Home Run Roses: A Gardener’s Guide to the Perfect Rose
Home Run roses are a beautiful and easy-to-care-for variety of rose that is perfect for gardeners of all levels. They are a cross between the popular Knock Out rose and the Baby Love rose, and they inherit the best qualities of both parents.
What Makes Home Run Roses Special?
Home Run roses are known for their:
- Bright red blooms that are constantly in flower
- Mild apple fragrance
- Richly colored foliage
- Disease resistance
- Heat tolerance
- Cold hardiness
They are also self-cleaning, which means that they drop their spent blooms on their own, making them very low maintenance.
How to Care for Home Run Roses
Home Run roses are easy to care for, but they do have a few specific needs. They prefer to be planted in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. They also need at least six hours of sunlight per day.
Water your Home Run roses deeply and regularly, especially during hot weather. Fertilize them monthly with a balanced fertilizer.
Prune your Home Run roses in early spring to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged canes. You can also shape prune them to create a more compact or rounded shape.
Different Varieties of Home Run Roses
There are several different varieties of Home Run roses available, including:
- Red Home Run: The original Home Run rose, with bright red blooms
- Pink Home Run: A sport of the original Home Run rose, with pink blooms
- Watercolors Home Run: A stunningly beautiful rose with clear pink blooms and bold, yellow centers
How to Use Home Run Roses in Your Landscape
Home Run roses are a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways in the landscape. They can be planted in the ground, in containers, or even used as a hedge.
Here are a few ideas for using Home Run roses in your landscape:
- Plant them in a rose garden with other roses or companion plants.
- Use them to create a colorful border along a walkway or driveway.
- Plant them in containers on a patio or deck.
- Use them to create a hedge to define a property line or to add privacy.
How to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden with Home Run Roses
Home Run roses are a favorite of pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. To attract pollinators to your garden, plant Home Run roses in a sunny location with plenty of space for them to fly around. Avoid using pesticides, which can harm pollinators.
How to Grow Home Run Roses in Containers
Home Run roses are well-suited to growing in containers. Choose a container that is at least 12 inches in diameter and has drainage holes. Fill the container with a well-drained potting mix.
Water your Home Run roses regularly, especially during hot weather. Fertilize them monthly with a balanced fertilizer.
Prune your Home Run roses in early spring to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged canes. You can also shape prune them to create a more compact or rounded shape.
How to Deadhead Home Run Roses
Home Run roses are self-cleaning, which means that they drop their spent blooms on their own. However, you may want to deadhead your Home Run roses to encourage them to produce more blooms.
To deadhead a Home Run rose, simply remove the spent bloom by pinching it off at the base of the stem.
How to Prevent Diseases and Pests in Home Run Roses
Home Run roses are relatively disease-resistant, but they can still be affected by some common rose diseases, such as powdery mildew and black spot. To prevent diseases, water your Home Run roses at the base of the plant, avoiding getting the leaves wet. You can also apply a fungicide to the leaves as a preventative measure.
Home Run roses can also be affected by pests, such as aphids and spider mites. To control pests, spray your Home Run roses with a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.
How to Propagate Home Run Roses from Cuttings
Home Run roses can be propagated from cuttings. To propagate a Home Run rose from a cutting, take a 6-inch cutting from a healthy cane. Remove the leaves from the bottom of the cutting and dip the end in rooting hormone.
Plant the cutting in a pot filled with a well-drained potting mix. Keep the potting mix moist and place the pot in a warm, sunny location.
The cutting will root in 4-6 weeks. Once the cutting has rooted, you can transplant it to the garden.