Here's how to save a miniature rose bush

Many people may have received a miniature rose bush on Valentine's Day. They're charming and pretty but most end up in the trash. Don't let that happen. You can grow it on to become a valuable container or garden plant.

The plants produced for Valentine's Day sales are basically three or four cuttings that have been rooted and coaxed into bloom. They are nowhere near full size. Miniature roses can grow several feet high and as wide. They're suitable for growing in pots or in the ground.

To care for one that you may have received as a gift, give it full sun and keep it moist but not soggy. Remove any decorative foil and set the pot in a tray filled with pebbles or marbles. When you water, excess moisture will collect in the saucer. As it evaporates, it will increase the humidity around the plant.

Roses aren't designed to grow in our living rooms. It's too hot and dry. Keep the plant alive by placing it outside in the sun on days above 50 degrees. In April, separate the cuttings with a knife and repot them in individual pots. Set these outside in May on your patio. Later on, they can go into bigger pots or in the ground.

If you want to grow miniature roses in containers, the trick is to find a place for them in winter. I grow mine in my cool greenhouse which regularly drops as low as 40 degrees. You could also use a cool sunporch or any bright, cool room. They rest during the winter so don't expect much for flowers. When they get moved to a sunny patio in May, provide regular fertilizer and they'll bloom their heads off.

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