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I have been given a Mountbatten Rose and want to grow it in pot on the patio.Can I do this if so what size pot and what medium do I grow it in.
Thanks




Answers

 

That's a lovely rose.
Is it in a pot (from the shop) or has it been dug up from another garden?

If it's in a pot, I would be inclined to pot it on now into a pot a couple of sizes up, let it build up its roots over 18 months or so and then pot it on again late autumn/early winter 2016 into a pot at least 30 inches deep (preferably 3ft) and min 24" diameter.
Make sure it is a good heavy pot (conical or straight sides , NOT pot-bellied/urn shape) or load some bricks into the bottom to stop it falling over - allow extra height if you use bricks. Stand the pot on pot feet or bricks to ensure good drainage
For the first potting use a mix of grit, multi-purpose compost and John Innes no 2. For final potting use grit and John Innes no 3. Feed regularly and water well.
As extras, you could put some mycorrhizal rooting powder into the planting hole and use water retaining crystals (advice elsewhere recently has been to dampen the crystals before use, or expect your plant to walk out of the pot after the first watering)

If it's come out of another garden, plant as soon as possible - don't let it dry out. Prune it back to two/three strong shots, choose a heavy (or weighted) pot about half as big again as the rootball and pot on into JI no3 plus mycorrhizal powder etc.

It will be happier in the ground if you can - consider lifting an area of paving. But if you have to keep it in a pot give it regular feeds and mulch every spring. And every couple of years replace as much of the compost as you can without disturbing the root ball. It should be happy enough as long as you give it a bit more tlc than if it was in the ground.

** for their 'roses for large pots', David Austin suggest 12-15 gallons or a half barrel. Their website (http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/Advanced.asp?PageId=1993) shows a rose growing in an urn shaped pot - it looks very nice but the disadvantage is that if you need to re-pot, you will almost certainly have to smash the (big, expensive) pot to get the rose out.

28 Apr, 2015

 

I wouldn't advise growing Mountbatten in a pot. This is a big yellow bloomed bush rose that in a couple of years will grow to 6' tall. The root system will outgrow a large pot within the same time. Bush roses are better off in the ground. If you want to grow roses in pots try growing patio roses instead.

28 Apr, 2015

 

Sorry Bendipa, but Mountbatten has big blooms it is not a big shrub and it won't grow to 6ft even if it's completely neglected. It's bred to grow to 4ft and it is cut back every year to 10-15 inches to encourage blooms. If left unpruned for a few years it might get to 5ft but it won't look good.
Several growers recommend it as a potted rose - as does Gardeners' World.

28 Apr, 2015

 

Urbanite....Thank you so much for your very comprehensive answer.I will follow your instructions to the letter..For info I have moved to Devon and sister purchased this rose for me in a pot from a garden centre as a moving in present (cos it's got a strong scent).Hence the reason I don't want to kill it and know nothing about gardening.It's only 9" high at the moment so plenty of growing to do.......Thanks again for answer and taking the time to do it for a stranger.

29 Apr, 2015

 

I disagree entirely Urbanite. I've grown Mountbatten quite a few times over the years. I've seen one get as large as a Queen Elizabeth. One of mine did get up to 6' tall when I grew it. Furthermore Harkness Roses class it as a tall rose. So sorry, we disagree.

http://www.roses.co.uk/bush-roses/62-mountbatten.html

29 Apr, 2015

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