How to Grow

Good roses

 

By

Terry Ellis

Consulting Rosarian

Raleigh Rose Society

Location:

Roses grow best when planted in a spot that receives 6-8 hours of sunshine a day.  If you have to plant roses where they are shaded for part of the day, choose an area where they will receive sunlight in the morning.  Soil drainage is also important when selecting a site for planting roses.  You don't want your roses to drown when you water them.  Planting in a raised bed can help with this. Try not to plant next to large shrubs and trees, as they will have to compete for food and water.

Spacing:

Roses need good airflow to prevent diseases, so spacing is important.  Spacing roses depends on the type of rose you are planting.

For hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras, plant roses so that the center of the bushes is 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart. 

For climbing roses spacing should be 6 to 10 feet apart.  For miniature roses, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 feet of spacing will

Preparing the soil:

You can create good loamy soil by mixing 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 organic matter (aged cow manure or horse manure, leaf mold, or pine bark), and 1/3 clay or sandy soil.  You determine this by the type of topsoil used.  If the topsoil is clay, used sandy soil.  If the topsoil is sandy use partial clay soil.  Mix in 1 cup each of gypsum, bone meal and lime for each rose bush you plant.

Planting: 

Bareroot Roses:

lant fresh bareroot roses as soon after receiving as possible.  Soak the roots in a tub of water for at least 12 hours prior to planting.  Dig a hole in prepared soil 18" wide by 18" deep for all large roses, 12" wide by 14" deep for miniatures.  Make a cone of soil at the bottom of the hole.  Place the rose bush on the cone and spread the roots out around the cone.  Adjust the bush so that the bud union is 1 inch above the hole.  Fill the hole with remaining prepared soil.  Mulch up around the bud union.

Container Roses:

Water the bush in its container the night before planting.  Dig a hole a minimum of what is required for a bare root or 2 to 4 inches larger than the root ball (whichever is bigger).  Remove the bush from its pot, carton or bag.  Try to keep the root ball intact. Place the bush in the hole so that the bud union rests level with the top of the hole.  Water the bush and add prepared soil to fill and water again.   Mulch 2 to 4 inches with bark mulch to help protect from extreme heat and reduce the loss of moisture between watering

Feeding:

Newly Planted Roses:

Do not use commercial fertilizer until after the first bloom to prevent damaging the roots.  Once the first flowers have bloomed, use any well-balanced fertilizer following the directions on the label.

Established Roses:

Apply a well balanced fertilizer following the directions for quantity and frequency on the label.

 

Watering:

Roses are deep-rooted plants and require deep watering.  Try to provide them with 1 to 2 inches of water each week.  Frequent light watering will cause the roots to grow closer to the surface.  This will make them more susceptible to drying out during a drought.  Be sure to water less frequently and more deeply (maybe even once a week).  This will help the roots to grow deeper into the soil.

Weed Control: 

Most herbicides are extremely toxic to roses. Round-up can be used successfully around the outside of your rose bed if you are VERY CAREFUL.  A good mulch is the best way to control weeds.  Mulch saves water, shields the roots from the heat, discourages weeds, and adds additional organic matter to the garden.  Add fresh mulch, 3 to 4 inches, each spring after cleaning the beds and applying the first round of fertilizer for the year. Always read the label when applying any weed control substance around or on your roses.

Pruning:

There are as many ways to prune as there are rosarians.   In general, it is difficult to do it wrong.  Here are some suggestions.Cut all stems about waist high in December to prevent wind damage in the winter. In the spring, mid-February to mid-March in North Carolina, cut all stems to about knee high.  Cut away any stems that are completely dead. and remove stems that cross through the center of the bush. The key is don't be afraid to do it.  The bush will come back beautifully.

Spraying for Insects & disease:

A weekly spray program will help to control the spread of disease and affect of insects.  Always water well before spraying to prevent burning.  A good general spray such as Orthenex or Immunox help with the most common insects and diseases.  For specific problems, contact a Consulting Rosarian.

Getting Ready for Winter:

There are four basic things you need to do in the wintertime:

  1. Be sure roses are still getting 1 inch of water a week.
  2. Cut stems back waste high.
  3. Apply a dormant spray like Lime-Sulfur to kill disease spores from last season.
  4. Mulch 6 to 8 inches with leaves or pine straw to protect if freezing occurs.

 

Spring Cleanup: 

Here's the Spring cleanup checklist: