| Are you ready to learn rose gardening? | | | | plant it like a bare-root rose. |
| Here are some basics to help you start | | | | 2. If the rose is growing (showing |
| growing healthy, vibrant roses. It's a | | | | leaves and flowers), cut the bottom of |
| great thing to do for yourself and your | | | | the container off, and cut several |
| garden! | | | | openings on each side. You want the |
| In any rose garden there are some | | | | roots to be unrestricted. |
| overall needs. Roses do need good garden | | | | 3. Set the rose in the planting hole to |
| soil, sunlight, and the availability of | | | | the right depth. Fill the hole with soil |
| water. So let's begin to learn rose | | | | and water. |
| gardening with where your roses will | | | | Mulching Roses: |
| "live." | | | | Mulching your roses is good for any soil |
| The Rose Bed | | | | and in any climate. It is extremely |
| Almost any soil is, or can be made into, | | | | helpful in dry areas. Mulch keeps the |
| good garden soil. The best soil for your | | | | soil temperature steady, and prevents |
| rose bed is a well-drained, fertile, | | | | heavy rain from causing the top soil to |
| light soil at least two feet deep. A pH | | | | cake up. Mulching also helps to controls |
| between 6.0 - and 6.5 is ideal. Make | | | | weeds. |
| sure your rose bed will get at least 4 | | | | Watering Roses: |
| hours of full sunlight a day, with 6 | | | | Roses need to receive 1 inch of water |
| hours being best. | | | | per week. What's the best way? Watering |
| Purchasing Your Roses: | | | | deeply once a week, instead of watering |
| Roses can be easily bought from | | | | lightly more often. Overhead sprinkling |
| nurseries and garden centers. They will | | | | is great when done in the morning. This |
| come as either "bare root" roses, or in | | | | lets the foliage dry out before |
| containers (packaged). | | | | nightfall. Using soaker hoses or other |
| Bare-root roses come with the roots | | | | drip-irrigation systems may be a more |
| protected in a moist packaging | | | | convenient way to water your roses. |
| substance. Purchase these roses as close | | | | Winter Treatment: |
| to planting time as possible, and plant | | | | It's fairly easy to help most roses get |
| them while they are dormant. Depending | | | | safely through winter. Start by |
| on your climate, the best planting time | | | | shoveling a protective mound of soil |
| is late winter or early spring, after | | | | around the base of the rose. Then add a |
| any frozen ground has thawed. | | | | few scoops of mulch around the base, and |
| How To Plant Bare Root Roses: | | | | they should stay well insulated. |
| 1. Before planting, soak the roots in | | | | Pruning Roses: |
| water overnight. | | | | As you learn rose gardening, you'll find |
| 2. Dig a hole and make a mound of soil | | | | that much satisfaction comes from |
| in the bottom of it. Set the plant on | | | | pruning your roses. By pruning, you |
| the mounds, spreading the roots evenly | | | | remove old wood and encourage sap to |
| around the mound. | | | | flow into younger and stronger branches. |
| 3. Place the rose so the bud union is at | | | | Most roses need moderately light |
| the same height as the ground surface. | | | | pruning. Prune roses in late winter or |
| 4. Cover the roots with loose soil and | | | | in early spring, as soon as the buds |
| press lightly. Add more soil until the | | | | begin to swell, but before they start to |
| hole is half full, then fill with water, | | | | open. In warm climates, pruning can be a |
| letting the water soak in. | | | | year-round activity. |
| 5. Fill the hole with soil, and you're | | | | Of course, there is more to learn about |
| done! | | | | rose gardening... but these basics will |
| How To Plant Container, or Packaged, | | | | see that you're off to a good start. The |
| Roses: | | | | main thing is to enjoy the beauty and |
| 1. To plant the rose while it is still | | | | blessings our roses bring us every day! |
| dormant, take it out of the box and | | | | |