How to Speed Up Hybrid Tea Rose Growth

Sharpen your pruners to prevent injury to the rose bush. Hold the blades at a slight angle and stroke across the file 10 to 20 times. Hold the blade up to the light. It is sharp when light doesn't glint on the edge of the blade.

Fill a water bottle with water and 10 percent bleach. Use this solution to sterilize your cutting implements. This will prevent the transfer of pathogens from other plants. Roses are susceptible to fungus and bacterial diseases and the newly cut wood is a perfect introduction site.

Cut off any dead or diseased wood in early spring. Remove up to one-third of the center wood to create an open, vaselike effect. Choose four to six healthy canes and remove the rest. The canes that remain need to be growing outward and cannot be crossing or touching each other. Make sure they are evenly spaced as much as possible.

Prune the canes that remain back to 12 inches from the ground. Cut at an outward-facing bud that is healthy. Cut at an angle that deflects water away from the bud, and make the cut just 1/4 inch above the bud.

Deadhead during the growing season to encourage more blooms. Cut 12 inches below the spent flower to create more blooms and stimulate growth. Cut to 1/4 inch above a healthy, outward-facing bud.

Feed your roses to give them enough nutrients to form new growth. Fertilize three times per year. The first time is after spring pruning, then in late May to early June and finally in mid to late July. Some people use bone meal or specially formulated rose feed, but an all purpose 10-10-10 is ideal. Give each plant 1/4 cup and scratch it into the soil to a depth of 2 or 3 inches.