PLANT BARE-ROOT ROSES

Cut back hard now for spring growth, says Ruth Follow Ruth’s helpful guide in five easy steps

1

Check that the roots are healthy and immerse them in water. If you can’t plant immediately, keep them wrapped and damp somewhere cool.

2

The hole should take all the roots and be deep enough so that the graft union (where the cultivar joins the rootstock) is at soil level.

3

Fork over the sides of the hole so roots can spread and water escape, and add a generous amount of well-rotted manure.

4

Plant the rose, spreading the roots and infilling around them with a mix of soil and compost or manure. Firm the soil and water generously.

5

Finally, mulch around the plant with a generous layer of wellrotted manure or compost. This insulates and nourishes the roots and suppresses weeds.

Mulch will hold in moisture, but keep watering while the plant gets established