joshuas-garden.com

Rose Planting

Rose planting is more than just the depth of the hole and when fertilizer should be used.  A first and important step in rose planting that should not be overlooked is picking the location of where you are going to plant your roses.  What is true in real estate is also true in planting; location, location, location.  There are many things to be considered upon selecting the location for our rose plants.

Will the place you choose to plant your roses get enough sunlight?  Most rose species should receive direct, unfiltered sunlight each day for at least six hours.  Even shade tolerant rose plants need about four to six hours of direct sunlight to be healthy. 

Another important question to ask in rose planting: Is the soil where you want to plant your roses healthy enough?  Roses need nutritious soil and are hungry eaters.  They dislike soil that has high clay or sand content.  An easy test you can do to verify that if your soil has excessive clay or sand content is to clump it in your hand.  If the soil holds the form and does not easily crumble, it has high clay content.  If the soil crumbles too easily and does not hold the mold, it has too much sand.  God soil should hold the mold in your hand but crumble easily.  Also, the soil must not be too acidic, contain too much chalk or contain too much limestone.

And finally, ask yourself this when rose planting: Is the place where you are going to plant your roses too close to trees or other plants?  There are a lot of larger plants and trees that extract water and nutrients from the soil from their roots that go past their drip line.  If you encounter a lot of roots where you are digging your hole for your rose bush, most likely these roots are going to cause a problem for your plant.  Some climbing roses and some shrubs are an exception, but most rose plants  only like to be combined with other roses or other non-invasive foliage.

After the selection of an ideal site for your rose plant, you can now think about the rose planting basics, like how deep the hole should be.  You will be required to dig a slightly larger hole than the root system of the plant or the size of the pot it is in.  The approximate depth depends upon the climate you are living in.  Colder places need to plant their roses a little deeper.  It is a good idea to talk to other rose growers in the area as to which is the proper depth for you.

Rose planting depths may vary for many people but everyone can gain something by loosening the soil at the base of the hole.  You can also place some compost in the bottom of the hole plus a sprinkle of bone meal which is a source of Phosphorus and is slow acting and encourages healthy root growth.  The roots must be spread out slightly after placing the plant into the hole.  Fill up the hole and be sure the soil settles around the roots.  Watering the roots is essential before covering them with the final few inches of soil.  And lastly, place the remaining soil back into the hole and slightly press to make the soil firm.  You can also water the plant at this stage.