prepare for ROSE PLANTING

Cooler weather heralds the arrival of the new season’s bare-rooted roses, and there’s a wide selection available. Pictured are the white ‘Iceberg’ rose and the red climber ‘Paul’s Scarlet’.

It’s important to give your new rose the best start by preparing the planting spot at least three weeks beforehand. First, find a suitable long-term position. Roses must have at least half a day of sun (preferably from the morning) right through the year, so consider seasonal changes that may cause deciduous trees or structures such as buildings or fences to block the light at various times.

Because roses are long-lived plants, it’s important to take the time to prepare the soil well before planting. They like good drainage, so if you have a heavy soil, consider building a raised bed or mounding the soil. If clay is present, mix gypsum into the topsoil and avoid digging into the deeper clay layer as this will create a water-holding ‘sump’. Blend plenty of compost into the soil. In acid soil areas, add a handful of lime per square metre, and mix in well.

Roses are often grown in specially designated rose beds, although some free-flowering shrub varieties can be

mixed in with other plants to create a softer, cottagey effect. Standardised or ‘tree’ roses are useful for giving a more formal look to a garden, especially if they’re planted in delineating rows. Small or miniature rose varieties are often at their best in containers, while Shrub roses are usually planted about 1m apart. It’s important, especially in humid climates, to leave breathing space between rose plants so there’s good air circulation, as this leads to lower rates of disease. Good spacing also makes it easier to prune and feed the rose plants when required.