Planting RosesRose Gardening Basics
The best time to plant roses depends on where you live. In cold Northern climates VERY early spring is best.
In the south, winter planting between mid December and mid February is recommended.
Before Planting Roses, inspect and test your soil, and improve it.Find out what is the best soil for Roses
Once you hve your spot chooses to plant your roses, prepare the bed in advance. The best way to prepare the bed for planting roses is with a Mantis Tiller! I've had mine for several years now, and I can honestly say they are the best!! My hubby has a big one that he does our (very large) vegetable garden with every year, but I wanted one I could handle. So, I ordered the small one, and I absouletely LOVE it!!
When you recieve your plants by mail-order, plant as soon as you get them. If this is not possible, and there will be a long delay, unpack the roses and bury them in a trench. Water the trench to keep them moist.
Make sure you have good drainage in the bed. If you are not sure, dig the planting hole and fill it with water. The water should be drained within one hour. If not you will have to amend the soil. When planting roses in soil that does not drain well, the roots drown and rot.
Amend the soil by mixing in organic material, or grow in a raised bed to ensure adequate drainage.
When planting bare root roses, soak the rose canes in a pail of tepid water for up to 24 hrs. Carry this pail out to the garden and keep the bush in it until you plant it! If the bush is exposed to excess wind, the roots will dry out , and your rose will not do well!
**The single most important factor when planting roses....
If you want big beautiful rose bushes... is digging a really BIG hole.
No matter what size the plant is when you plant it, the planting hole should be 24 inches wide by 24 inches deep!
I know this seems really big, but by loosening up this soil, the new feeder roots have plenty of room to grow, thus resulting in a beautiful bush!
The only Rose fertilizer you need for planting roses is to mix 1/3 peatmoss or compost, or a bit of both,with the top 2/3 of soil from the hole. The soil from the bottom is generally not very fertile,so discard it. How to Fertilize when planting roses
I always mix a cup of bone meal and a quarter cup of superphosphate also, but no other fertilizer. Putting a layer of rotted cow or horse manure on the bottom of the hole is good also, but do not put it up near the roots of the plant. When the manure is on the bottom of the hole, the roots won't reach it for a year, by that time it will be aged and ready to give a boost to your new plant! Planting Bare Root Roses
Cut off any broken roots, or any that are so long as to coil around in the planting hole. Fill the bottom of the hole with a mound of soil, shaped up like a cone. Hold the bush firmly in place over the mound of soil. Spread the roots of the rosebush down over this cone so that the plant's bud union is about an inch or so below ground level. (if you live in zones 4 or 5.) Farther south you can plant it a bit higher.
Add more soil, covering the roots with 5 or so inches of soil. Step into the hole and carefully firm the soil down around the plant with your feet. This will remove any air spaces around the roots.
With a gentle flow from your garden hose, fill the hole with water until the water begins to trickle over the side. When the water has subsided, fill the hole to the top with additional soil. Water slowly again.
Build a mound of soil around the bud union to a height of 8 inches. This will protect the plant from drying sun and wind until growth begins.
The soil mound should remain until new growth begins on the plant. When buds are a quarter of an inch in length, gently remove the mound. 
Be sure to give your rose bush plenty of water.
To test the ground to see if you need to water or not, push your finger down into the ground into the soil as far as you can,if it is dry down there, the roots need water! The best way to water is to soak the ground around the plant. A good soaking of water is best. A light sprinkle of water is not good for the plant.Wetting the ground around the plant does nothing! Deep watering forces the roots to grow down deeper searching for water. Watering in the morning is best, but if not possible, any time is better than not watering at all!!
Mulching The most effective way to conserve moisture after planting roses, is to apply a mulch on top of the soil to a thickness of 3-4 inches. Mulch is good for many reasons:
*It acts as an insulation against the rays of the sun- keeping the soil 10-20 degrees cooler. (roses like a cooler soil, they grow better)
*It discourages weeds from growing
*Conserves Moisture
*Gives your garden a more finished, picture book look
* At the end of the season, it can be worked into the soil to enrich it further Any organic matter can be used for mulch. Shredded bark, Leaves, Pine Needles, Wood chips. Most coarse organic matter will do. For established rose plants, the best mulch is a mixture of straw and rotted cow manure, which will also act as a fertilizer. More on
soil, and types of soil.
Planting Potted Rosebushes When planting roses that are potted, it is not necesssary to build a mound or cone, as you would when planting bare root roses. Dig your VERY BIG hole, following the above instructions,remove the plant from its container, trying not to disturb the cylindar of soil around the bush. Plant the bush at the same level that the bush was previously growing. Water well!
Don't underestimate the mature size of your new rose bush! It may look small when you get it, but it won't stay that way for long. Don't crowd the plants by planting roses closer than they should be.
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