Roses have traditionally been considered virtually compulsory elements in the ornamental garden. Their star has waned somewhat in recent years, partly because of inadequate design knowledge with some home gardeners, but mainly due to poor horticultural practices that invariably result in disappointing performance and appearance from the roses. Incorrect planting procedures are often the primary cause of failure and disillusion with the "Queen of the Garden", but carrying out five essential steps properly, can almost guarantee success and years of delight from the rose bushes.
Step 1 - Location
Roses need full sun to grow and flower well. A shady spot, or one which receives less than about 6 hours of direct sunlight, will result in poor, weak growth. Secondly, roses compete badly with the roots of nearby trees and shrubs, so plan your rose bed some distance from other woody plants. In order to lessen the incidence of fungal infection, choose a spot with plenty of airflow between the bushes.
Step 2 – Soil Preparation
While roses require ready access to moisture, the soil must be well aerated as well, so any drainage problems should be sorted out before planting. Thorough preparation of the soil is therefore a precondition for success. In addition to eliminating weeds and breaking up clods, copious quantities of well-rotted compost and worm castings will improve water retention in sandy spoils, and aeration in clay ones. In both cases, compost should be mixed in with the soil at a rate of at least 30 liters per square meter.
It is worth noting that roses planted in soil where roses were previously grown, are liable to develop unsatisfactorily. In such cases, soil should be removed and replaced to a depth of about 40-50cm (20in). If this proves to be too difficult or expensive an operation, then it would be better to find an alternative to rose bushes.
Step 3 – Correct Spacing Between Plants
Many inexperienced gardeners make their big mistake at this point. The natural tendency is to plant as close as possible to create a "stronger" effect. The effect most usually attained however is weak, spindly growth as the bushes struggle in competition with each other, and because of their greater vulnerability to fungi like mildew and rust. While it is common to space landscape shrubs so that they overlap with each other, roses should be spaced a bit beyond their natural spread.
Step 4 – The Actual Planting
If you can wait until the dormant season, then planting bare-root has many advantages over planting from containers, largely because it is possible to examine the root system of the specimens on sale. The roots should not be knotted in any way; they should be evenly spaced, and ought to be unblemished and undamaged.
The depth and width of the planting hole must comfortably contain the roots of the bush. Place the plant so that the bud union sits just above the soil's surface; if it is too high, the plant will not receive adequate support from the ground, but if sunken into the ground, new shoots often fail to emerge from the bud union. Build a mound of soil underneath the roots before returning the excavated soil to the planting hole, gently pressing it close to the roots with your fingers. The purpose is to maximize the points of contact between the roots and the soil particles.
Step 5 – Watering and Mulching
If planting from containers in the summer, then immediate watering is of course vital to prevent the plants from drying out. Specimens planted bare root in the winter need watering with a gentle flow from the hose, to settle the soil around the roots. It is common practice to dig a basin around each plant for collecting rainwater. This is fine as long as the water drains rapidly. A newly planted bush sitting in a pool of water for a few days is unlikely to survive through to the spring.
Finally, spreading an organic mulch around the plants (but not right up to the stems) will keep the roots cool during hot weather, while preventing soil erosion from heavy rain.
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