Now that the New Year is underway, it’s a good time of year to begin thinking of buying new rose plants. Obviously it’s all dependant upon the type of rose plant which you opt for, but here are a few examples to help you make the right choice.
Bare-root roses are only available from about November to March. These are plants dug from open ground and packed to prevent the roots drying out before sale. Bare-root plants are usually good quality, having a wider root spread than containerised plants and they are often good value. However, as they should be planted as soon as they are purchased, late winter is the better option to avoid any frozen ground.
Containerised roses are at their best from around November to March. They are bare-root roses placed in pots of potting media to prevent them drying out. Similarly they should be planted as soon as they are received.
Container-grown roses are available all year round. These are roses that have been grown in containers for a whole growing season or more. They can be planted at any time.
Here are some tips for planting roses:
- Mix in at least one bucket of rotted organic matter per square metre, ideally farmyard manure, in the area where roses are to be planted.
- For a single rose plant, dig a hole roughly twice the width of the plant’s roots and the depth of a spade’s blade.
- Apply general fertiliser, at 100g per sq m (3oz per sq yd) over the surface and fork it in.
- Carefully tease out the roots of container plants as, if this is not done, the roots may be very slow to extend outwards, leaving the young plant more susceptible to drought in summer.
- Place the rose in the centre of the hole and, using a small cane to identify the top of the planting hole, ensure the graft union (i.e. where the cultivar joins the rootstock and the point from which the branches originate) is below soil level.
- Back-fill gently with the excavated soil.
- Spacing depends on type and habit. Check catalogue or label details.
If you are replacing roses with new roses, ensure that you dig out the soil to a depth and width of 45cm (18in) and exchange it with soil from a different part of the garden, as roses are at risk from replant disease, also known as soil sickness.
At Burford we have tens and thousands of plants and bulbs, including a huge selection of roses, on sale all year round at our stores in Burford Oxfordshire and Burford Worcestershire. Check out our top roses here including our gorgeous selection of David Austin roses here.
Our roses also come with 10 year guarantee, which means that if your rose plant dies, you can simply return it to us with proof of purchase and we will you a free of charge replacement.
For further information please visit: www.burford.co.uk
