By Kathleen Gresham
Spring is the perfect time to plant roses. As soon as the ground is soft enough, you can start making rose beds.
Roses grow in a wide variety of climates. By choosing your rose plants carefully, you can grow them in many places.
However, roses will not flourish in every climate. And even where roses grow easily, they still need special care and treatment. Here are seven tips for planting roses to make sure they grow well and flourish for many years to come.
1. Plenty of Sunlight
Roses need about 4 to 6 hours of sunlight each day. It is best to plant roses in a clear area where there are not too many trees or other types of plants that might shade them for too many hours of the day.
Not only will roses not grow or bloom well if they do not have enough light, the roots of other plants are likely to become tangled with the roots of the rose and throttle its growth.
2. Fresh, Well-Drained Soil
If you wish to replace an old rose bush or other plant, remove several cubic feet of the old soil and replace it with new soil so that the newly planted rose has fresh soil to start with.
If you live in a rainy climate, make sure the soil is light and the new rose bed drains well to keep your roses healthy. In wet climates, roses may require special raised beds to insure proper drainage.
3. Suitable Location
When planning the location for your roses, be sure to consider the type of rose you are planting. Ramblers and climbers should be planted next to trellises, fences, pergolas or arches.
That is important, because climbing roses and rambling roses need support as well as space to grow freely. Those positions are perfect for bigger blooming roses.
4. Companion Plants
Rose bushes will look especially good in island beds, surrounded by other perennials. Smaller roses make great edging plants, massed in front of taller rose varieties.
5. Preparing to Plant
Dig a hole large enough for the size of the root ball. And remember to loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole. You can also add bone meal, which slowly releases phosphorus to help establish the grown of a healthy root system for your roses.
6. Planting Depth
Be careful when considering the planting depth for roses. The right depth depends on your climate. In a colder climate, plant roses deeper. If you plant in a pot, dig about 1 inch deeper than the usual potted level.
7. Careful Placement and Backfilling
Make sure that you place roses in the hole carefully. Then refill the hole with soil so that the roots are completely covered. Before you make the final covering, gently and thoroughly water the rose plant.
Then mound the soil about 8 inches high around the base of the plant. The earth will keep the stems from drying out until the plant is completely rooted. As the leaves open, you can remove the excess soil that surrounds the plant.
Follow These Tips for Perfect Roses
Following these vital tips when planting roses will reward you with healthy plants. It will be well worth the extra effort, because your roses will bloom beautifully.
