When it comes to planting roses, there are several ways to get started.
But if you’re new to growing roses, it can all seem overwhelming as each method comes with its own set of rules.
We’re here to help with this complete guide to planting roses in the garden.
Selecting The Site
Choosing the ideal location to plant your roses is one of the most important aspects of gardening, regardless of whether you’re using bare roots or container roses.
Always plan ahead and decide where you’ll transfer your roses before they’re in your hands.
When selecting your roses’ site, there are three key aspects to take into consideration:
1. Sunlight
Roses adore sunlight!
It is a necessity for the production of healthy buds and leaves.
The warmth of the sun not only encourages the buds to bloom into roses but also enhances the roses’ fragrance.
2. Wind
Strong winds can be a great hindrance to your rose bushes.
Wind not only dries out your soil at a faster pace, but strong winds can cause damage to your shrubs.
If the wind is unavoidable, you can plan to use a windbreaker.
Some examples of a windbreak include other sturdy plants or a fence.
3. Spacing
Take into consideration how far you’ll need to space your roses apart.
Spacing out your juvenile plants allows for better air circulation, which helps reduce the likelihood of diseases.
A good rule of thumb in this situation is to give your shrub a space that is as wide as it is tall.
For example, if a rose bush is 3 feet tall, it should have 3 feet of space in between other shrubs.
Preparing The Site For Planting Roses
Providing Drainage
If you want the best soil for your roses, providing drainage is a necessary aspect of preparing the soil for planting.
Drainage allows the soil to expel unnecessary moisture, as well as maintain a light, comfortable soil.
Soils that lack drainage can often become compact and heavy, which is a hindrance to root development.
In addition, the trapped moisture can eventually grow to harbor harmful bacteria that carried disease.
Drainage can be increased by including “chunky” materials.
Examples of this include gravel or perlite.
Preparing The Soil
You should prepare your roses’ soil by amending it with the necessary nutrients it needs to survive.
In addition, it is important to work your rose soil to break up any hard chunks of soil that have formed.
Your goal is to create the ideal nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.
Planting Bare Root Roses
Bare root roses may look lifeless when you open them up from their packaging.
But rest assured, when planted properly, they’ll grow into vibrant beautiful roses that will last for years.
What Are Bare Root Roses
Bare root roses are pre-grown roses that have been dug up during their winter dormancy.
The dirt around their roots has been cleaned off and these plants are packed with peat moss and wrapped in plastic to preserve them during the shipping process.
When To Plant Bare Root Roses
You can plant bare roots roses at any time during the dormant season, as long as the soil is not frozen.
If you live in an area with extremely cold climates and are prone to deep frosts, you might find it preferable to plant your roses in the autumn or the spring.
Rose Roots Care Before Planting
Before planting your bare roots roses, they’ll require some prep to make sure you have a healthy rose shrub in the future.
Here are some steps on how to prepare your bare roots rose before planting:
1. Gently slide the rose out of its package
2. Inspect the roots and pick off any packing residue
3. Using a sharp, sterile pair of clippers, cut off any roots that appear to be damaged or diseased.
4. Shorten the canes of the plant to no more than 8 inches long. Pruning back the canes will help alleviate any stress on your juvenile plant. Prune back the roots as well- but very slightly- no more than 1 inch of the root should be cut.
5. Finally, soak your bare roots roses for 12 to 24 hours. We recommend soaking the entirety of the rose plant (roots and all) before planting. Doing so will revitalize the entire plant and its tissue all at once. Some gardeners swear by using muddy water to soak the plant, claiming that the mud allows the tissues to retain moisture for longer.
Bare Root Roses Planting Steps
When the waiting period is over, it is time to plant your bare roots roses in the soil.
Follow these steps:
1. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball, but not so small as to suffocate the roots. It should sit comfortably in the hole.
2. Build a soil cone in order to give the roots some support. Lay a long rod (or the handle of a shovel/rake) parallel to the edge of the hole; this will help you keep the plant perfectly placed.
3. Start filling the hole with the appropriate soil. Press down on the soil periodically to remove any air pockets and keep the plant sturdy
4. Give the soil a thorough watering by filling the remaining hole with water.
5. Wait for the water to soak through the soil before continuing to fill the hole. Make a mound of soil that helps stabilize the plant, while also retaining moisture and providing protection.
6. When the canes have grown by 2 inches, start to remove some of the soil.
7. During each watering, wash away some of the mounds little by little.
Planting Roses From Container
Alternatively, you can plant pre-grown roses from a container bought at a nursery.
Unlike bare root roses, container roses can be transferred at any point of the season from spring to fall.
However, we recommend the best time to plant is early in the season, preferably during a cool, cloudy day.
How To Plant Roses From Containers Step-by-Step
Follow these steps to successfully transplant your container rose into the ground:
1. Dig a hole in the soil. The hole should be large enough to accommodate the size of the root ball without being too confined.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut the bottom of the rose’s container. Be very careful during this step so as not to harm the roots.
3. Staring from the bottom, make a slit on the sides of the container (about 3/4 of the way up) and place the container into the hole.
4. Start filling the hole up just below the top of the cuts on the container.
5. Finish the slits all up to the edge of the container and start gently pulling them up. While pulling them, bend the sides outwards as you pull to avoid damaging the plant.
6. Fill out the rest of the hole with soil and then proceed to give your plant a deep watering. Wait for the water to be completely absorbed by the soil.
7. Dig a catch basin by making a circular mound of soil around the perimeter of the plant. Once again, give the plant an ample amount of water.
How To Care After Planting Roses
Once you get transplanting your roses out of the way, then the real fun starts.
Aftercare is a critical part of raising bountiful roses.
Here are some helpful tips for caring after planting:
- Give your roses plenty of water, especially in these early stages. That basin you made needs to be refilled. The best way to give your roses a deep watering is with the “slow trickle” method. Allow the water from your hose to slowly and steadily drip water over 1 to 2 hours. Give your roses water every day for its first week- especially in hot and arid weather conditions. After the initial stage, you can reduce this watering to every week.
- Place a layer of mulch around the base of your rose plant. Mulching comes with many benefits, but it is primarily used to slow evaporation, which can stabilize soil temperatures and help your plant retain moisture for longer.
FAQs
Can you put rose cuttings straight into the soil?
Yes. As a matter of fact, rooting rose cutting in the soil is preferable compared to rooting in water.
For a higher chance of successful propagation, we recommend dusting hormone rooting powder onto the cut-end of your rose cuttings.
Place the cutting into the soil so at least two nodes are covered in soil.
Keep your rose cuttings covered and moist as they attempt to grow roots and establish themselves in the ground.
Can you overwater newly planted roses?
While newly planted roses adore being watered frequently, there is always a risk of overwatering your plant.
The real kicker is the soil drainage.
Too much water with not enough drainage is one of the leading causes of overwatering, which can quite literally kill your juvenile plants in their crib.
What happens if you plant roses too close together?
Spacing out your roses is one of the most important parts of planning out a successful rose garden.
Planting your roses too close together can pose several problems.
First, overcrowded roses cause reduced air circulation.
Your plants need good airflow because it prevents common rose diseases such as mildew, rust, or black spots.
The airflow keeps the foliage dry and prevents the spread and development of bacteria.
Secondly, overcrowding can cause stress on the root systems lying beneath the soil.
Your roses will be fighting each other for the limited nutrients that are in their reach.
As a result, the growth pattern of your plants can become stifled, which negatively affects the quality of your flowers.
A good measure when determining how much space to give your plant is to give your shrub a space that is as wide as it is tall.
Conclusion
It may seem as if planting roses has a lot of twists and turns, but with a little patience, you’ll soon be enjoying the lush roses that adorn your home.
Preparing the planting site and successfully transferring your plants into the soil is the basic foundation you need for a great start.
