. Can anyone tell me the best way to care for this plant, sun it needs, how often and how much to water? I have never had luck growing these and if I kill another one, my husband is going to kill me! (the last one died from spider mites)
If in a little pot of peat-based potting medium may be drier than you think. Would be much happier planting in ground, unless not a kind hardy there.
Thanks, I can't plant it outside, but I do have a window seat I could put it in. Husband transplanted it into a 10" pot with some English Ivy. Should I soak plant until water runs through? What other requirements are there?
You mentioned that the leaves have turned yellow. But are all the leaves yellow or only some? Do they look wilted or are they still pretty firm? The flowers will shrivel up once they are done. But the condition of the leaves are probably more important as a sign of ill health. Lack of watering results in a plant which looks droopy, especially the soft young shoots, before any yellowing occurs. In fact, it is possible that the leaves will just dry up before they have a chance to turn yellow. But if the leaves are yellow but the young shoots are still firm, overwatering may be the problem. Pick the pot up and feel how heavy it is. If the growing medium is soaked with water, it should feel hefty. If you can, tip the pot over and get the root ball out of it's container to see if the soil is oversaturated. (I have a moisture meter - cost me $5 - which I use a lot.) If only some of the leaves are turning yellow, especially the lower leaves, another possible cause might be stress. Those plants are grown at optimal conditions of temperature, moisture, and light in the commercial green houses - which is impossible to duplicate indoors. The change to an adverse condition will cause leaf drop in some plants (the most notorious being Ficus benjamina). It is unlikely to be nutrient deficiency for the same reason - one would expect that the rose would have been "well fed" in the greenhouse, and that it will take a while before it develops signs of nutrient deficiency. If you have only had the plant for a week, and if your husband still has the receipt, pull up the rose, take it back to the store and see if they will give you an exchange for a healthy plant.
The leaves that are turning yellow are in the center of the plant. The flowers are shriveling up, but so are the buds. The soil is slightly damp, but the top is dry to the touch. How much should I water it and how often? I will make sure to get a moisture meter. What level of moisure does the plant do best at? Should I be fertilizing? I am assuming a 5-5-10 fertilizer would be best since it is a rose? Thanks for your advice!
A likely cause for leaf drop that has not specifically been mentioned yet is inadequate light. This may fit, particularly as it was said that the interior leaves are dropping. As mentioned, this plant has probably gone from very bright light conditions to a dimly-lit situation in your house. (Yes, even in a sunny window, there is little comparison with outdoor full sun conditions.) Unless you want to invest in a fluorescent, or even better, lighting system, roses are not terrific choices for indoor culture for the average person. Species that are successfully grown as houseplants tend to be those that can take low light conditions, so tell the hubby to forget about roses and buy common house plant species next time.
Why not put it outside? If in-ground is not possible, maybe repotting would help. I find mini roses are often sold pot-bound and outgrowing their pots.
