Linda Krontz Schuppener
770-489-4865 linda2742@comcast.net

Late winter is the ideal time for planting bare root roses;
Early spring is ideal for planting potted roses.
But you can plant whenever you need to, as long as the ground isn't frozen.

First, pick a good home for your new rose. It will need the following:
Lots of sun
Good air circulation
Good drainage
Good soil
Place to grow without root competition from trees & shrubs
At least 6 hours of sun, especially morning sun is preferred

Have the soil tested in your rose's new home
Roses grow best in soil with a pH of about
6.5, while our native soil (if you can call what most of us have "soil") is closer to
5.0.
When the pH is too far from the ideal, the plant cannot absorb minerals from the soil.

The UGA Extension Service in your county provides these tests at minimal cost ($4.50).
You'll get your results much sooner if you do the test in fall or winter. March and April are peak season.
This test will give you not only the pH of your soil, but also information on other nutrient needs of your soil.

If you are building a whole rose bed, plan to allow enough room to space bushes at least 4 feet apart, depending on their ultimate size.
Minis may be 2 – 3 feet apart, but
Shrubs may need to be 6 feet or more apart.
Roses can also be grown in pots, but will need at least a 5-gallon pot for minis to thrive, and a
15-gallon pot for hybrid teas.

To plant your rose, start with a big hole, approximately 2 feet across and 18 – 24 inches deep for one rose.
To the soil from the hole (presumably clay), add equal amounts of organic material (composted pine bark, humus, or manure, but not peat moss) and coarse (builders) sand.
Depending on the results of your soil test, you may need to add dolomitic lime to adjust the soil pH, or super phosphate to adjust the phosphorus level.

These amendments should be mixed with the planting soil for best effect, along with ¼ cup Epsom salts.
Never add a fast-release nitrogen fertilizer when planting, as it can burn tender new roots; however, you may add a time-release fertilizer like Osmocote.
Many rosarians like to add an organic product like Mills
Magic Rose Mix.
Combine soil and amendments well, mix to the consistency of coffee grounds, and return half to the hole.

In the Atlanta area the bud union, the knobby part that all the canes grow from on a grafted rose, should be just above the final dirt level, rather than buried (as is common in cold climates) or several inches above the ground (as it is probably growing in the pot you buy it in).

For a bare-root rose
– Soak the rose for several hours or overnight, to rehydrate the bush before planting.
– Some people like to add a little bleach to kill fungi, or to use a root stimulator as part of the water they soak with.
– Trim off broken or unhealthy-looking roots, and trim damaged canes.
– Prepare soil as discussed above, then mound a cone of dirt in the center of the hole, with the peak at ground level.
– Spread the roots of the plant over the cone.

For a potted rose
– Cut away the pot, holding the plant by the root ball, rather than by the trunk or branches.
– Alternatively, put your open hand in the pot and turn the pot upside down, holding the root ball in your open hand while removing the root ball from the pot.
– If the rose is root bound, loosen and spread the roots so they can grow into the surrounding soil easily.
– Place the root ball on loose dirt so the top of the pot's soil is about 3 inches above ground level.

After Planting Bare Root or Potted Roses
Add remaining soil over the roots & around the hole to make a mound 5 inches or more above the previous ground level for the rose.
Tap the soil down (with your hands, not your feet!) & water well to eliminate air spaces and ensure good root contact with the soil.
Add an organic mulch over the soil – three inches of shredded leaves, bark, or pine straw will do fine – to protect the roots from temperature extremes & to keep the soil from drying out in the sun and wind.

It will need regular watering, at least 1 – 2 inches (2 – 4 gallons) a week, for the first year after you plant it, especially through dry spells in the summer, and before freezing weather in winter. Drying out is the worst enemy of a new rose, whenever it's being planted.
If weather is still cold when you plant, or further cold spells are expected, you need to protect the rose from cold, drying air.
Mound additional mulch or soil over the canes.
This can be gently pulled away when the weather finally gets and stays warm.

Then just wait for those beautiful blooms you've been dreaming about!