6 days Ago By Katherine McPhillips
Roses are spectacular flowers that are just beginning to grow in April, and there is a simple way to help them become stronger. Andy Simms, an expert from MyBuilder.com , has shared that you can give roses the best chance to bloom bigger flowers by carefully planning what plants to grow next to them.
He said: “Companion planting is useful as it will not only save space in your garden , but it’s also an effective way to attract pollinators, which will pollinate your plants. This, in turn, will attract insects such as ladybirds, who are natural predators of harmful pests for your plants like aphids.” Companion planting is the simple gardening technique of growing different plants together to encourage beneficial insects and keep pests away.
One of the best plants to grow next to roses is lavender, as its natural fragrance is known to keep pests away by attracting predatory insects that have no interest in roses. Andy said: “Roses tend to attract aphids due to the sugary fluid inside them, so you need to grow plants next to them to help keep these pests away. “Luckily, lavender plants are aphid-deterrants for two key reasons: their strong scent and their ability to attract ladybirds, which are known predators of aphids.
Lavender also produces flowers that are rich in nectar, which helps attract pollinators.” Lavender will not only keep aphids away but is known to stop slugs, whiteflies and mosquitoes from going near these beautiful flowers. It can also help improve soil drainage to stop it from becoming waterlogged, which can help reduce the likelihood of fungal diseases infecting roses.
However, if you want to give your roses a boost in nutrients this spring then one of the best things you can do is grow them near a vegetable garden. Andy said: “Plants that are high in potassium and good companions for roses include root vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes, and leafy green plants, such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard.” Potassium is one of the main nutrients all plants need to grow, but it specifically encourages flower production, so you will get high-quality blooms.
It will also help root production so roses will be able to absorb more water from the soil, which will lead to longer-lasting flowers that will stay alive into late summer to early autumn. Taking the time to plan out your garden and having the best plants near roses will give them the boost they need to grow to their full potential..
