I use a mixture of E.B Stone "Edna's Best" potting soil and E.B Stone "Planting Compost." It has all the same ingredients as Fox Farms soil but is MUCH cheaper. Avoid any soil with the "green beads" as they can burn the roots within the pot. I also add some Perlite that I find especially beneficial for starting the baby bands like you will get from Heirloom. It aids in preventing soil compaction and allows the plant to easily spread its newly forming root system. Above all, you want good drainage. Miniatures, I've found out, need a much larger pot than one would think. I like the plain old terracotta pots from Home Depot, 5 gallons should work well for you. If you want a more ornamental pot, make sure you check Marshals/TJMaxx/Ross...I've had very good luck there! Heirloom bands need some special initial care, but I have had great luck with them. They just take some patience. If you order minis from them, make sure you get a "Tennessee" or get on the waiting list for one. It's exceptional and even has a very good tea fragrance. I could rave about it all day. Good luck, and do keep us posted! "Tennessee"

jimmy, your Sharifa Asma is spotless. I had to hard prune most of my Austins including Sharifa due to Thrip and spidermite damage. They all look like sticks now, my entire spring flush is ruined unfortunately. I was late for my spraying by three weeks, purposely delayed it to see whether roses can survive without the chemicals. Then i couldn't stand the ugly thrip damaged flowers and sick looking leaves. What do you spray on your roses and how often. Please tell. karima

Thank you. Kristine, did you mean Gold Medal? Although I love Medallion, it's not one that I have. My Savannah had such nice fragrance, and last year I liked it better as the season progressed. I think you would like Orchid Romance, Lily, at least you would if it did as good for you as it does for me. It's almost a fool proof rose for me. Carol, I use Miracle Gro Potting mix. This year I added Osmocote to all my established potted roses and also the newly planted ones at the time I planted them. Here's a picture of Bolero. It seems to be coming along pretty good, because it got a slow start at the beginning of the season. It had some wind damage, but came out of that just fine. Until now it had a few scattered blooms. DOUBLE DELIGHT - This one has bloomed a lot, just not very many that have been that pretty so far, but it is always fragrant! I have had some nice PINK PEACE blooms this year, and I can always count on its fragrance too.

Shawntiah, what a pretty name. Welcome to the forum. There are some very knowledgable rosarians here to answer questions. I'm not one of them, but I'll tell you what I do because I have the same problem. Drainage is terrible in hard packed clay soil. And, when it does drain off, it leaves a sticky, glue-like mud that will pull your shoes right off your feet. I dig very large planting holes (at least 2'x2' for own root bands and larger for potted 3 gal. roses) and back fill with some of the native soil, compost and a few handfuls of perlite or vermiculite and/or pine fines - the kind you buy for bunny cages. But, the most important thing is a deep hole so water can drain away from the rose roots. Heavy clay soil isn't all bad. It retains moisture during hot, dry spells, and it usually has more nutrients. But, for that, we pay a price of poor drainage. You have some beautiful roses and it sounds like you know what you're doing. I hope deeper holes will solve your problem sufficiently. Natural pine straw mulch is what the Biltmore uses in their extensive rose gardens and from that I think you must be in the south. Just keep it away from the canes when it's soggy and the temps start to rise, so all that moisture doesn't cause canker.