How to Plant Carpet Rose Flowers

Carpet roses grow low to the ground, usually no higher than 1 to 2 feet tall, and spread out to cover 4 to 5 feet of ground. Hardy from zone 5 on south in the United States, these rose bushes require little maintenance and bloom non-stop from spring to fall. Because they are shorter than most rose bushes, they are better suited for the middle or front of a flower bed instead of at back.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Compost

Instructions

1. Choose a planting site for the carpet rose that gets at least 8 hours of full or partial sun per day and that drains well. Remove sod, if necessary, and any weeds. Add 2 to 4 inches of compost or manure to the planting area and work it into the ground to a depth of 8 inches.

2. Dig a hole twice the width and depth of the pot in which the carpet rose is currently planted, or than the root ball, if you're planting a bare root rose.

3. Fill the bottom of the hole with enough soil to be able to set the root ball down and have the crown of the plant be at ground level. Look carefully for the original soil line if you have a bare root rose; usually, the area that was below the soil line is darker.

4. Water the bare root or the root ball before you fill in the hole. Add enough water to create an inch or so of standing water in the bottom of the hole.

5. Fill in soil to completely surround the roots. Press firmly, but don't pack down hard, to eliminate air pockets at several intervals as you fill the hole. Leave a shallow, saucer-shaped indentation surrounding the base of the plant to collect rainfall and direct it to the rose's roots.

6. Water the carpet rose bush thoroughly to settle the soil around the plant.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch on the soil surrounding the carpet rose to help conserve moisture and will inhibit weed growth. The carpet rose grows across the soil, but allows enough air and light through to germinate weed seeds, which can be tricky to pull from within the rambling rose stems.

References

• Roses
• Flower Carpet Roses
• Rosa noatraum (Flower Carpet Rose)