Lady Banks Rose for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on August 24, 2022

Planting instructions

SIte your Lady Banks rose in soil that drains well and receives at least six hours of sun a day. It’s best to place this rose where it will have a wall, arbor, or other strong support to grow on. Unpot your plant and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Place the bush in the hole and, while holding it upright and steady, fill in around the roots with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of an organic mulch, such as bark chips, around the root zone to conserve moisture and hinder weed growth, but keep it from touching the trunk to avoid rot.

Watering and nutrients

For the first few weeks after planting, water your rose every few days. Once you see new growth appearing on the branches, you can taper back to a once-a-week watering, giving it about an inch of water each time. If you’re experiencing very hot or dry conditions, it may need additional supplemental watering. Fertilize with a balanced product that is designed for roses or one that is formulated for landscape trees and shrubs, following package directions.

Pollination

The Lady Banks, like all roses, has “perfect” flowers, meaning that the male and female reproductive organs are contained in the same flower. This makes pollination simpler, and the many pollinators that are attracted to these flowers are easily able to fertilize the female stigma. The fertilized flowers fade and become rose hips, which contain the seeds.

Pruning

Your Lady Banks rose does not require extensive pruning. Monitor it for dead, damaged, or diseased branches, which should be removed when you see them. If you wish to prune for shape, do so after the flowers are finished blooming. Flowers grow on old wood, so light pruning is best. Left unpruned, the vining bush will grow up the side of a building or trellis.

Pests and diseases

Pests that may appear on the Lady Banks rose include aphids, red spider mites, and scale insects. A healthy plant can usually fend off minor infestations with little problem. If insects become a problem, consider releasing predatory insects, such as ladybugs and lacewings, which will eat the problem bugs. Diseases of the rose include rose rust, powdery mildew, and downy mildew. Prune out and destroy infected branches, and maintain good airflow around your plant to minimize problems.

Achieving maximum results

One way to grow Lady Banks roses successfully is in a container. This makes it possible for gardeners who live north of its natural range to grow this lovely plant, since they can bring the container inside for the winter months. Choose a container that is roughly twice the size of the root ball with good drainage in the bottom. Keep in mind that container-grown plants need more water than those grown in-ground. Every few years, it’s a good idea to unpot your rose and refresh the soil. At that time, you may want to increase the pot size, as well, if the roots seem constrained.

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