Planting Roses: What You Should Do

Ask The Expert: hi, my name is kim, i am new at gardening, so i would

like to ask you some question.

1. what color rose bushes do,- you have?  i have some, that are a stick in a bag of dirt.

2.where do i store them and how do i feed and water them?  until they are ready to plant.

3. what about plant food, do i give them food, while they are in the bag or wait till i plant them, to give them food?

4. after, i plant the roses, how long will it take for them to bloom?

5. when is the best time to plant them?

i need the month, last year i-  planted stuff, in the middle of may, wich was to late.

thank you Kim in Carnegie PA

Plant Expert Reply:

Q1 – Although roses are loved and adored by Flower Shop Network, they do not sell roses plants.  However, there are several quality nursery & garden centers in your area (Carnegie PA) that do sells roses. The Pennsylvania Nursery Association has a list of garden centers for your area –  just go to  http://www.gardenpa.com/Custom/PLNASearch.aspx.

Q2 – Bagged roses need to be taken out of the bag as soon as possible and soaked in water for 12 to 24 hours. This will help re-hydrate them.  After the soaking period is up, they must be planted. You can accomplish this one of two ways – you can plant them in a container or plant them in the ground. Either way the soil needs to be a mixture of sand and well-composted bark material. Depending on the ph, you might need to adjust the ph with a little hydrated lime. When you plant the rose make sure the crown is above the soil level – the crown is the knot between the roots and the canes. I also recommend pruning each cane just slightly.

Q3 –  Once the rose has been planted, you can water it in with a light solution of water soluble fertilizer followed a couple weeks later with a granular slow-release fertilizer. Your local garden center and nursery will have the fertilizer you need.

Q4 – Blooming depending on several things  – whether the roses blooms on new or old growth, sunlight, temperature and variety. At my families garden center, we mostly sell roses that bloom on new growth. These roses usually bloom within 60 days from the time we pot them. (We don’t carry bagged roses – we bring in root stock and grow our own roses – container grown roses tend to perform better and has less issues tha bagged roses).

Q5 – The best time to plant roses depends on the zone in which you live. I happen to live in zone 6-7. For us the best time to plant roses is April. I’m not sure when the best time in Pennsylvannia is. You might call a local garden center and ask them when they recommend planting roses.

Sometimes it isn’t about the best time, but the best way to plant roses and the care afterwards. Roses need a minimum of 5 hours sun a day – they really do like full sun. They need moisture, but do not like to be soggy. They need food from April through August to maintain their health. They need proper pruning throughout the growing season to encourage blooming.

Good luck with your roses and keep me posted.