Growing Tea roses in pots

The Victorians showed us how China's and Teas could grow in beautiful terracotta pots. Normally Teas could only be grown in the mild regions of the UK such as Devon, Cornwell and Dorset but the big castles and manors of the wealthy nobility and industrial millionaires found another way to grow the tender Teas and China's. Every self-respecting manor or castle had a big conservatory or heated greenhouse. On the mainland we call them Orangeries because the French kings kept citrus trees and other tender plants in these beautiful buildings.

When the Tea roses emerged around 1826 they were the summum of elegance and beauty. So the Victorian elite started to grow them in pots. In late fall and winter they were kept in the conservatory and in spring they went back outside. Very often those potted Teas kept blooming even in winter because the temperature in the conservatory was around 15 degrees Celsius and higher.

So from the Victorian gardeners we've learned that Teas could grow beautifully in pot. With their slender, twiggy growth and nodding flowers the Teas are probably most fitted for pot culture of all rose families. Of course they won't reach their normal full size but still they will give you much satisfaction. With these tips you can grow them in pots yourself:

Always choose a big enough pot. A 25 liter pot is probably the minimum size to grow Teas for three to four years. After that you'll need to repot them in fresh, rich potting soil with lots of compost.

Don't be a cheapskate or Scrooge when buying potting soil. Special rose potting soil is available at garden centers or online. 

Buy organic material to mix with your potting soil; Leaf compost, composted farm manure, mushroom compost or worm castings, it's all good. 3 parts compost and 7 parts potting soil is ideal. You can mix a handful of vulcanic rock dust (in Dutch lavameel) in your mixture to provide essential minerals and trace elements.

Always make sure your pots have a sufficient drainage hole to get rid of excess moisture. Roses hate stagnant water and can die within days when roots are suffocated in water.

You can plant bare root Teas in pots but also Tea container roses. Always make sure that the graft is at ground level or a few cm beneath it.

Always water them thoroughly when planted. How much? Till water drains from the drainage hole. I prefer rainwater as roses aren't that keen on calcium in tapwater. 

Never forget that roses in pots are completely dependent on you for water. Check the pots weekly, even in winter. In summer you must check daily and provide water if necessary. Use the finger method: Put your finger all the way in the potting soil and when it comes out dry it's time to give enough water and again this means till water drains from the bottom. 

In fall we mulch the pots with a layer of compost. In March we start feeding them. This means we give each pot a good handful of organic, slow release fertilizer. Provide enough water to ensure it gets dissolved in a few weeks time. We do this each month till September. 

Once a week you give a liquid, organic fertilizer. Seaweed fertilizer or vegetable fertilizer is good enough.

Remove spend blooms during the flowering season to ensure reblooming. Pruning is not recommended, Teas hate pruning and they can really suffer and die from it. If you must prune? Prune lightly. Dead wood can always be removed of course. 

With these simple tips you should be able to grow Teas in pots yourself. 

Good luck!