A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Rose that won't die, but always a problem

I received a mini rose plant as a gift back in the autumn. It had nice little blooms and then looked like it was gonna die. It wimpered its way through winter and come spring it bloomed again. It seems to do best when I hack it back like some kinda bonsai. Well, the weather is nice now and it is out on the balcony in the sunshine and it is attempting to bloom again, but it is covered in white stuff, maybe a mold? What should I do? What is the long term recommendation for it? I have always had troubles with mini-roses which are given to me... from aphids to just out and out death. I am starting to feel bad that so many roses have died in my apartment.
I am not really THAT bad with plants.

Thanks for any info or insight!
~Amie

permanatly roses aren't really houseplants and dont survive well inside

Yep you are not bad. They just cannot live in the house all winter.

Now that you have it on your balcony, the best thing you could do is dump all the dirt that it is planted in and buy some Miracle gro soil. Rinse the entire plant, leaves and roots. plant it in the new soil.

Also if the pot is rapped in paper take that off that kills the plant by keeping too much water in the bottom and it breeds more bugs.

If you cannot leave it outside all winter in a protected area you could try growing it in the bathroom where there is a lot of humidity. I kept one for 3 winters in the bathroom and it loved the humidity. It did not get a lot of sunshine so I think it was the humidity from our showers every morning and every night.

all roses, even mini roses should be planted outdoors. mine would turn yellow and drop leaves until i hacked it back and then it growed back and was fine for a few more months and then repeated. then i planted it outside and it dies almost completely back in the winter, but comes back strong every spring

If it has white all over it does it have any webby like stuff on it. Those are spidermites. I hate those. They always infest my marigolds outside.