TIME-SAVING TIPS FOR FALL ROSE PLANTING
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If you get a jump on next Spring, gain a season of growth, and possibly save money too, wouldn't you jump at the chance? When it comes to planting roses, it's good to be a "fall guy" (or gal). Consider these advantages of planting roses in the Fall:
- Your soil is in better shape now than in Spring, when it can be frozen, wet or difficult to work with for weeks on end.
- The weather is more settled, with warm days and cooler nights to minimize plant stress.
- Your roses will become established before next Summer's heat.
- You have a good chance to find end-of-season bargains in nurseries or mail order sources.
- Most gardeners have more free time in Fall to expand the rose garden.
That said, the earlier in Fall you can plant roses, the better. You'll give the root system a longer chance to get established before winter dormancy. |
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SUPERB SELECTIONS
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You'll find container-grown roses for sale at nursery and garden center. Most rose varieties welcome Fall planting, but your best bet is to look for the AARS Red Rose Seal of Approval. This designates a rose cultivar that has excelled in rigorous two-year plant trials at test sites throughout the United States. |
SITE AND SOIL SAVVY
Choose a site that's not overly windy, with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Many roses do well with full morning sunshine and dappled afternoon shade. Avoid planting under large trees, which will compete for moisture and nutrients.
Most roses prefer a slightly acid well-drained soil. It should drain well but not be overly porous or mucky. For best results, prepare the site beforehand by adding lots of good organic matter (compost, leaf mold, pine bark, decomposed manure, moistened peat moss). If soil is poor, try a raised bed filled with a loose, organic-rich soil mix for good tilth and drainage.
| CLUSTERS OF COLOR
Group your roses by colors, forms, or heights. Space plants by their mature size, usually reached in two to three years. Allow enough room for good air circulation, which helps prevent many diseases.
Plant taller roses to the back so they won't rob shorter plants of sunlight. Clusters of three, five, or seven roses are more pleasing to the eye than straight rows. For color, texture, and bloom-time variation, mix roses with other sun loving perennials, annuals, and bulbs. |
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PLANTING PREP
Examine each rose plant and remove carefully from the pot. If the root ball is too compacted, tease some of them loose or cut through them vertically to allow unrestricted growth after planting. Do not remove all the soil from the roots.
THE HOLE TRUTH
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To update the old adage, "Dig a 200-dollar hole for a 20-dollar rose bush." A puny planting hole may stunt a rose, so dig a hole at least twice as wide as the root ball.
Planting depth is important. Dig deeply enough so that the crown is at the right planting height: in mild climates, at ground level; in cold climates, an inch or two below the soil line. Check with local rosarians for your area's correct crown height. A good resource is the American Rose Society's consulting rosarian program (www.ars.org). | If your soil needs help, amend up to one-third of it with loose organic matter. Don't fill the hole with entirely new soil; you might create a "soil bucket" that roots can't escape.
PRIME POSITIONING
Once you've dug a proper hole, set the plant in it. With tree roses that may need staking, firmly insert the stake now, setting it apart from the root mass to avoid damage.
Double check the crown height, allowing for settling, and gently press the soil to remove air pockets. Water well. When the water subsides, fill the rest of the hole with soil. Make a 2- to 3-inch soil rim around the perimeter to retain water, then water deeply again.
Go to www.rose.org for illustrated planting instructions and gardening tips for your area.
POST-OP PROCEDURES
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New roses need an inch or two of water weekly to get settled, but hold off on water-soluble fertilizer. The goal is to establish good roots, not tender top growth that's susceptible to frost and wind damage. In colder areas, mulch after hard frost with 4 inches of shredded bark, chopped-up leaves, compost, or pine straw. Leave a mulch-free ring around the stem to avoid excess moisture there.
After a hard freeze, mound soil over the entire plant and cover with a rose cone, or wrap plants with dry chopped leaves or straw held with tied burlap or plant fabric. During winter, remove any ice buildup; however, "Nature's mulch" of soft snow actually insulates the plant. If a thaw or dry spell occurs, water to keep roots moist. |
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SPRINGING INTO GROWTH
After the last threat of frost in your locale, unwrap the plant and remove the soil mound. (Keep protection handy in case of unexpected late frosts.) Trim any dead or broken stems. As soil warms, begin regular watering and fertilizing. Your Fall-planted roses will grow sooner, giving you more time to enjoy them. So try this timely rose-planting routine-you'll fall for it.
All-America Rose Selections' sole function, since its foundation in 1938, has been to test new rose varieties to determine which can be recommended without equivocation to the rose-buying public as rose varieties of top quality. To be chosen as an AARS Winner a rose must excel in a two-year testing process in nationwide test gardens.
Our AARS Winners are top performers in our 24 test gardens located throughout the country which represent all climate zones. The rose varieties in these trials receive only as much care as your average home gardener would be likely to give. In fact, AARS members recently voted to remove fungicidal spraying from the testing process, to ensure that our AARS Winners are natural top performers. .
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