What is the best way to get your Roses to bloom? My plants look pretty sad :)?

Mine are in a pot cuz I have an apartment. They have a well underneath so they never run out of water. I use miracle grow yet there is a white power forming on the soil. I sprayed it with a fungus spray, it come back. The flowers got afids on them so I used bug spray for plants as well. I moved them outside for the spring, and gave them extra plant food. They were in the house all winter sitting in a window. They also have Nats in the soil. Can anyone recomend products or remedys for these problems?

What is the best way to get your Roses to bloom? My plants look pretty sad :)?
Keep them trimmed back and use Rose Food...
Reply:Sound like miniature roses??? No matter. White crust could be salts from the water or fertilizer, not fungus. The way to get rid of salts is to set the plant in the sink and allow water to run through the soil for several minutes.





The well.....is that just a tray to catch the overflow? If so, never allow the water to stay in the well, it keeps the soil in the pot saturated. Not good. (it also causes salts to build up on the soil surface......your mystery fungus)





Aphids are common, but just washing them off in the sink with water is enough, sprays aren't necessary. Also the bug spray may not be good for your plants. There could be other products in there that burn your plants. Use only plant approved spray.





Roses need a lot of sun. Window light is not enough. The plants need to be outside.......but you can't take a houseplant directly outside, they will fry. You need to gradually introduce them to the full sun......it takes about 2 weeks.





Soil gnats are eating the soil, not the plant.......at least not initially. Soapy water poured through the soil is usually enough to get rid of them.





Gnats in the soil are eating the organic matter first, later the plant's roots.





Sounds like the roses need to be repotted into better soil and maybe a slightly larger pot
Reply:The white may be caused from mycelium. It's a fungus that breaks down other stuff in the soil. It won't hurt your plants. Yours are probably getting too much water.
Reply:First, get some rose feed. They sell it just about anywhere they sell garden equipment.





My grandmother's "miracle" cure for roses is used coffee grounds and banana peelings. Messy, but effective.
Reply:First you need to get some good soil and take your plants out of the pot. Take as much dirt off as you can as close to the roots as you can.Then you need to either get a new pot of wash the old one with warm soapy water. Put new soil in pot, then your plant. Lady bugs eat aphids and many other insects. you can buy ladybugs At home depot. Just remember to release the ladybugs after then sun goes down so you have a better change of then staying by your plants.
Reply:The white powder may be salt deposits from the Miracle Grow. Soluble salts will accumulate on top of the soil in a container and form a yellow-to-white crust. A ring of salt deposits may form around the pot at the soil line or around the drainage hole. Salts will also build up on the outside of clay pots as water evaporates through the clay.


Soluble salts accumulate when fertilizer is applied repeatedly without sufficient water to leach or wash the old fertilizer’s salts through the soil. It also occurs when water evaporates from the soil, but salts having dissolved behind. As the salts in the soil become more concentrated, plants find it harder to take up water. If salts build up to an extremely high level, water can be taken out of the root tips, causing them to die.





Try re-potting with fresh soil and using an organic fertilizer.





Whitney Farm http://www.whitneyfarms.com/resources/





SeaRose: Begins with a base of seaweed/fish blend, to this they add molasses, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Biotin and Sulphur which is a nutrient source plus it also helps control fungal disorders.





SeaStart: Begins with a "true" seaweed extract that has been condensed to a level many times more powerful than any available elsewhere, to that they add Vitamin B1, B2, B5, B6, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Biotin and Pantothenic Acid.





N-P-K


2-4-2


FORMULA


4 parts coffee ground


1 part bone meal


1 part wood ashes
Reply:Your whole problem stems from the soil being to wet. This is the remedy. Let the soil totally dry out. This will take care of the Gnats somewhat. They like a damp humid environment, just like you had in the house. The mildew is also caused by the soil staying too wet and high warm humid conditions of the house. The soil has "soured" and should be changed if at all possible. Do not fertilize now. Wait until the plant has less stress on it. You want all it's energy to go into getting healthy, not growing and blooming. In the winter they shouldn't be brought into the house, rather left outside. Just make sure there is some kind of roof or overhanging object to keep them from getting too frost bitten, as I don't know where your from. So, stop watering so much, let the soil dry out between waterings and remove the extra well trays under the pots, and if possible new, clean, and sweet potting soil for the plants. Hope this answers your question...





Billy Ray
Reply:Maybe you have the soil too wet? The well underneath may sound like a good idea but it might be too much.
Reply:Try changing out the soil it may be to wet, make sure plant's are in clay pot's they wont hold moisture. try placing a banana peel on top of each plant ( the soil that is ) and let it remain , do not remove for anything or any one . Good luck