Tips for Deciding When to Plant Roses
You’re ready to get started with your rose gardening, but there are some things to consider before you dig your first shovel of dirt. You have heard the saying “timing is everything,” well it is no different in deciding when to plant roses. If the temperatures where you live does not go below minus 10 degrees F., you can plant in either the fall or spring. This will give the roots a chance to make a home before they are stressed by extreme cold or heat. The best time, though, is to plant them in the spring when the danger of frost is gone and the soil is not frozen. If your winters are mild then the best time to plant roses is in the late fall or early winter (December or January).
If you are buying roses from a reputable mail order rose-grower they will ship your roses when it is time to plant them in your area. If you purchase bare root roses they should be planted in the dormant state, however, container grown roses can be planted at most any time during the growing season. Regardless of when you plant, it is a good practice to choose a day that is not windy or very hot.
If you plan to grow roses in cold winter climates (below -10 F), here are some tips on when to plant roses for the best results:
- Plant hardy roses such as ‘Applejack,’ ‘Carefree Beauty, ‘‘John Cabot,’ or ‘Prairie Princess,’ that are known for their cold hardiness.
- Choose own-root roses that are hardier than budded roses such as most miniatures and many old garden roses. They don’t have a bud union that is vulnerable to the cold temps.
- Plant deeper than normal so the bud union is well below the surface and has a layer of soil above it for protection.
- Winterize to protect your roses. Most roses properly prepared for cold weather are hardened off. Roses generally are hardened off gradually with the onset of fall and winter. In this process the plant’s cell walls thicken as they become dormant. More on winterizing your roses will be the topic for another article.
Temperature also influences the spacing of your roses. Rose plants don’t grow as large in areas where winters are severe. As an example, hybrid tea roses need 1 ½ to 3 feet between plants while large hybrid perpetual roses require 3 to 5 feet, and climbing roses need 8 to 10 feet of space.
Roses crave sunshine but dealing with too much or too little depends on choosing the appropriate varieties and planting sites for your climate. In areas where temperatures are generally above 32 degrees F. roses tend to grow and bloom most of the year. So it is important to water, deadhead, and fertilize more often. In temperate climates roses need some rest but may require winter pruning and leaf pulling to force them into dormancy.
Heat tolerance has some surprising effects on roses, especially on the color and the character of roses. Red roses with 45 to 50 petals need heat at night to open properly. For cooler zones roses with fewer petals are preferred. Warmth fuses the colors of the petals, while heat (temperatures over 90 degrees F) slows growth. More heat means that you need to water often so that the soil never dries out.
Armed with this information on when to plant roses, assemble your tools, landscape plans and roses. Now it is time to “Start your Shovels!”
For more information on when to plant roses click here
Beginners Want To Know When To Plant Roses
Tips-For-Rose-Planting-In-Spring
