Planting bare Root Roses – Step by Step Instructions
Just before spring time, many gardeners are preparing for planting bareroot roses. If you have bareroot roses, you will need to prepare the soil as soon as possible since the rose stock will not survive long without being planted. Planting bareroot roses is quite easy if you follow these quick tips and you’ll have new rose bushes in your garden blooming by mid spring.
Picking the rose variety that you want to plant is your first step and your decision will be influenced by the climate in your region. If you are thinking about getting Knockout roses, miniature roses, shrub roses, old world roses, climbing roses, floribunda roses, or hybrid tea roses, just make sure you go with what works for your region.
You can get the bareroot roses from your local nursery or garden centers, but make sure that you purchase only healthy looking ones. Roses also require considerable space so if you’re considering several bareroot roses, make sure to inquire about the planting area requirements. This will ensure that your roses get enough air circulation to prevent diseases or pests.
Since you will be purchasing bareroot roses, they need to be fresh, this is important for planting bareroot roses. When the roses arrives at the garden center or nursery, hurry down there, take your pick. When checking the canes – they should be healthy and green. Never get ones that are dried up. Get the grade “A”, #1 looking roses because this is the highest quality. Don’t get ones that are leafing out already or those that have waxed canes.
Before making the purchase, make sure you know where you are going to plant the roses in your garden. Most roses need at least six hours of sunlight a day so you need to plant in a sunny area. Another consideration is protecting the roses from intense summer heat. You will need to pick a spot where the garden gets a lot of sun during midday but in the afternoon should be shaded. It would also be best to plant the roses away from trees so that they don’t have to compete for water and nourishment.
Just before you plant bareroot roses, you will want to soak them in water, bleach, and vitamin B1. A very small amount of bleach will do (1 Tbsp/gal water). Soak the roses overnight. By doing so, the roses are sanitized and diseases will be better prevented.
Plant the roses in pots first for about 3-6 months. This will ensure faster growth of the root system. After that time frame, you can transplant them to the ground. You don’t always have to plant in pots first but it’s a good way to insure better success.
If you are planting bareroot roses straight to the ground, dig a 12-18 inch hole with a small mound in the center. Put the rose in the hole and spread the root mass around the mound and add some superphosphate to encourage development of the roots. If the cane is still dormant you can mound up some dirt around the cane to help prevent shock and protect against a last minute cold spell.
After 4-6 weeks new leaves should start to grow from the bud nodes. This is the perfect time to use rose food, spreading it around the rose’s base. Make sure to water the rose the day before fertilization, to help with the dissipation of the fertilizer.
When to Plant Roses
If you want your roses to do well and last for many years knowing when to plant rose bushes will give them a good head start. Proper care is definitely essential but you need to know when it is the best time to plant rose bushes. The very first months of a rose plants life are very crucial. With a bit of knowledge you will give those roses a good start in that direction.
The rose bushes are usually sold when it is still dormant in the late winter just before springtime. When you first you get your roses; they will usually be wrapped in moss and bareroot, and you will need to keep the root mass moist until you have planted the rose. The rose should be planted in the latest part of the winter, just before spring, so that when spring comes, new shoots will start to come out. The best months for planting roses are March to April.
Plant the rose in a place where it will get at least six hours of sunlight everyday. The soil should also have good drainage and they love acidic soils (5.8 – 6.3 pH). If your soil doesn’t meet the pH requirements, you can always ask the people at the local nursery on how to increase the acidity of your soil. You can also use acidifying agents like lime and pine needles.
If you have several rose bushes to plant, they should be about 5 feet apart. This is necessary so that the air can circulate freely and to help ensure that the bushes won’t catch any disease. If you plant the bushes closely, they will only get crowded and stunted. Different kinds of roses have different space requirements so be sure to ask at the local nursery.
Before planting the roses, the garden bed should be free from any plant debris and weeds. The roses will thrive if the garden area is clean. To encourage new growth, you can help by pruning the rose bushes; the best time to prune is just after the dormancy and just before the growing season.
To prepare the rose, you will need to soak it in water for one day. Dig a hole that measures 2 square feet and in the center, build a mound. This is where you will spread the rose’s roots over. If you live in a cold region, the roots should be buried about 2 inches deeper to protect it from the winter season. To prevent rotting, clear the surroundings of the rose canes of mulch.
After transplanting, you need to maintain dirt around the base cane of the rose so that it can retain some water. In the first week, water the roses daily. After that, you can water it every 3 days depending on the weather. The mound can be removed once new shoots start to appear. The appearance of new growth is great news because it means the rose is growing and adjusting to its new habitat.
Again, just to touch on when to plant rose bushes; it is done just before springtime or right after the thaw of the winter. This will ensure a good awakening from dormancy into spring.
