The Planting of Roses
The planting of roses take a little more time and preparation than just digging a hole and plopping a plant in the ground. Considerations include the form of the plant purchased and preparation of the plant. Planting roses correctly by using the perfect blend of soil, sun and water leads to a spectacular garden enjoyed for generations. Does this Spark an idea?
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Rose Forms
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New roses come in different forms, including bare root, potted and boxed. Bare root requires the most attention and planting quickly after purchase. Bare root roses come with roots wrapped and slightly dehydrated. Potted roses are already growing in soil in containers. Boxed rose roots are enclosed in a box, which is often planted in the ground.
Location
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Plant all roses in a sunny location that gets six hours of sun per day with an eastern exposure. Good air circulation and water drainage is essential to keep disease and pests away.
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Bare Root Preparation
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Hydrate bare root roses before planting by soaking roots in a clean bucket of water for several hours to overnight. Never soak over 24 hours. Snip off damaged roots and prune the canes to three to five canes each. Remove any canes smaller than the circumference of a pencil. Identify raised oval areas on each cane, and cut back so each cane has three to five of these buds. Roses that are not being planted immediately must remain wrapped, kept moist and stored in a dark, cool area.
Potted and Boxed Preparation
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Keep potted roses watered and growing in the sun. Boxed plants need to be kept moist until planting time. Prune any dead or damaged canes right before planting the same way bare root roses are pruned.
Planting
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Place a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost, peat moss and manure over the planting area, and till it into the soil at a depth of 12 inches. When planting in an existing bed, dig out a hole 15 inches deep and mix organic matter with the soil, filling it so that the plant will be at the correct depth. To plant bare root roses, dig a hole 15 inches deep and 18 inches wide. Make a cone-shaped mound at the bottom with soil. Spread the roots over the mound and fill the hole two-thirds full. Water well and let drain, then fill to the top with soil and water again. The bud union, or where all the canes come together in the center of the plant, should be about 2 inches below the soil to protect it from cold weather. Never firm soil hard over the roots, because they require air.
Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball of potted roses so that the bud union is 2 inches below the soil line. Plant boxed roses per package instructions, with box in tact if they are still dormant. If roses have started to grow, remove them from the box and plant in the same manner as bare root roses without soaking.
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References
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- Photo Credit formal gardens image by Jenny Thompson from Fotolia.com
