Come grow with me… How to plant bare root roses
Bare root roses are available in spring and are cheaper to purchase which is a good way to economise and save money, whilst still being able to enjoy some glorious roses.
Note, that bare root roses don’t come in a pot. Instead the root ball is wrapped in a plastic cover.
Below are the simple steps that I followed to plant bare root roses
1. Remove the bare root rose from the packaging and then soak it in water for approximately 2 hours.
2. Now that the bare root roses have been prepared they are ready to plant either in pots or directly in the ground.
3. Once they have been planted in the ground, or in a pot, water well. Whilst they are young they will need to be watered frequently e.g., every couple of days.
You may have noticed that the stems are coloured (blue in this example). This is the wax that protects the dormant plant from drying out. You don’t need to remove this as it will naturally disappear and will not prevent the plants from growing.
Frequently asked questions and useful tips for growing roses in your garden
Do roses prefer sun or shade?
Roses thrive in direct sunlight, although certain varieties are tolerant of partial shade. It is generally advised that they receive at least four hours of sunlight daily.
Do I need to water roses ?
Roses like plenty of water but they do not like to be waterlogged, therefore need a free draining soil.
Roses grown in pots will need to be watered more frequently than those in the ground, which could be daily if the weather is particularly hot. For those in the ground, once to twice a week should be sufficient.
Do I need to feed roses?
Roses do require feeding but the actual advice varies a lot, from once a season, twice per season, to regularly throughout the season. I would recommend checking the advice for the specific roses that you are growing.
Do roses have deep or shallow roots?
I have seen many conflicting answers to this question, with some responses being that roses have long tap roots, to others that describe a shallow root system. Therefore, I would suggest that you check this with the supplier for your specific rose.
Can roses be grown in pots?
Some roses will happily grow in pots and this could depend on the depth of the root system (refer to the previous question).
If your rose has a shallow root system then it should be fine in a pot.
What size pot should I use for roses?
There is a lot of conflicting advice regarding the size of pot that is recommended for roses. This is due to there being such a wide range of roses to choose from, therefore you should ask your supplier for their guidance regarding your specific rose.
As a high level rule of thumb I work on the basis that the bigger that I expect and want the rose to grow, then the bigger the pot. Generally the size of the pot should help to regulate the size of the plant, therefore a smaller pot will keep the rose smaller, but should have sufficient room for the roots to grow and spread.
If the rose has a tap root, then I would suggest a deeper pot, but in this case it may be happier in the ground.
I hope that you have found this quick overview to be helpful.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and I will do my best to answer these as well.