Planting

Bare Root Roses are usually planted very early in the spring so they can come out of dormancy naturally as the season warms up. Container roses are also usually planted as soon as they are available for the same reason. If the roses were held in artificially warm conditions such as in a greenhouse, they may be quite tender. If you plant them early in the season, be careful to cover them if a very cold night with frost threatens. Ordinarily they would be fine without such protection, but if they have a lot of tender new growth it would be a wise thing to do.

Moving and leaving plants behind is always a hard thing to contemplate! The biggest thing to consider is your climate: if you’re moving from New Jersey to Florida, the plants may find the climate there too hot in summer and not cold enough in winter. If you’re staying within the same climate, go for it!

The best time to transplant roses is very early spring or in the fall; the reason for this is to allow the roots time to reestablish before the stress of the summer heat. Since gardening varies from climate to climate, you are bound to discover many new plants that thrive in your new region, and you might rather start with a new selection when you get there.

You will need to remove the groundcover in the spots where you plan to plant the roses. This will help the roses get established; otherwise, the roots will compete for water and nutrients. You will also need to prepare the soil well for the roses to do their best. Eventually the groundcover will spread back into the areas you have cleared. Depending on the type of rose you plant, this may or may not be a problem as some roses are more tolerant of that type of competition than others.

There is always a risk of any groundcover out-competing the roses for water and nutrients. As long as you are aware of this and compensate for it by watering and fertilizing frequently, you may be OK. Also, be sure to pull the ivy back from the rose canes, and also keep it from growing up into and over the roses. My only other concern would be that the ivy will make it difficult to rake up and remove any diseased rose foliage -- and this task is important in minimizing rose foliage problems.

Bare-root roses are still dormant and can be planted in early spring, providing your soil is not frozen. (Frozen soil makes digging almost impossible!) If the soil is not frozen, go ahead and plant it now. If the soil is frozen, store your rose in the original package, in a cool place. When you’re ready to plant, remove the packaging and soak the roots in a bucket of water for 24 hours. Then dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots without cramping and place a small mound of soil on the bottom of the hole. Drape the roots over the mound so they hang naturally and check to make sure the graft (bud) union on the main stem will be a few inches below ground level when you've filled in the hole. Tamp the soil around the roots, then water your newly planted rose to help it settle into its new home.

First of all, prepare the new planting area ahead of time. Water the rose well the day before you plan to move it. You may need help moving the shrub because the rootball will be heavy. Starting beyond the width of the plants branches, dig up the rose, taking as many of the roots as possible, and replant immediately at the same depth as it grew before. Water it well, then mulch with several inches of organic mulch such as shredded bark. Water as needed the way you would a new rose for at least a year, trying to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. The best times to transplant roses and other shrubs are very early spring and mid fall.

Your rose bushes should be in full sunshine and spaced about three feet apart. In climates with longer growing seasons (which result in more annual growth) rose bushes are often planted five feet apart. Sounds like you'll have a lovely rose garden!