Three years ago my wife and I took early retirement and moved to a rural cottage with a large garden. My wife's great ambition has been to plant roses for both colour and scent. I have spent those three years preparing a bed. I took the lawn turf off as a first step to find some really heavy clay underneath more suited to making pots than to growing anything. I took out over two feet of this clay, replaced it with topsoil and have regularly dug in a mixture of well rotted horse and cow manure from a nearby farm. We now have a crumbly texture for a considerable depth. I have also improved the drainage of the bed and the entire garden, which often became a total quagmire in spells of heavy rain. The recent weather here made it wet but did not water-log it as would once have been the case. The Ph is in the region of 6.6.
Is this bed now ready for roses?
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borderer51
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Roses require sun six to eight hours, air circulation and porous, well drained acid soil with a pH of 5-6.
The best rose plants for purchase should be at least two years old. You have worked the soil properly of 24 inches. Which after the second year of planting roses become superior. You worked in your manure well with the soil , just allow the soil to settle for two weeks before planting. Which you have. Also you have taken the drainage into consideration, you may have added a 4 inch layer of gravel to place in the bottom if your ground is very poorly drained.
When planting you will want a hole slightly larger than the spread roots of the plant, barely deep enough to bury the bud graft. In the hole, mound the soil in a cone shape, in the center of the cone,have the rose plant seated upon it. If you see any root damaged just give a little pruning just behind the damaged area. And cut back those straggly long roots.
Fill half with soil and then add water to wash soil among the small roots. When the water has seeped, the hole is filled to ground level and press lightly around the plant, Canes are then pruned to six to eight inches above soil level. This will keep the plant from becoming stressed.
Roses need plenty of water in the dry season, once a week, give a deep watering amounts for the deeper roots.
NOTE*Most roses need winter protection when temps fall below 10 degrees.
It is a standard practice to mound the soil around the plants to a depth of 8 inches for protection, then after the ground freezes add straw mulch. This way little field friends will not find it a inviting homestead.
Good luck, nothing says it better than a rose...
The best rose plants for purchase should be at least two years old. You have worked the soil properly of 24 inches. Which after the second year of planting roses become superior. You worked in your manure well with the soil , just allow the soil to settle for two weeks before planting. Which you have. Also you have taken the drainage into consideration, you may have added a 4 inch layer of gravel to place in the bottom if your ground is very poorly drained.
When planting you will want a hole slightly larger than the spread roots of the plant, barely deep enough to bury the bud graft. In the hole, mound the soil in a cone shape, in the center of the cone,have the rose plant seated upon it. If you see any root damaged just give a little pruning just behind the damaged area. And cut back those straggly long roots.
Fill half with soil and then add water to wash soil among the small roots. When the water has seeped, the hole is filled to ground level and press lightly around the plant, Canes are then pruned to six to eight inches above soil level. This will keep the plant from becoming stressed.
Roses need plenty of water in the dry season, once a week, give a deep watering amounts for the deeper roots.
NOTE*Most roses need winter protection when temps fall below 10 degrees.
It is a standard practice to mound the soil around the plants to a depth of 8 inches for protection, then after the ground freezes add straw mulch. This way little field friends will not find it a inviting homestead.
Good luck, nothing says it better than a rose...