Rules for transplanting roses into open ground: what not to do
“Rose seeds need to be stored in the refrigerator”
Growing roses is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. These plants are not very demanding on soil and watering, and the abundance of varieties allows you to choose a less troublesome option. On the other hand, roses are mostly southern flowers. Therefore, when deciding to plant, you need to be prepared for careful care and protection in winter. We asked experts how to choose the right rose seedlings, when is the best time to plant them, and how to properly care for the flowers afterwards.
Varieties of roses for the garden
There are several groups or classes of roses, which are divided into varieties
Rose is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Rosehip, which has about 100 species. Depending on the variety, the color of the buds varies from red and white to various shades of yellow, pink, dark crimson and burgundy. The sizes of bushes are also varied.
On average, it is about 90 cm in height, but there are miniature species of 25–30 cm, and very large ones – whip-shaped, with shoots up to several meters long. The choice of a specific variety largely depends on personal preference. But before buying seedlings, carefully plan your rose garden and decide:
- what are roses for? Whether it will be the first test bush on the site, a hedge along the garden path or a full-fledged rose garden;
- what scent do you prefer? Some roses have a fruity scent, others musky or tea-like. To be sure, research the scents in advance. This can be done at a garden store or nursery;
- what color suits best. If you plan to include a rose in a multi-layered composition of other flowers, keep in mind that the color of the buds is in harmony with them. To do this, you can use the color wheel or look at ready-made options.
“To make the rose garden look beautiful, I suggest choosing a mono color: only red, only pink, only yellow. As a last resort, you can add a second color: white is universal for these purposes. Variegation will simplify and reduce the cost of the look.”
There are no restrictions on the type of roses you can choose. Can be used and combined:
- hybrid tea
- ground cover
- climbing
- shrub roses (shrubs)
- floribunda roses.
How to choose rose seedlings
It is better to give preference to seedlings from your region. Roses brought from another area or country may not take root.
There are several ways to grow roses. To do this, you can purchase bushes with bare roots or in a container with soil. In both cases, the plants already have a root system and are ready to be planted on the site, founder of the phytodesign company Botanicals.
It is quite possible to get beautiful and healthy roses in the first year. It is better to buy all seedlings in large nurseries or garden centers. Do not hesitate to ask the seller where the roses are from, their variety, and be sure to ask to see the condition of the roots. Also carefully inspect the seedling and pay attention to the following:
- the kidneys are at rest;
- leaves are healthy, without rot;
- the bark is without stains and the trunks are not damaged;
- all parts of the plant look alive, not dried out.
“Growing roses from seeds is a more labor-intensive process that requires certain knowledge and does not guarantee success. To do this, you need to purchase high-quality seeds and carry out a stratification procedure – storing the seeds in the refrigerator at a temperature of +3 °C for two to three months.
Only after this can they be sown in the ground. You can also grow roses from cut shoots. To do this, you need to select healthy and strong branches that do not have flowers, and put them in water for several days. After that, you can plant it in the ground and wait until it takes root and starts growing.”
Bare root roses
They are grown in advance in the ground in nurseries, and then dug up, the soil is removed and wrapped in a special moisture-retaining material to prevent the roots from drying out. Such seedlings must be transplanted back into the soil as soon as possible after acquisition. Until this time, keep the plant's roots moist.
Container roses
These are a type of planting starters whose roots develop in their own soil. Ask the seller to show them – this is a common practice in good nurseries. “You should see a dense lump of earth and roots intertwined with fresh white hairs. If the earth crumbles or we see only a couple of stubby roots, this is a bad sign. You definitely shouldn't buy beautiful, abundantly blooming roses in pots for planting. It is likely that you will bring home an exhausted plant that will soon die,” .
When to plant roses
Rose seedlings take root in cold climates, it is important to choose a more resistant variety.
Roses should be planted after the last frost in spring or fall at least six weeks before temperatures reliably approach freezing. The latter will give the roots enough time to establish themselves before they go dormant for the winter.
In spring, the sowing time in open ground varies depending on the region: from March to April, in the middle zone in mid-May and in the northernmost regions closer to the beginning of June. According to experts, when choosing the time to plant roses in open ground, you need to focus on two indicators: air and soil temperature.
If the ground is still too cold, the plant may experience stress and not take root. The same goes for the air: roses love warmth, so you should wait until the temperature outside reaches a stable plus.
According to experts, the best time to plant roses is late spring or early autumn, when the air temperature ranges from +10 to +25 °C. The ideal humidity level for growing plants is 50%. Container roses, which are sold in pots filled with soil, can in theory be replanted throughout the growing season and even in midsummer. But for planting it is better to choose a cloudy day or try to shade the seedlings for the first days.
