Add Color to Your Indoor Garden with Miniature Roses

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Add a bit of color to your indoor garden or dinner table this season with miniature roses.

Add a miniature rose to one of your large indoor planters or dish gardens. Or place it in a small decorative pot and use it as a centerpiece or place marker for your dinner guests.

Grow your miniature rose in a sunny location like a south or west facing window where it will receive at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight. Regularly turn the pot so every side receives an equal amount of sunlight for balanced growth.

Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil consistently moist. And always pour off excess water that collects in the saucer. Or elevate the pot above the water on pebbles in the saucer to avoid root rot.

Avoid cold temperatures lower than 50 degrees and drafts of hot and cold air. Fertilize with a flowering houseplant fertilizer as needed.

A bit more information: Check your plants regularly for spider mites. These pests suck plant juices, causing stippling, yellowing, and browning of the leaves, and distorted growth. Use a strong blast of water to dislodge the mites. If the problem continues, make several weekly applications of insecticidal soap to reduce the mite population and plant damage.

For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com.