Planting Roses

Now there's no sense in carefully selecting and buying roses and then not planting them where they have the greatest chance of success. Roses are among the most widely adaptable and resilient of plants, yet to do their best a well-chosen site will make a great deal of difference.

Light - Roses need 8 or 10 hours of direct sun each day. Morning sun is essential, but light afternoon shade is tolerated and even beneficial in hot climates.

Air - Good air movement helps the dew and rain to dry quickly, thus discouraging disease. Too much wind, however, can damage foliage in the summer and canes in the winter. Protect rose plantings in windy areas by shielding with a building, wall, fence, windbreak, or hedge.

Drainage - Wet feet, especially in the winter, will be the death of roses. To check, dig a hole 18 inches deep and fill with water; it should empty within several hours. If another site is not available, improve drainage with tiling or raised beds.

Soil - Very few of us have the perfect loamy soil garden books so often recommended. Luckily, roses are tolerant, and all soil types can be readily improved with organic matter. Peat moss is most commonly available, but other excellent choices include compost, leaf mold, dehydrated cow manure, or shredded bark. Also, remove any large rocks down 18 to 24 inches deep.

Competition and hazards - Don't plant roses too near large trees or shrubs that will compete for light, water, and nutrients. Also avoid planting under eaves or gutters where bushes may be damaged by falling water, snow, or ice.

Access - Grow roses where you will see them every day. Not only will you enjoy them to their fullest, but you'll also take the best care of them. You'll notice the first sign of pests and be able to treat them effectively. Pruning and feeding won't be forgotten or ignored easily, either. Having water handy is a big help, too, as you don't want to be dragging miles of hose.

Preparation of Site Area
Measure and mark the bed location. If the grass is good St. Augustine, cut away in squares and plant elsewhere or give to a neighbor. For Bermuda, an easier approach is to use a glyphosate herbicide such as Roundup or Finale. Two weeks after application of the glyphosate herbicide, the dead turf may be removed. The area will then be safe for planting.

Excavation and Elevation of Area
This depends on the type of roses that are to be planted.

Miniatures
Excavate to a depth of 10 to 12 inches and build up one timber for a total depth of 15 inches.

Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, Old Garden Roses or Shrubs
Excavate to a depth of 10 to 12 inches and build up three timbers for a total depth of 22 inches.

Soil Preparation
If the soil in the bed site is a deep black clay or sandy loam, dig out to the depth previously mentioned. Using a basic mix of 1/3 excavated topsoil, 1/3 sharp (preferably Poteet red) sand, and 1/3 organic matter (compost, peat moss, manure, etc.); or purchase a good planting mix from your favorite nursery. As these ingredients are blended, return the mixture to the excavated area. Water bed area with a lawn sprinkler several times over a two week period so that bed materials will settle sufficiently.

If the excavated soil is made up of caliche and chalk rock, a commercially prepared soil is recommended to fill the bed. For a completed bed 15 feet long, 3 feet wide and 22 inches deep, three cubic yards of material would be needed. For a bed only 15 inches deep, two cubic yards would be needed.

PLANTING BARE ROOT ROSES

When those new roses arrive in late January or early February, the planting site should be ready. Listed below are the five basic steps to follow when planting that new bare root rose.

Dig hole big enough to spread entire root system out -- this would be about 20 inches square. Don't crowd roots. Mix soil from the hole with one to two gallons of Vermiculite. Make a mound of the soil mixture in the hole. Next, distribute one cup of Super Phosphate around the base of the mound.
Place the bush on the mound or cone of soil and spread out the roots. Cut the ends of the root tips. This will stimulate the growth of feeder roots. Make sure the bud union is about two inches above ground level.
Fill hole about half full of soil and soak with about two gallons of a root stimulator or starter solution. This will help eliminate any air pockets and stimulate growth of feeder roots.
Fill in with the rest of the soil and again water thoroughly.
Newly planted roses should be stabilized so they don't rock in the wind. Rocking back and forth will not allow the new bush to become established. You can use concrete reinforcing rods, wood stakes or plastic coated metal rods for stabilizing rose bushes.
Mound soil up around canes to prevent them from drying.

PLANTING POTTED ROSES
Dig hole and properly prepare your soil. A good basic planting mixture is 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 sharp sand and 1/3 organic matter (compost, peat moss, manure, etc.); or purchase a good planting mix from your favorite nursery. The size of the hole will vary depending on the size of the container. A square hole 20"x 20" (depth and width) is normally adequate. When a rose is growing in a container, the roots wrap around the pot. A square "hole" permits the roots to spread out and get better established.
At the bottom of the hole put at least _ to 1 cup of Super Phosphate. Unlike planting a bare root rose, a mound is not needed in the planting hole for a potted rose.
Make sure the bud union of the rose is at least 2 inches above ground level . There will be some settling of the bush and you need space for your summer mulch.
Fill in around the rose with your prepared soil. Firm down, not stomp down. Water and let the soil settle. Fill the rest of the hole with the left over prepared soil. Water again with at least I to 2 gallons of water mixed with root stimulator or starter solution.
Dependent on maturity of potted rose, stabilization may or may not be required. Young bushes will normally need some sort of support. You can use concrete reinforcing rods, redwood stakes or plastic coated metal rods for rose stabilization.
You may feed new roses with a diluted feed. Usually, newly prepared soils have adequate nutrients to get the new rose through the first bloom cycle.

FEEDING AND SPRAYING ROSES
 
 Your feeding program, like your spraying, should be done regularly. Roses are heavy feeders. To keep them growing vigorously, an organized program should be followed. Water rose bed thoroughly before and after food has been applied.
 The recommendations below are guidelines and need to be adjusted to you location and climate
 Late Winter -- As the weather and ground warm up,  organic fertilizers may be applied. Give each large bush. one to two cups of a mixture of alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal, fish meal and blood meal, scratch in lightly and water in well.
 
 Early Spring -- The initial feeding should be chemical, either liquid or dry. It is applied when spring pruning is completed. Carl Pool, Green Light, Miracle-Gro, Peters or Rapid-Gro are all good soluble fertilizers. Give each Hybrid Tea or other large bush, one tablespoon of fertilizer dissolved in a gallon of water.
 For miniatures use one teaspoon of liquid food per gallon of water. Give each plant about a quart. Dry rose fertilizer can be applied in place of liquid. Use according to directions. Liquid feeding in this period should be once a month. Mature climbers should be given double the amount given to Hybrid Teas.
 
 
 Summer -- With the introduction of timed release fertilizers, a summer long feeding in one application is possible. These fertilizers are formulated to feed continuously for three to six months in our climate. Feed each average sized bush at least three or four ounces, working it lightly into the soil. Water thoroughly. If you don't care to use this type of product, continue feeding with a water soluble food (twice a month), or a monthly application of dry food. As the weather becomes hot, you may want to switch to soluble fertilizers as they are more readily available to the plants. Iron chlorosis occurs at this time; Sprint 330 can correct this deficiency.
 
 Fall -- With the advent of cooler weather and rain, your roses will begin their heavy fall blooming season. Once you have done your light fall pruning, you can apply a cup of organic rose food per bush and follow this two weeks later with a liquid feeding. Don't feed with either liquid or dry foods in late fall.
 
 After heavy rains, it is a good idea to give your bushes a supplemental liquid feeding.
 With regard to spraying, prevention is critical in keeping your roses free of fungus and insect problems. A hit and miss program will get you and your roses into trouble. Basic spraying can be divided into three different phases.
 Spring -- Once bushes have been pruned, a clean up spray consisting of Ortho Funginex and Malathion should be applied to both the bush and the ground area around the bush. This will take care of any over wintering fungus or insect problems. Once your new growth starts, spray every seven days with Funginex, a liquid product. This fungicide has three advantages over others in that it leaves no residue, protects against mildew, blackspot and rust and needs no sticker spreader. Rust is not a big problem in this area, but does appear on occasion. Spray top and bottom of the leaves until the foliage glistens to obtain complete coverage. If your bushes should become infected with either mildew or blackspot, spray every five days until control is obtained. Insecticides such as Diazinon or Orthene can be used about every 14 days to combat most insect problems that occur during this period. Use according to label directions.
 
 Summer - By this time of the year, if our weather is normally (hot and dry), you can lengthen your spraying interval for fungus problems to every 10 to 14 days. Insecticides should be used sparingly. The biggest problem that may occur at this time is an infestation of spider mites. A good way to treat this problem is to apply a hard spray of water to the bottom of the foliage every three or four days throughout the summer. This will interrupt the mites' breeding cycle. (The bushes will also benefit from the washing). A miticide such as Green Light Red Spider Spray may also be used.
 
 Fall - Once the weather begins to cool off and the early morning and nights become more humid, follow the same spray program used during the spring for both fungus and insect problems. To prevent spray bum of foliage in all seasons, water rose beds thoroughly before spraying. in hot weather, spray in early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler.
 When spraying, it is very important to wear protective clothing; this should include a chemical spray mask, gloves and a long sleeved garment.

Mulch

Using mulch, especially an organic one, is about the closest thing possible to a garden panacea. A mulch keeps weeds to a minimum, the soil moist and loose and adds nutrients.

Apply mulch in the spring just as the soil warms and before weeds start coming up. Mulch can also be applied anytime during the growing season if the weeds are removed and the surface lightly cultivated. Spread 2 to 4 inches of mulch over the bed, leaving some space open around the base of each rose. Replace the mulch as it deteriorates during the year.

For organic mulches, you'll want to use whatever is locally available and cheap. Some options include wood chips and shavings, shredded bark, pine needles, or chopped oak leaves. Extra nitrogen fertilizer may be needed when these mulches are first applied. Mixtures of materials are usually more satisfactory as they have less tendency to pack down and, moreover, permit easy transmission of water and fertilizers. Many compost mixtures are available -- also a light layer of manure may be applied under the mulch.

Watering

Adequate soil moisture is indispensable to the vitality of roses. Seldom can you rely on the natural rainfall to be adequate. The rule-of-thumb is 1 inch of water each week, but the actual frequency of watering will depend on your soil and climate as well as the age of the plant.

The goal is to slowly water until the soil is soaked 12 to 18 inches deep. Soaker hoses or a hose with a bubbler attachment are inexpensive solutions and keep water from splashing onto foliage and spreading diseases. Soil-level and drip-irrigation systems are more expensive but make watering a breeze.

 

FEEDING AND SPRAYING ROSES

Your feeding program, like your spraying, should be done regularly. Roses are heavy feeders. To keep them growing vigorously, an organized program should be followed. Water rose bed thoroughly before and after food has been applied.
The recommendations below are guidelines and need to be adjusted to you location and climate
Late Winter -- As the weather and ground warm up,  organic fertilizers may be applied. Give each large bush. one to two cups of a mixture of alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal, fish meal and blood meal, scratch in lightly and water in well.

Early Spring -- The initial feeding should be chemical, either liquid or dry. It is applied when spring pruning is completed. Carl Pool, Green Light, Miracle-Gro, Peters or Rapid-Gro are all good soluble fertilizers. Give each Hybrid Tea or other large bush, one tablespoon of fertilizer dissolved in a gallon of water.
For miniatures use one teaspoon of liquid food per gallon of water. Give each plant about a quart. Dry rose fertilizer can be applied in place of liquid. Use according to directions. Liquid feeding in this period should be once a month. Mature climbers should be given double the amount given to Hybrid Teas.


Summer -- With the introduction of timed release fertilizers, a summer long feeding in one application is possible. These fertilizers are formulated to feed continuously for three to six months in our climate. Feed each average sized bush at least three or four ounces, working it lightly into the soil. Water thoroughly. If you don't care to use this type of product, continue feeding with a water soluble food (twice a month), or a monthly application of dry food. As the weather becomes hot, you may want to switch to soluble fertilizers as they are more readily available to the plants. Iron chlorosis occurs at this time; Sprint 330 can correct this deficiency.

Fall -- With the advent of cooler weather and rain, your roses will begin their heavy fall blooming season. Once you have done your light fall pruning, you can apply a cup of organic rose food per bush and follow this two weeks later with a liquid feeding. Don't feed with either liquid or dry foods in late fall.

After heavy rains, it is a good idea to give your bushes a supplemental liquid feeding.
With regard to spraying, prevention is critical in keeping your roses free of fungus and insect problems. A hit and miss program will get you and your roses into trouble. Basic spraying can be divided into three different phases.
Spring -- Once bushes have been pruned, a clean up spray consisting of Ortho Funginex and Malathion should be applied to both the bush and the ground area around the bush. This will take care of any over wintering fungus or insect problems. Once your new growth starts, spray every seven days with Funginex, a liquid product. This fungicide has three advantages over others in that it leaves no residue, protects against mildew, blackspot and rust and needs no sticker spreader. Rust is not a big problem in this area, but does appear on occasion. Spray top and bottom of the leaves until the foliage glistens to obtain complete coverage. If your bushes should become infected with either mildew or blackspot, spray every five days until control is obtained. Insecticides such as Diazinon or Orthene can be used about every 14 days to combat most insect problems that occur during this period. Use according to label directions.

Summer - By this time of the year, if our weather is normally (hot and dry), you can lengthen your spraying interval for fungus problems to every 10 to 14 days. Insecticides should be used sparingly. The biggest problem that may occur at this time is an infestation of spider mites. A good way to treat this problem is to apply a hard spray of water to the bottom of the foliage every three or four days throughout the summer. This will interrupt the mites' breeding cycle. (The bushes will also benefit from the washing). A miticide such as Green Light Red Spider Spray may also be used.

Fall - Once the weather begins to cool off and the early morning and nights become more humid, follow the same spray program used during the spring for both fungus and insect problems. To prevent spray bum of foliage in all seasons, water rose beds thoroughly before spraying. in hot weather, spray in early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler.
When spraying, it is very important to wear protective clothing; this should include a chemical spray mask, gloves and a long sleeved garment.

Mulch

Using mulch, especially an organic one, is about the closest thing possible to a garden panacea. A mulch keeps weeds to a minimum, the soil moist and loose and adds nutrients.

Apply mulch in the spring just as the soil warms and before weeds start coming up. Mulch can also be applied anytime during the growing season if the weeds are removed and the surface lightly cultivated. Spread 2 to 4 inches of mulch over the bed, leaving some space open around the base of each rose. Replace the mulch as it deteriorates during the year.

For organic mulches, you'll want to use whatever is locally available and cheap. Some options include wood chips and shavings, shredded bark, pine needles, or chopped oak leaves. Extra nitrogen fertilizer may be needed when these mulches are first applied. Mixtures of materials are usually more satisfactory as they have less tendency to pack down and, moreover, permit easy transmission of water and fertilizers. Many compost mixtures are available -- also a light layer of manure may be applied under the mulch.

Watering

Adequate soil moisture is indispensable to the vitality of roses.  Seldom can you rely on the natural rainfall to be adequate. The rule-of-thumb is 1 inch of water each week, but the actual frequency of watering will depend on your soil and climate as well as the age of the plant.

The goal is to slowly water until the soil is soaked 12 to 18 inches deep. Soaker hoses or a hose with a bubbler attachment are inexpensive solutions and keep water from splashing onto foliage and spreading diseases. Soil-level and drip-irrigation systems are more expensive but make watering a breeze.