Rose Planting  

Growing beautiful roses begins with proper setting and planting techniques. Roses should be planted to allow maximum exposure to sunlight. 

Any amount above six hours creates the optimal conditions. Proper sunlight is essential to a well developed garden. 

Your local extension agent can advise you on caring for your roses and which roses do best in the area.  However, it is fun to experiment with different varieties uncommon to the area.   

If rainfall is insufficient, apply water by irrigation through the first growing season to aid plant establishment. Soak the soil to a depth of 12 inches at each watering to encourage deep rooting.  Watering your rose is an important part of rose bush care during growth cycle in the early stages.  Water needs to penetrate the base of the plant.  Putting water directly on the root is the best technique.  Avoid dowsing the leaves or using a sprinkling can as this can deprive your rose of the water it needs and cause unwanted bacterial growth.  

Roses establish quickly and are more resistant to pests and diseases when planted in an ideal location.  First, ensure soil conditions contain the correct mixture of sand and clay.  Easy ways to test soil that will support a healthy rose garden are as follows: 

1. Gather a bit of soil in the palm of your hand and squeeze.  If it remains molded, there's too much clay. 

2. Shape a second handful of soil.  It's too sandy if the mold easily crumbles. 

3. The correct soil for growing roses should hold a mold and crumble easily. 

Growing climbing roses thrive in a loamy, well-drained garden soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Begin with a soil test to determine pH and nutrient levels so that corrections can be made as the soil is being prepared.

Planting time varies based on how plants are packaged. Bare root roses should be planted in early to mid-spring before the new shoots start to develop. Transplanting roses is best done in late March through early April unless soils remain wet. Potted roses can be planted anytime from spring to early fall.

Roses enjoy extracting as much nutrition from their surroundings as is available.  Placing them too close to root hungry trees, shrubs or plants is not a good idea.  Most trees and larger plants consume massive amounts of water and nutrients from areas extending far beyond the base root.  If there is an abundance of roots where you intend to plant your roses, your roses won't do very well.   

When you locate a suitable place for your rose plantings, be sure to prepare the soil properly.  This is especially true for organic roses and other varieties more susceptible to reactions based on soil conditions. 

The hole should measure approximately eighteen inches wide by fifteen inches deep with a mound in the middle.  Form the bare roots into a ball shape.  Place in the center of the hole.  Put the root on the peak of the mound and spread it down the sides. Fill the hole with your specially prepared soil mixture.  Make sure that the "graft union" of the plant is barely above ground level.  This will allow the "knob" to settle comfortably into its new home. Slowly work the soil around, above and below each root. When you add water, notice how the soil around the roots begins to settle.  Once the plant seems to have come to rest from the settling process, fill the area in and around the hole with additional soil. 

Next, build a mound around the canes about five to six inches high to prevent the canes from withering.  This will help support the cane until the roots fully establish themselves.     

When the new shoots begin to appear and the danger of frost has passed, remove the mound of soil around the canes gradually, over a week or so.    

If you are transplanting roses from a pot, pluck the plant gently from the pot, and place it in a properly prepared hole with the ball just at ground level. The most critical thing to be aware of when planting potted plants is planting them too deep.  The freshly planted potted plant should be no deeper in the ground than it was previously in the container. Fill the hole with the prepared soil mixture. Water the plant well to allow the backfilled soil to settle around the root ball. Add as much soil as is necessary.  

Follow these simple guidelines and you're start and finish with a vibrant, healthy, happy rose bush.