Positioning and planting roses

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

Now that you have selected and purchased the roses the next steps are to determine their location and prep the soil for planting.
Roses like full sun, this means and need to receive eight to ten hours of direct sunlight per day. The warmth of the afternoon sun is crucial in the development of a hardy and productive plant, so they prefer a location where the afternoon sun dominates over the early morning sunlight. Generally, you want a location that is south facing but a south easterly or south westerly location should also work. Roses that appear spindly are not receiving enough warm sunshine hours while roses planted in the shade will grow very slowly, if at all and will slowly die. Although not hardy for our zone, there are a few rose varieties that do tolerate some shade.
Because most of the diseases affecting roses, such as powdery mildew, fungal diseases and blackspot, occur when the foliage has been damp for extended periods of time, roses need to be planted in an area with good air circulation. Planting out in the open or placed in front of but not right against a building/fence, etc. in the full sun is best. Just make sure you don’t plant your roses in little nook that is well sheltered in the garden.
With your location now chosen, the next important step is having the proper soil conditions for your roses. Roses are quite demanding when it comes to soil. They are not a plant that can be used for problem areas in the garden. They require a well balanced mixture of sand, silt, organic matter and clay, which is referred to as loam. The balance of the components of the soil must allow the soil to drain well. If you are unsure of current condition of your soil, I recommend adding more organic matter such as well–rotted manure, compost or peat moss into the soil and don’t be afraid to be generous here, as roses require a lot of nutrients.
Early in the growing season after the danger of frost has passed, is the best time to plant roses. As roses are often sold in bags, boxes or as bare root plants, these should be planted in the ground as early in the season as possible. This allows almost a full growing season for the plant to establish itself before its first winter. Roses purchased already planted in pots, already have well established roots so they can be planted anytime throughout the season, even in mid-summer when you often find potted roses on sale at the local nurseries.
If you have purchased roses that are packaged in boxes, bags or are in bare-root form you need to soak them in a pail of water for at least twelve hours prior to planting. It is imperative that the roots of plants packaged this way do not dry out prior to planting. Inspect the plants prior to planting and cut away any roots that appear shrunken, rotten or dead. Also carefully untangle the roots and gently spread them out with your fingers. This is a good time to refer to the information tag or description on the package to see if there are any special requirements and to ensure that your planting location will offer enough room for the plant at maturity.
As with all plants make sure your hole is larger than the plant itself. Some gardeners say “a million dollar hole for a ten dollar plant”. Dig a bit deeper than the length of the roots to allow you to add some more organic matter at the bottom of the hole and mix in a generous amount of bone meal or rose fertilizer (has a high middle number) into the organic matter at the bottom of the hole. If planting bare-root roses, make a mound of soil at the bottom of the hole and spread the roots over the mound, like an octopus. This allows the roots to grow more evenly in the soil, after planting.
After you have the rose steadied in the hole, top off with the rest of the soil mixed with additional organic matter, firming up the soil around the plant as you go. It is beneficial to leave a small depression of soil around the base of the rose bush to allow for more moisture retention. Water thoroughly and immediately after planting. Water regularly and thoroughly, once a week at minimum, throughout the first growing season. Remember, you may need to water more often in a very dry season. It is imperative while the plants are establishing themselves that they do not dry out or experience dry conditions. Fertilize with a good fertilizer with a high middle number once a month all season, even into the fall as the plant is preparing itself for winter.
Gardening Guru Tip: Prune off any flower buds as soon as they appear. Doing so allows the plant to conserve the energy that normally goes into flower and seed production and redirect into the root system. I do this in the first season with most flowering perennials to help them put their growing energy into establishing their root system which is key to winter survival. You may find it hard to sacrifice the flowers but it is worth it in the long run.
If you are using roses to establish a hedge, following the directions above, dig a large trench so you can plant all at once. Some of the roses varieties recommended for a hedge and hardy to our zone include: Adelaide Hoodless, Champlain, John Franklin, Morden Fireglow and Winnipeg Parks. Climbing roses are planted the same way as above but do need to have a support system for them to climb on. Some of the favourite climbing roses that are hardy to our zone include: Henry Kelsey, John Cabot, Louis Jolliet and William Baffin.
With good soil preparation and attention to moisture conditions in the first growing season you will be well on your way to establishing your very own rose garden.