It is time to plant roses. Roses can be purchased from box stores, nurseries, or mail-order catalogues. They will come individually packaged as bare-root or in containers.
Bare root roses are usually sold fully dormant since they have bare roots. Because the roses are unrooted, they arrive fully dormant without leaves. The roots will arrive in packing material like shredded bark or newspaper with an outer wrapping of plastic. Packing material must stay moist. Keep plants in a cool, dark location until ready to set in the garden.
Container-grown roses will be fully leafed out. Place in a protected area but not in the shade. Keep moist until ready to set in the garden then gradually shift to full sun. Let plants acclimate for several days in full light and subjected to outdoor conditions before setting in the garden.
Location
• Place in the garden where plants will have at least 6 hours of full sun. Roses that are shaded will be spindly with weak canes and few blossoms.
• Place in a loose, loamy soil that drains well yet holds moisture. Roses cannot grow well with wet feet.
• Provide space between roses that allows for adequate air circulation.
Planting instructions
• Dig holes 12 to 18 inches in diameter.
• For container-grown roses, remove from the plastic container and plant at the existing soil line.
• Add several inches of compost with the existing soil.
• Water deeply every other day for two weeks.
• Fertilize only after root system is established, about one month.
Watering
Deep water by soaking roses weekly. Deep watering encourages a deeply rooted and strong root system, especially needed in recent drought conditions. Deep watering decreases surface evaporation that wastes water.
Mulch
A thick layer of several inches of mulch decreases water evaporation and weeds. Bark is a good choice as it decomposes with time, adding organic matter to the soil, increasing soil organisms, decreases soil evaporation, and cools the soil.
Pruning roses will be in next week’s column.
Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
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