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