The Right Way to Treat a Rosebush
Question: How do I select a good bare-root rose, and what tips can you recommend for planting one?
C.S., Seal Beach
Answer: Bare-root roses begin to arrive at local nurseries and via mail-order in late December. Now is the prime time to select and plant them. Try to buy early.
Roses that are leafing out usually indicate they have been sitting around the nursery for a while.
Selecting Your Bare-Root Roses:
* Select a bare-root rose that is listed as No. 1 grade. This is a high quality rose. They tend to have more roots, bigger canes and are healthy overall. Grade No. 2 roses often harbor viruses.
* Select a rose with at least three canes that look healthy. They should be green, plump and not dry. Any kind of wrinkling, as well as dark, shadowy spots, generally means they’ve been subjected to freezing--not a good sign.
A bluish color is an indication of downy mildew. Some browning on the tips of the canes, which is known as dieback, is acceptable. Just cut it off when planting.
* Once you have the roses home, take them out of the bag and make sure to get rid of all the sawdust. Soak them overnight in a bucket of water with some vitamin B-1.
* If you are unable to plant the next day, scrub out a 33-gallon trash can and fill it a quarter of the way with clean water and set the roses in the trash can so the roots are covered.
They can be left this way for no more than three days, or fungus might set in.
Planting Guidelines:
* Select an area in full sun. (They prefer six to eight hours per day.)
* Place them around plants with similar water requirements (not drought-tolerant ones). Avoid planting at the base of trees, as their roots will compete with the roses for water.
* Dig a hole 18 inches deep by 24 inches wide. Wet the hole thoroughly.
* Make a 50-50 mixture of native soil and amendments to improve aeration and increase water retention. (Some rose growers add a cup of gypsum, and a cup of superphosphate to this mix.) Avoid putting any nitrogen in the hole with a bare-root rose.
* If you will be replacing a rosebush with a new one, you must remove the old soil, because if it is not removed, the new rosebush can be killed by soil sickness, which is due to bacteria from the old bush. The hole can be refilled with planter mix, or potting soil.
* In the bottom of the hole, make a mound with the 50-50 mix or the replacement mix. Spread the roses’ roots over the mound and secure the hole with half of the soil mixture. Gently firm the soil around the rose and water. Add the remaining soil, making sure that the bud union ends up just above the soil line. Gently firm the soil again and water well.
* Protect new rosebushes from drying out by covering them with grocery bags with the bottom cut out. Fill these with mulch, leaving just the tip of the canes sticking out. Once you have 2 to 3 inches of growth on the rose, you can remove the bag. This technique is especially helpful during Santa Ana winds.
* Don’t fertilize until there is at least 5 inches of new growth, which is usually sometime in March.
Have a problem in your yard? University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners are here to help. These trained and certified horticultural volunteers are dedicated to extending research-based, scientifically accurate information to the public about home horticulture and pest management. They are involved with a variety of outreach programs, including the UCCE Master Garden hotline, which provides answers to specific questions. You can reach the hotline at (714) 708-1646 or send e-mail to ucmastergardeners @yahoo.com. Calls and e-mail are picked up daily and are generally returned within two to three days.
