by K. Finch
For many years, lovers have given roses and poets have written of their merits. Now, you may be considering showing how much you love roses by planting your own rose bushes. No doubt you've heard a lot about how to take care of roses - the diseases to watch out for and the ways to prune them. While it may sound pretty complicated, you'll find that planting your own rose bush is much easier than you think. If you take the following guidelines into consideration and use them, you'll be sure to do a great job and have a beautiful rose bush that will look wonderful.
Things to Do Before Planting Your Rose Bush
If you are waiting for spring to arrive so you can plant your rose bush, there are some things that you may want to do. You may want to start thinking about the types of bushes you want for your rose garden. There are hundreds of different rose bushes that you can choose from and it may be a bit difficult to make your choice. You may want to visit a nursery in your area to find out more about bushes. Also, look for friends and neighbors that have beautiful bushes and find out what types of bushes they are growing. Make sure that you know whether a certain bush is prone to disease or if it takes a lot of attention as well before making your choice.
Of course once you know what bush you want for your garden, then you'll need to come up with a great location for it as well. Make sure you come up with a good location before you even buy your rose bush. You need to be sure that your bush will get plenty of light each day and you should make sure that the soil drains well and that it is quite fertile.
When to Plant a Rose Bush
Usually if you are planting a rose bush that is bare root, you will want to plant it late in the winter. However, if you purchase a rose bush that has already been grown in a planter, you'll want to plant it during the spring. Just make sure that you don't plant roses during the summer months. While it is possible, it can be very hard on the new plant because of the hot weather.
Preparation for Planting Your Rose Bush
Now that you know what location you're going to plant the rose in, you need to get the bed ready. Make sure that you dig a hole that is going to be at least two times the size of the container holding your rose bush. Remember, the bush has a very large root system. If you make sure that your hole is large, it will be easier for the rose bush to put down it's roots.
When you dig out the soil, make sure to put it in a bucket or wheelbarrow. Then mix compost and topsoil with the soil and put part of the mixture into the hole. In some cases you may want to add phosphate fertilizer in the hole as well.
When you are dealing with a bare root rose bush, you'll want to soak it for awhile before you plant it. Once you have soaked the bush for at least a couple hours, you'll want to cut off the root tips with pruning shears, and then you'll be ready to plant the bush.
Planting the Bush
There are many bushes that will come along with planting instructions. Usually you'll want to put a mound at the bottom of the hole you have and then you put the bare root rose bush over this mound, making sure the roots are smoothly placed over it. If your roots curve up or they spread out in a flat manner, then you may not have to use the mound. Then you can start filling the hole back in; however, once you have it about 2/3 full with soil, make sure to water it. Once you have let the hole drain, then fill it again with water and then add the rest of the soil to the hole.
Caring for Your Rose Bush
Usually you'll need to give your new rose bush about an inch of water each week, but this can depend on the climate you are living in. Make sure that you recognize when your rose is in distress. If you notice that the leaves are drooping, you'll need to add some water. However, if the leaves are falling off and turning yellow, you may be giving them too much water.
About the Author
Check out The Joy of Rose Gardening now at http://www.roseflowergarden.com, to find great articles, advice, tips and much more on rose gardening topics.
Source: www.goarticles.com
