Planting Guide

Thank you for your interest in hardy roses! As of April 2018 we are not selling or shipping roses until further notice. This planting guide is a reference for hardy, cold-climate rose care.

Soil:
Any loamy soil that grows good grass will grow roses well, but some soils may need some additions to grow roses. This job is a one-time effort, and careful preparation will pay off. The ideal soil holds water well, but is well drained (roses want to have a constant supply of moisture, but soggy conditions will prevent air from getting to the roots and they will rot). If you pick up a handful of soil and squeeze, when you open your hand it should crumble a little. If it sticks in a solid ball, it has too much clay for drainage. If it falls apart or sifts through your fingers, it is too sandy. Here’s what you can try:

• If it is heavy clay, this must be loosened by adding coarse sand and manure, or greensand. Organic matter is essential so compost is necessary. If the subsoil is hard packed, you need to break this up for drainage or your planting pit will be like a bathtub that doesn’t drain.
• If it is sandy, you can amend it with manure, compost, or any kind of organic matter. Some people use potting soil in the hole. Here you will have the moisture draining off rapidly, so heavy watering is important. Automatic drip watering works very well.

Planting pit preparation:
You need a well-prepared pit for planting roses, not a bed, so this makes the job easier. You can simply mulch (with biodegradable materials like newspaper and something to cover it) to kill weeds and grass in between. Roots, tops and flowers need to grow in that order. You are building a plant that grows more and more beautiful every year (like fruit trees). It is important not to use strong inorganic fertilizer when planting because it will push the tops to grow before the roots are established. You don’t want much nitrogen the first year, as it will develop tops too tender to survive the winter.

• Dig a hole about twice as wide and 8” deeper than the rose will be. If the roots are twisted together or compacted, free them up gently with your fingers so you don’t break them. Check how deep you need to plant it. Bury any graft 2-3” below grade. Own-root roses can be 1” below grade. Make it a little deeper than this to give a depression at the top to hold water.
• Prepare the bottom of the hole. It must be rich in nutrients and easy for the roots to grow into. Amend the soil as above, plus add rotted manure or other natural fertilizer to make it rich. Add two tablespoons of superphosphate to nourish the roots. Mix well.
• This 8” of preparation can’t be so loose that the rose sinks down, so tamp it down and water it in. If you test with the pot in the hole, the level you want the rose should be right, so add or take away in the bottom of the hole to make it come out right.
• Gently place the rose in the hole and check the level again.
• Fill in with your amended soil gently. Tamp down slightly to firm it up. Fill half way and water. Fill up, tamp, and water again. Now you should be at the level where you can leave a little basin to hold water.
• If the weather is dry, hot or windy, put some light mulch like loose hay or leaves over it to protect it for 3-4 days.
• Water to keep the soil slightly damp throughout the growing season.
• Don’t fertilize or prune any more this season.
• You are growing a plant for the next year, not for flowers. Some growers even remove all the buds so the plant puts all its energy into growth, and then let the bloom in late season, so they go dormant in fall.
• Mulch not only keeps weeds down, it makes the roots and earthworms really happy.

Handling repotted plants:

If your rose has been in its pot for less than two months, it can remain in the pot in partial sun/shade with frequent watering, or you can dig a hole and place the pot in the ground. This will keep the roots cool. If planting in the ground during summer, try to choose a cooler, overcast day. Pull the pot and rose out of the hole, remove the pot and replace the rose, water and mulch as above.

Aftercare:
Prune in spring, only cutting dead or weak stems and gently shaping. Don't cut too much, as that will remove the strength of the plant.
Prune once right after blooming, but don’t deadhead.
Prune repeat-bloomers in spring.
Fertilize as you wish, but don’t push it. Organic is best.
Prune and deadhead repeat bloomers.
Stop deadheading and fertilizing in early August to allow plants to go dormant.

Seal pruning cuts with white glue to keep insects and disease out of the exposed tissue.

Follow specific winter-care instructions for each rose. Climbers and ramblers benefit from being bent down and covered with leaves in the fall. See "Winter Care" in the Glossary.