For many gardening enthusiasts, having a small patio is a dream come true. However, it can be a challenge for gardeners who love roses but face a lack of light.
In our Flower Wall Boot Camp, one gardener shared her story about how her roses were slow to grow due to the lack of sunlight in her yard, which was blocked by tall trees. I’m sure many rose lovers have encountered similar problems. So, how can you keep roses well when the light conditions are not ideal?
How to care for roses when there is not enough light?
If you have a yard or balcony with insufficient light but would like to grow roses, the following suggestions may help you:
1、Choose shade-tolerant varieties
In a low light environment, it is vital to choose rose varieties that are suitable for that environment. We recommend choosing some of the more shade-tolerant rose varieties, such as Abel, Misaki, Grams Castle, Tiffin, Queen of Sweden and Bell’s Leprechaun. For more information on shade-tolerant roses you can refer to the book How to Grow Explosive Roses from Scratch.
2、ncrease light area with proper traction
For vine roses, proper traction helps to expand the light area. Even shrubby roses with more branches should consider traction to open up the plant and ensure that each leaf receives enough sunlight to promote photosynthesis. For example, upright roses such as Queen of Sweden and Halo of Dreams often have branches that grow upwards, making it difficult for the lower leaves to get enough light, so it may be more appropriate to pull the branches diagonally.
3、Take steps to increase light
If natural light is very limited, choosing the right variety and pulling may not be enough, but additional measures are needed to increase light:
- Prune for shade: If roses are shaded by large trees, prune branches moderately to increase light.
- Add supplemental light: When it is not possible to adjust the surroundings, the use of supplemental light is an option. However, it should be noted that high-quality fill light is expensive and not cheap to run.
- Utilize reflective equipment: Using mirrors or tin foil to reflect light is a more cost-effective method than fill-in lights. Tin foil, in particular, is lightweight, easy to angle, and won’t attract unwanted attention from neighbors.