Maria,

A good start would be to visit the Nor'east Miniature Roses website at www.noreast-miniroses.com

At the bottom of the home page click on "Growing Tips" and "How To Use Minis." This will give you many of the basics you're after.

And they will be at their healthiest outside for sure...

The Ralph Moore book 'All About Miniature Roses' Is fairly old, but much of the basic cultural information is still perfectly valid and useful. Take a look at the link below:

Here is a link that might be useful: All About Miniature Roses

Suggest you go to the American Rose Society website: www.ars.org They can be very helpful.

I am the Consulting Rosarian Chairman for the Illinois/Indiana District. Yes you can grow them in clay pots. Just make sure to use the soil with the water crystals in in. That way you won't have to water twice a day when it gets hot. I would start off in a at least a 2 gallon pot. Then move it up to a 5 gal pot. Minis have big root systems and will quickly outgrow a pot. If you have any other questions just email me. I can put you in touch with a CR near you, and they would be glad to help! Indy has a huge Rose Society!

i grow more minis than full-sized ones and i love them! more imporatntly, i grow them in containers and some in hanging baskets.
some mini's can get quite large both in their root size and their above ground size.
drainage is the key with pots- use the lightest mix you can find. i also run a wick outside of my containers to assist with lowering the water table and draining them more efficiently; i dont mind watering a lot...
some of my minis rival the size of my full roses.
i would start out with simple, vigorous varieties such as sweet chariot, green ice,scentsational, kristin for starters.