How to Get More Flowers in Rose Plants

They’re the quintessential English garden plant. And here’s how to get more flowers in rose plants, for a blooming display!

How to Get more Flowers in Rose Plants

This is something that we do in our own garden here at Visit Fylde Coast.

It’s a challenge, growing plants at the coast, but garden roses are reasonably tolerant. Especially in a slightly sheltered back garden.

This technique is particularly effective with climbing roses but you can do it with bush roses. The strong, vigorous bush roses can be trained to cover quite a large area, and produce an abundance of flowers.

It also works with other types of flowering shrubs. Give it a try!

What you need to do:

To get more flowers in rose plants you simply pull the strong growth down and tie the stems in so that they are horizontal instead of growing upright.

Each of the growing points along the horizontal stem is stimulated to produce new shoots. You can see the new, red growth shooting off the horizontal branch in this photo.

Each of the shoots will then bear a flower. Before you know it, your spindly plant will be a mass of blooms!

You can tie the stems in at any time of year. It’s easier to do over the winter period while the plant isn’t in leaf.

Be careful when you pull the stems flat – go with the resistance in the stem and don’t allow it to break. If it won’t go flat don’t force it – it doesn’t have to be bang on horizontal.

While you’re there…

At the same time you can prune out any weak growth too. It’s a good idea to clip off any crossed stems which rub together – preventing injury to the plant which allows disease in.

For good measure, apply a liberal dose of rose fertiliser in early Spring. Fish, blood and bone is also a good general feed. Sprinkle a handful around the base of the plant in February and it will grow away strong and healthy.

It really does work! Have you ever tried it?

Have you got any suggestions to add?