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