How-to Guide
Growing Roses in Containers
The short answer
Roses can thrive in pots, but the container must be deep rather than just wide, because roses are deep-rooted. The RHS recommends patio and miniature roses in pots 23-35cm (9-14in) deep, and ground-cover or climbing roses in pots at least 30-45cm (12-18in) deep, filled with a soil-based peat-free compost such as peat-free John Innes No 3.
Feed a potted rose more than one in the ground: frequent watering washes nutrients out, so top-dress with granular rose feed in spring and supplement through the season, stopping feeding after August so soft growth is not damaged by cold. In winter, a pot offers the roots far less insulation than open ground, so in cold regions move containers into an unheated garage or shed, or wrap and group them, to stop the rootball freezing solid.
Choose the right pot and compost
Depth matters more than width for roses. Match the pot to the type, use a loam-based (John Innes type) compost for the weight and steady nutrition it gives, and make sure there are drainage holes so the rootball never sits waterlogged.
- Patio and miniature roses: pots 23-35cm (9-14in) deep
- Ground-cover and climbing roses: pots at least 30-45cm (12-18in) deep
- Fill with peat-free John Innes No 3 (a soil-based compost) rather than a light multipurpose mix
- Position in sun for at least half the day; a little afternoon shade on the pot reduces drying
Water and feed on a rhythm
- 1Water consistently — Container roses dry out fast; water regularly and deeply in the growing season and never let the rootball dry out, which also reduces powdery mildew stress.
- 2Top-dress in spring — Apply a granular rose fertiliser as a spring top-dressing, plus a 5cm (2in) mulch of well-rotted compost to hold moisture.
- 3Supplement in summer — Because watering leaches feed away, follow up with liquid feeding through the season at the product's recommended rate.
- 4Stop feeding after August — Avoid feeding after August so late soft growth is not damaged by winter cold.
Overwinter potted roses in cold regions
A rose that is hardy in the ground can still lose its roots in a pot, because container roots are exposed on all sides. Where winters are cold, protect potted roses once dormant: move them into an unheated garage or shed, or push pots together against a sheltered wall and wrap the containers to insulate the rootball. Refresh the top 5cm of compost every second year.
✔ For year-round outdoor pots in a cold climate, pick a rose rated hardy at least one zone colder than yours, so the exposed roots still survive.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- RHS — Roses: growing in containers — Patio and miniature roses suit pots 23-35cm (9-14in) deep and ground-cover/climbing roses need pots at least 30-45cm (12-18in) deep; use peat-free John Innes No 3; top-dress with granular rose feed each spring and add a 5cm compost mulch; avoid feeding after August; refresh the top 5cm of compost every second year.
- American Rose Society — Growing Roses in Pots: Winterizing Your Roses — Potted roses have far less root insulation than roses in the ground and in cold regions should be protected over winter, for example by moving them into an unheated garage or shed.