Today is a great day to plant roses here in Connecticut! My roses arrived awhile ago, and have been hydrating in buckets to wake up their root systems. I prefer to plant bare-root roses this time of year, and generally they can be ordered from the rose companies from the Fall through early Winter. I always request delivery in my area around the last week of March. As soon as they arrive, I unpack them and check them over. I trim off any roots that are broken, and put them in five gallon joint compound buckets full of water and let them soak at least overnight, and sometimes up to a week. That way, the roots and stems are turgid, and those bright red buds are ready to break dormancy.

Planting Roses

Select a spot that receives at least five hours of sunshine a day, preferably more. Just keep in mind: the more sun, the more blossoms! Roses will grow in any good, well-drained garden soil, but I always like to add some goodies to the mix. Homemade compost and composted manures are great to mix in with your soil! It always amazes me that no matter how much I add, it always seems to disappear. These additions will condition the soil and help to retain moisture in the root zone without allowing water to stand. They also release nutrients into the soil and add and promote beneficial microorganisms. Basically, these organic additions make for a healthier environment for our rose roots.

Here in Connecticut, we are generally in Zones 5B-6B, depending on individual microclimates. However, we almost always go below zero in the wintertime, so I always encourage people in our area to plant their roses deeply. I like to bury my bud unions (or the knot on the shank) at least 2-3″ below soil level, so I always take that into account when I am digging my planting holes.

How to

So, okay, now I have dug my first hole. I have mixed all my organic soil candy in with my existing soil. My hole is deep enough to bury my bud union. Then I make a cone or hill of my soil mix in the bottom of the hole, and I take my bare-root rose and spread the roots over the mound in the hole. I then back-fill my hole halfway, and firmly press down the soil around the roots.

I then fill the hole all the way to the top with water, and commence digging my next hole while all the water soaks in. When the water is gone, I fill the rest of the hole with my soil mix, and mound up over the canes. This is to prevent the new sprouts and the canes from dehydrating while the rose starts putting out a new root system. After a week or so, I will take my hose and wash off the canes. In six weeks, I will have blooming roses!

Alternative Roses

If you prefer to purchase a potted rose, be sure to ask the person at the garden center how long the rose has been growing in the container. Generally, a couple months is long enough so that there is an established root system. The soil ball should come out of the pot intact.

The big roots at the base of the rose are basically to anchor the plant, while the little white feeder roots that begin to grow almost immediately after the rose is planted are the medium that convey nutrients from the soil to the plant. If the roots in the pot are not established well enough, all those little white feeder roots will break off and set the growth of the rose back, sometimes permanently. Err on safety’s side: when in doubt, leave the rose in the container until you are sure the root system will leave the pot intact.

So, yes, Virginia, those poky sticks with those red sprouts will bring you beautiful roses in a few weeks! Roses loved to be doted on, so be sure you go out every day to see how things are progressing. If the heavens don’t deliver enough rain, feel free to water the soil with your watering wand. Keep the foliage as dry as possible to keep fungus problems at bay. Sweet anticipation!! Here comes the gardening season!