When to plant roses

Bare-root or container: the plant sets the date

The RHS splits roses into two groups for planting.

Bare-root roses are lifted from the ground while dormant, the RHS says, and are only available from about November to March. Plant them as soon as you receive them, in late autumn at leaf fall, or from late winter to early spring, before growth starts again. Avoid planting in the middle of winter when the ground is frozen. Bare-root roses have a wider root spread than container plants, the RHS notes.

Container roses can be planted all year round, provided the ground is neither frozen nor very dry, and as soon as possible after buying. The RHS growing guide adds that you should avoid planting when the ground is waterlogged or during drought.

The RHS also says roses can be expensive plants, but they last for many, many years.

Where to plant

The RHS growing guide says roses need a sunny spot with at least four hours of sunlight a day. Avoid very exposed, windy sites.

Choose a position with free-draining soil that does not dry out completely, especially in summer.

Spacing depends on the type and habit of the rose, so the RHS planting guide says to check the catalogue or label. The growing guide suggests leaving about 60 cm around each plant, so it does not have to compete for water and light.

How to plant a rose

Before planting, the RHS mixes in at least one bucket of well-rotted organic matter per square metre. It says farmyard manure is ideal.

Dig a hole roughly twice the width of the roots and the depth of a spade's blade. Carefully tease out the roots of container plants.

Set the rose so the graft union is at soil level. The RHS says not to plant it below, because that is reported to increase the risk of rose dieback.

Standard roses are grafted at the top of the stem. The RHS growing guide says they should not be planted too deeply, and you must take care not to bury the stem.

Planting where a rose grew before

Roses are especially at risk from replant disease, which the RHS says is also known as rose sickness in roses. A new rose planted where an old one grew may struggle to establish, grow poorly and may even die. Its roots grow poorly and the fine roots may rot.

The RHS says the cause is believed to be a build-up of soil pests and pathogens during the life of the first planting. Fungal root diseases and nematodes (eelworms) are the main suspects. The problem can last for at least nine years after the old plant is removed.

The fix is fresh soil, but the two RHS guides give different sizes. The rose planting guide digs out the soil to a depth and width of 45 cm and swaps it with soil from another part of the garden. The replant disease guide makes a hole a few centimetres larger than the full spread of the roots, usually about 60 cm across and at least 30 cm deep.

The replant disease guide mentions a few other ideas. Some gardeners line the hole with a cardboard box with the bottom removed. Mycorrhizal products are claimed by their manufacturers to help. Roses on *Rosa* 'Laxa' rootstock show more resistance than those on other commonly used rootstocks.

The first two years

Water. The RHS planting guide says to water well in dry spells for at least two summers after planting. The growing guide says new roses should be watered regularly in their first few years, especially in summer, until their roots are well established.

Pruning. Prune in the first winter after planting, in late winter or early spring, the RHS says. Cut hybrid teas to 10–15 cm from the ground and floribundas to about 15 cm. Leave the strong stems of shrub and species roses unpruned.

Mulch. Here the two RHS guides differ on timing. The planting guide mulches every spring, up to 8 cm deep, with well-rotted stable manure or garden compost. The growing guide applies a mulch at least 5 cm thick from late autumn to late winter (November to February). Both leave a 10 cm gap around the stems.

Feeding. The RHS growing guide feeds roses in borders twice a year, in March or April before flowering and in midsummer after the first flush, at 70 g per square metre. Roses in containers get a general-purpose liquid feed fortnightly from mid-spring to late summer, switching to a high-potash feed such as tomato feed once flowering starts.