I just want to say how very sorry I am that your husband has passed.

I haven't tried the Ocean potting soil so I am also interested in what others will say about it.

I'm very sorry, OP. I have used Fox Farms with good results and without additional amendments, but I wasn't growing roses.

I’m so sorry for your loss. I don’t use Fox Farms but many friends of mine use them and they said it’s pretty good.

Wow your garden looks gorgeous!

Your garden and you two are beautiful! So sorry, Suebelle, to hear about your husband's death. I've been through that and know it is so difficult. Do take care of yourself too. I've always used bagged potting mix of various brands and had no trouble.

I am so so sorry for your loss Sue . I really am and will be praying for a good helper to come your way. Is there a rose society you could join ? That can help you get in person experience and an in person yet distanced visit ?

I am so so sorry, Suebelle. What a beautiful garden.

Lilyfinch - Eddie and I have been growing roses together for 40 years, so I know what to do, but I just am not capable. I am 75 years old with bad knees so I need to adjust to doing thing differently. We used to have a rose society here in New Orleans, but it fell apart a few years ago because most members were elderly and many had passed away. Most young couples are not interested in roses and if they are, they feel like they can get their info online and they are mostly too busy to go to meetings. My neighbors are very helpful, but don't know anything about roses, but they are so kind and generous to me.

I am so sorry to hear of your heartbreaking loss, so truly tragic. Your roses look amazing. I do use Fox Farms Oceans Forest on nearly all of my over 100 potted roses and all my other potted plants as well. I am very fortunate that I live near a supplier of the potting soil that offers it at a tremendous discount otherwise I would not be able to use it so extensively. I can tell you that for my Southern California climate, it is a fabulous potting soil. I have used many, many others, some of which are just fine as well, but I have been the happiest by far with Ocean's Forest. Should you have any other questions about it, I would be happy to attempt to help you with information.

Kimberly, I cannot thank you enough for this recommendation. Eddie used to mix his own potting soil, but I know I cannot handle that. I need to take the easy way out now. Could you tell me what you put in the bottom of the pot for drainage, or do you just put the potting soil with no bottom layer. I know some people used broken clay pot pieces or large pine bark nuggets.

Sue I just wanted to say I am very sorry for your loss and hope you are able to find some comfort in your garden. What a beautiful picture of the two of you.

suebelle I no longer use anything on the bottom of my pots. I did for decades, but the current wisdom and studies find it actually inhibits complete drainage in the pots due to the Perched Water Table. There is a great amount of information on the container gardening forum about that. As long as your pots have adequate drainage holes, nothing else is needed.

Also, I used to blend my own potting mix as well, but physical limitations put a quick end to that! I too need an easier solution now, and to perfectly honest, I think my plants are all much healthier with the Oceans Forest vs what I mixed.

Suebelle, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I know it's difficult to garden alone at 75, which is what I do. I usually put small rocks in the bottoms of pots, but these pots are for flowers and veggies, not roses. However, it works very well for me. I've never heard of Fox Farms Oceans Forest potting soil, but I do love Black Gold potting soil. It may be only regionally available, however. I wish you the best in your gardening this year. Please do ask us for any help we can offer. Diane

Suebelle, I'm so sorry for your loss. I mix my own potting soil, but also have luck with mixing perlite with commercial potting soil.

I get Miracle Grow Potting Soil and Jungle Growth Potting soils. I layer them in the pot. You could just use Miracle Grow and mix it with the Ocean if you wanted. MG has a lot of peat making it very light but I like to add another heavier soil with a little more pine bark in it to balance it out. When I say "mix".. you can simply layer it in the pot and kinda stir it around. I have been growing stuff in pots ..large trees, shrubs, tropicals, roses, cacti & succulents, etc for many years. I have good success this way. (I do add sand, xtra perlite, and sharp granite or gravel to my cacti mixes.)

If its a very large pot, I add a little extra perlite in the bottom for added drainage due to our wet summers but it probably isnt necessary.

I would not use water crystals in a place that has heavy rainfall like LA or FL. I lived in Southern LA for several yrs. My climate here is very similar except the soil is very different. S. LA has slower draining gumbo soil. We have faster draining more sandy soil. Those water crystals blow up and get huge and displace everything in the pot. You can add some extra osmocote to the pots if you want.

I always top off my old pots with compost and a little fresh potting soil in the spring. I have some potted trees etc. that I haven't changed soil in 10 yrs..I just keep adding and they have done fine.

I’m very sorry about the loss of your husband, Suebelle. What a beautiful garden you have and a way to cherish your husband. Fox Farms ocean forest is a little pricey but excellent. Diane mentioned Black Gold - their organic potting mix is one of my favorite. It’s lightweight and my roses do well in it.

Suebelle, I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to garden without him. You have a fabulous rose garden and what a wonderful memory of him! I have heard great things about Fox Farm’s products so I would go for it. I use Miracle Grow Moisture Control, which is very fine textured and light weight, but my climate is hot and dry with basically no rain. It sounds like the moisture control isn’t needed in rainy climates.

My deepest sympathies for your loss, Suebelle. You and your husband had a gorgeous rose garden! I'm sure keeping it lovely will be a wonderful tribute to him.

I've grown roses in pots for 15 years now and I've found that most all of the name brand potting soils do very well. Just make sure it SAYS potting soil and not garden soil. I made that mistake early on and lost a couple of roses because that soil was too heavy and dense and didn't drain well. Otherwise, I've used probably 6 or 7 different brands with great success. I too avoid the water crystals. What a mess those were! I had big globs of gooey slime in my pots. And I try to stay away from soils with fertilizers in them. I prefer to have complete control over what my roses get! Other than that as long as the soil seems light and fluffy and drains well it should be fine. I have used soil from Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart and Costco before and had no problems. I would maybe stay away from Big Lots. That one didn't drain as well as I liked but it was OK. I guess.

Oh, Suebelle...what a lovely photo of you and your dear husband. I am so sorry to hear of his passing - so premature at 55. What a shame. Your rose garden is gorgeous. I know you will sorely miss him by your side tending the roses with such love.

I have no expertise to offer with potted roses...just sympathy and best wishes going into the future.

~Peggy

To lose a husband after 55 years of marriage!!! And so suddenly!!! Oh, my heavens, I am sooo sorry to hear this. I'm glad you found us here...we're a great community, full of kindness and support. Your husband was a gardener of great skill to have created an oasis of SUCH beauty!!! My deepepst sympathies.

Suebelle - I am so very sorry to hear of the loss of your husband. I hope that being in the garden & tending the roses you grew so well together for so many years will bring you some peace.

In regard to planting roses in containers, I would keep in mind that once potted & watered, they are heavy! A couple of options that work for me: (1) if you know where you want it & don’t plan on moving it, get the pot all set up in place, and pot it there so you don’t have to move it. Or, (2) get a sturdy rolling “caddy” that they sell at garden centers to go under pots, and place the pot on top of the caddy before you fill it with dirt - that way you can roll it around. Keep in mind that they roll easily on a flat surface, but it’s hard to roll them over uneven ground, etc., so start in an area where it will be easy to roll to where you want it.

Please keep us posted, both on things you have questions about & on how your beautiful garden is doing! (I remember seeing some of your pictures before, and thinking how lovely they were.)