A Guide
to Planting Roses
Many people just dig a
hole, plant their roses and then
wonder why their roses are not doing as well as they expected. There
are some basics you need to know, below is a guide to planting roses, along
with some tricks and tips that
will help you grow beautiful roses.
Rose
Planting
You need to know that
you can get your roses two different
ways. The first is barefoot meaning it is dormant, has no leaves and
not in a container, most people get these roses through the mail. If
you get your roses at a local nursery most likely they are in a
container or pot. If you plant barefoot roses, they have different
planting needs than container roses.
Preparing
Roses for Planting
Barefoot
Roses
When you order your
roses through the mail most likely they
are shipped when they are dormant. They need immediate attention as
soon as possible, because they are not actively growing.
When you receive your
rose remove it from the packaging and
take a good look at it. Remove any of the broken canes (branches),
leaves and roots you see that may have been damaged in shipping.
You will need to next
soak your rose in a bucket of water.
Make sure that the water is room temperature
and all the roots are well submerged. Soak your rose for four to
twenty-four hours before planting. Soaking the rose hydrates the roots
and plant. Adding a stimulant to the water helps to reduce shock when
transplanting and encourages the growth of your rose. Here are a few
excellent bio stimulants that can be used ROOTS, SuperThrive or use a
Vitamin B solution. These can be purchased at your local nursery or
garden store. Follow the directions on the package carefully. 
If you are not able
to plant your rose right away, make
sure you soak it for at least four hours in water and put it in a
plastic bag. Leave the top of the bag opened and place your rose in a
dark, cool place, anywhere from 40 to 50 degrease. You will want to
keep your rose moist, making sure it is not soaking wet. You can do
this by misting it on a daily basis until you can get it planted. It is
also a good idea not to let your rose get overheated or to freeze.
It is best to plant
your barefoot rose as soon as you get
them, if at all possible. There are times when planting right away is
not an option and you may have to store your rose. If this is the case
and you have to store for a long period of time, plant your rose in a
two gallon container,water your rose well and store in a place out of
the wind.
Container
Roses
A container rose are
roses that have been grow in containers
or pots and are actively growing at time of purchase. They have most
likely been watered every day at your garden center or local nursery.
Neglecting to water them is not a good idea. If you cannot plant right
away make sure to water daily. They tend to dry out very quickly, also
store them in full sun.
Finding
a Place to Plant
Roses can endure quit a
lot, but they need the right
conditions to grow. Roses need six hours of full sunlight daily to
produce a full show of blooms. Preferably the morning sun to help dry
the leaves to reduce the hazards of getting foliage disease. Planting
your roses under or next to large trees is not a suitable idea, so plan your
rose garden well.
The trees
will be competing for the water, nutrients and sun.
Your rose garden
site
should drain water well, water should not stay more than a hour after
it has rained. If it does you need to insure proper drainage, adding
tiles, French drains or gravel below the planting hole will help.
Make sure the place you
have chosen to plant your roses will
be large enough for the mature plants. Give your rose plant about a
foot more space than they will need, this increases air circulation and
reduces foliage
disease on roses.
Site
Preparation
First,
start with getting the planting site
ready. Remove all the other plants in the area either by mechanical or
chemical means. By doing this now it will help maintain your planting
beds and will save you a lot of weeding time in the future.
Second,
add organic matter to the soil and
lots of it. Adding organic matter will improve the soil no matter what
type it is. Using compost is a great source for organic
matter for roses and it can be found in
bags at your local garden center. Be
careful if you decide to go with composted manure it is great for the
soil, but make sure it is fully cured, so it will not burn the roots of
your roses. Use plenty of compost, roses are hungry feeders, so be
generous.
Planting
Digging
Your Hole: Dig a hole for
your rose
plant at least one and a half feet deep and one and a half feet wide
with a mound of dirt in the center of the hole, this is where you will
place your rose. Placing the rose on the mound will spread out the
roots and keep them from being bent or getting wrapped. Keep the first
eight inches of topsoil and get rid of the rest.
Topsoil:
Mix about 50/50 of the soil from
the hole with well cured compost and 1/2 cup of phosphorous or bone
meal. Blend the mixture together well.
Placing
the Plant: Put your rose
plant in
the hole 1 to 2 inches below the top of the soil line. Drape the rose
plant roots over the mound in the bottom of the hole, making sure the
roots do not wrap around the hole. Here are a couple of things you can
do if the roots begin to wrap: dig you hole a little deeper or you can
prune the roots of the rose plant to fit your hole.
Fill:
Replace a third of the compost
and soil
mixture around the roots of
your rose plant, being care full not
to harm the roots, press down the mixture . Add the rest of the compost
mixture to the hole. 
Watering:
Pour 2 to 3 gallons of water
around the base of the rose slowly until it pools on the top of the
soil. Make sure the water is pooling and not running away from your
plant. You want the water to pool and soak in, the water helps to
settle the soil around the root system. If it runs, make a dam of soil
around the plant, one foot away from the center. Remember the most
important thing is water, it helps the roots move nutrients to the
plants.
Important:
This step is very often
overlooked. Build up the soil around the crown of the plant to about 6
inches high letting 2 inches of the canes show. Leave the soil for 2
weeks, this helps to keep the new rose from drying out. In about 2
weeks remove the soil gently, being careful not to knock off new leaf
buds.
Pruning:
Now that you have the plant in the
ground, you will need to cut back the top of the plant. Prune the canes
three to four inches above the mounded soil. You will want to cut back
to a rose bud that is facing out. This will make your new rose grow out,
instead of growing into the center of your plant.
Mulch:
Placing mulch around your rose helps
keep the plant from loosing moisture, keeps weeds out and helps with
cooling the plants roots. Here are some types of mulch that can be
used: compost, wood chips, and even cocoa bean hulls. Place mulch about
2 to 3 inches thick.
It is very important
that you keep your new
rose plant
well watered and out of the
wind, they are vulnerable to the heat
and dry weather.
Here is a great site
that shows you how to plant roses in
video format. It is interesting and very informative. It shows you
exactly what to do with your roses when you get them home or through
the mail and how to plant them in the ground afterwards. Visit the site
at: http://www.rosemagazine.com/video
Content and photos
may not be copied or used without
express written permission.
Copyright 2011-2012
