Gardening Planting Roses

The rose has inspired artists, writers, and composers for centuries. Now you can join the ranks of those inspired gardeners who cultivate roses in their own garden. Whether you’re a novice gardener wanting to know the basics or a seasoned horticulturalist looking for tips on improving your blooms, then continue reading.

There are several methods for propagating roses, but most often we amateurs do it the way our grandparents and their grandparents did it - by rooting cuttings. And although late summer and early fall are the traditional times for propagating roses, you can take cuttings most any time of the year.

How to cultivate:

Planting Roses


Sometimes you just can’t find that "perfect rose" at your local nursery; you’ll have to mail order it. And often that mail-order rose will come to you as bare-root. Knowing how to properly plant your new bare-root rose will improve your chances for success.

When you have got the root cuttings, and then follow the followings.

Step 1: Inspect the rose immediately. Check for broken canes and roots, and trim off all damaged parts with sharp, sterilized pruning shears. Doing this immediately is important to reduce the likelihood of rot and disease - specifically root and crown galls.

Step 2: Soak the roots overnight in a bucket of water. If you want, you can add a weak solution of rooting activator, which contains synthetic Vitamin B-1 (like SUPER Thrive). However, a mild solution of "willow water" will also work - if you have access to willows, that is. This procedure rehydrates the roots.

[Hint: If you have added supplements to your soaking water, save the water for use later in the planting process.]

Step 3: Prepare the hole into which the rose is to be planted. As a rule of thumb, dig the hole about 1½ times as deep and 1½ times as wide as the root system is long. Mound a small pile of soil in the center of the hole as a support for the rose’s root crown.

If you have properly prepared your soil, no additional materials need to be added to the hole. However, if your rose bed is new or your soil is low in nutrient value, you may want to add a small amount of ground phosphate rock or bone meal to the bottom of the hole. I also sprinkle a dusting of powdered kelp into the bottom and sides of the hole, although this is not required.

Step 4: Plant the rose according to your hardiness zone. In all cases, spread the roots down and over the top of the mounded soil in the hole’s bottom. Ensure equal distribution of the roots around the mound. Remember: Your placement of those roots will determine how they will grow in the future. Never wrap roots around the rose.

The depth to which you plant the rose depends on your hardiness zone.

How to decide your hardiness zone?

Step 5: While holding onto the rose, fill the hole with garden soil. Use a bucket or garden hose to water in the soil around the roots. This is important to remove any major air pockets left by the filling process, and ensure good root/soil contact. Don’t let the rose settle deeper into the hole than you intend for your hardiness zone.

[Hint: As a technique, secure the rose with plastic tape or twine to the stake laid across the hole. This helps prevent it from sinking into the hole as you water-in the soil.]

After watering-in, apply a solution of rooting stimulator to the root zone. (If you added synthetic Vitamin B-1 to your root soaking solution in Step 2, use it here.) Do not apply the rooting stimulator until after you have watered-in the rose. Doing otherwise could burn the roots.

Step 6: Mound garden soil up around the exposed canes, but leave the top two bud eyes exposed. This will protect the rose from any severe late frosts until the roots develop. [It also signals the rose to "get started doing’ its thing." :-)] After the bud eyes swell and the first few new leaflets appear, remove the soil from around the canes and form a watering well around the base of the rose.

Step 7: Sit back and enjoy all your hard work. You’ve earned it! :-)

Some interesting information about ROSES:

The single biggest sales day for "The World's Favorite Flower" is Valentine's Day.
On February 14th, 1.3 million roses will be delivered as a tangible expression of words unspoken. And although other flowers will be delivered, the language of love is still the rose -- accounting for almost 40% of all Valentine's Day gift sales.

Roses come out with different colors, and every color communicates something to, some of meanings according to modern rose vocabulary are,

* Red roses can really throw you for a loop! According to the American Rose Society, they are the modern expression of the sender's love and respect.

* Pink roses symbolize grace and gentility.

* White roses symbolize reverence and humility.

* Red and white roses, arranged together or white roses edged in red, speak of unity.

* Yellow roses signify joy, gladness and freedom in the modern rose lexicon.

* If red roses are arranged with yellow roses or blossoms contain both red and yellow coloration, they express gaiety, joviality and happiness.

* Orange roses are often a genetic blend of reds and yellows, and therefore represent a blend of symbols -- enthusiasm and desire.