Question
Hi, I got a miniature rose plant for valentine's.  I'm planning on planting it outdoors when it gets warm enough, if it lives long enough.  I was away for a weekend, and when I came back part of the plant was dried and shrived.  The drying has continued, and now half my plant is dried up and crumbles when touched, the other half seems to be doing okay, but the leaves are turning yellow.  Is it getting too much, not enough sun/water, etc.?  I'm clueless when it comes to plants, and would really like to keep this one alive.

Answer
Mini roses are the same as the bigger garden roses and really prefer to be outside where the humidity is not dry like in a home. Th reason your little rose is dying out is because the house is too hot and dry for it. If possible, replant the rose into a larger pot as this will help the roots to grow better than a smaller hot one. Then cut the rose right back to about 3 inches as this will cut off all the dead and dying growth. Then what is left will be the canes that are healthy. To keep it growing until you can plant it outside, you have to keep the leaves damp, not the soil, just the leaves. You can do this two ways. One by putting the pot in a plastic bag and tying it right over the rose and then when you see new growth coming untie it. The other is to mist the plant daily, this should also keep the soil damp but never keep the soil wet as that will kill the rose roots. Give it a teaspoon of any rose fertilizer or if you have any indoor plant fertilizer you can use that too. Place the rose where it will get all day sun but not all day hot sun, so some midday to early afternoon shade if the sun is hot.