Gardens

Roses - Prepare Soil Thoroughly

"Life is just a bed of roses"... what it means...

The reason they say rose gardens can be rewarding is …after you have worked and slaved in your "rose garden" it is indeed rewarding when it does "payoff" in beautiful blooms.

Roses can be among our most rewarding garden subjects. The beautiful and fragrant flowers can be very enjoyable if you only have one rose bud or dozens. Roses are rather exacting in their requirements. They must receive full sun and be grown in a fairly well drained soil if you are to reap these long stem beauties.

Select a good site…

Before purchasing your plants select the sunny, well-drained location and go to work on the rose bed. Cultivate, plow, rototill, or spade the bed as deep as possible. Make certain the bed will be large enough for the desired number or plants. Plants will need spacing far enough apart so that they will not touch as they grow.

Planting can be flexible.

If healthy plants are available in December or January, this would be an excellent time to plant. You may purchase plants grown in cans, buckets, or other types of containers. Such plants will allow you to plant any time of year.

Be prepared to trim when planting.

When planting, trim off any broken or damaged roots and stems. Set the plant so that the graft union is just above the soil level. A 3-inch mulch of leaves, pine straw, or bark will help maintain soil moisture, reduce weeds, and keep the soil temperature more uniform. Water thoroughly after planting and water each week throughout the growing season.

Gardens