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Planting Instructions for Bare Root Roses
Leave the package un-opened until ready to plant. Stored in a cool, frost free place (garage, outbuilding) the rose trees will remain in good condition for up to 2-3 weeks (longer if necessary).
Do not allow the roots to dry out. Should they be dry, immerse in water - do not soak for more than a few hours.
Prepare the ground by digging deeply and if possible incorporating bulky organic matter into the soil i.e. well rotted farmyard manure or other rotted vegetable matter.
Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots. Ensure the planting depth is correct. The union, where the shoots meet the roots, should be slightly below the soil level. Plant firmly – spread the roots out and backfill, tread around the plant, make certain it is tight in the ground.
When planting Standard Roses, the knuckle, which is just above the roots, should be above soil level.
Rose Soil Sickness
Newly planted roses seldom thrive in old rose beds:
Before re-planting in an old rose bed it is advisable to do one of the following - renew the soil, use ‘Armillatox Outdoor Cleaner’, or apply ‘Rootgrow’.
Changing the Soil:
When planting a new bed completely dig out the soil to a depth of 12 inches. Fresh soil from another part of the garden is suitable. When planting amongst other roses, dig a large hole and re-fill with new soil.
Amillatox:
An alternative is to disinfect the soil with ‘Armillatox Garden Cleaner’ in a solution of 1 part concentrate to 50 parts water (100ml to 5 litres of water). 10 litres of solution will be required per planting hole. Dig a large hole and with a watering can thoroughly drench the base and sides with the solution and thoroughly wash through the soil from the hole. Leave 2-3 days before planting new roses.
Rootgrow:
A friendly fungus that combats the problem of “soil sickness”. Place the rose bush in the hole and sprinkle the granules on the ends of the roots. It is very important that these granules are in direct contact with the plant roots – so ensure they do not drop through into the bottom of the hole and that they stick to the roots. They work best on the feeder roots.
One 80g sachet will be sufficient to plant 3 bushes. After application, carefully fill as normal with soil/compost. [When planting container roses sprinkle the granules at the bottom of the hole and place the soil ball on them – carefully backfill as normal]
To promote root growth, incorporate a suitable planting mixture around the roots.
We recommend ‘Westland’ Rose, Tree & Shrub Planting Compost’.
Alternatively use a mixture of Peat and Bone Meal – 2 handfuls of Bone Meal mixed with a bucket of Peat – will plant 2-3 bushes.
Getting the best from your Roses
Roses are easy to grow and require very little attention. However, they are extremely rewarding and with a little additional care the results can be amazing.
After pruning top dress with Rose Fertiliser, apply again after the first flowering (some rose fertilizers recommend feeding monthly through the season) – we recommend ‘Toprose’ as is contains most of the necessary trace elements.
For best results we suggest regular watering, especially during dry spells – incorporate a liquid feed every 7-10 days. Try to avoid wetting the foliage late in the evening.
To promote strong healthy growth we advise “Uncle Tom’s Rose Tonic”. It is a natural product that not only feeds the roots but also promotes healthier growth and dramatically improves disease resistance. Begin spraying early in the season and continue every 10 – 14 days. The best conditions for spraying are when it is dull and cool. In hot sunny weather spray early morning and late afternoon.
Dead head after flowering so that the plant’s energy is conserved for producing new flowering shoots.
In winter while the plants are dormant, December/January go over the whole bed with a thorough drench of ‘Armillatox Outdoor Cleaner’, diluted with 50 parts water to 1 part of the concentrate (100ml to 5 litres water), using your watering can with a rose on. This will kill any fungus spores and insect eggs that may be over wintering on the plants or in the soil.
Pruning Roses
Commonly asked Pruning Questions & Answers:
What is pruning?
Pruning sounds “technical”, but it is simply cutting back the stems of the plant.
Why do roses need pruning?
We prune to remove unproductive growth and to make way for more fresh new basal shoots.
Is it necessary to prune every year?
Yes the roses will benefit, they will grow stronger and better and therefore healthier.
When should I prune?
The best time to prune is immediately after winter has ended – usually end of February or early March.
Should I cut anything back in the autumn?
Yes the bushes will benefit from being shortened in the autumn, about halfway back, to “tidy” them up and to prevent them being loosened in the wind.
Pruning Newly Planted Roses
Prune Bush Roses and Standard Roses back to 3-4 inches. Climbing Roses back to 5-6 inches.
Pruning Established Roses
Bush, Patio & Standard Roses:
Start by cutting out all the dead wood and weak growth. To make way for new growth, remove at the base any old exhausted stems that are no longer usefully productive. Prune back the remaining stems to 4-5 inches, ensuring the cut is clean and sloping.
Climbing Roses:
To encourage the plant to establish a good root system prune back to 5-6 inches the first spring after planting.
Climbing roses can take 18 months or longer to establish although this timescale can be reduced by regular watering and liquid feeding. This is particularly important for climbers growing on a sheltered South or West facing wall where the soil may dry out quite quickly.
First seasons growth may only be weak and spindly and this should be removed at the base the following spring. Any strong basal growth that is produced, probably mid-late summer onwards needs only to be shortened by 25-30% at pruning time. A rough guide is generally any stem less than a good finger thickness can be treated as weak.
When pruning after the first season any strong shoots can be trained and tied, for best results the stems should be trained laterally in a fan shape taking care not to break any shoots. This will have the effect of producing more flowers along the stems.
In subsequent years all weak growth and dead wood should be removed altogether and all strong shoots reduced by 25-30%.
After three or four seasons the original basal growths may begin to look old and woody. At this stage it is quite likely that they have ceased to become usefully productive and should be completely removed at the base in order to make way for new prolific growth.
Pruning Climbers can often be a daunting task especially when having to decide which growth to completely take out, but it should be remembered that any stems that are removed should be more than adequately replenished with fresher, stronger and more productive new growth later in the season.
Rambling Roses: Pruning a rambler is slightly more complicated because Ramblers flower on their previous years growth. They are best either just left to ramble, or immediately after flowering remove stems that have borne flowers, leaving the newly produced growth to flower the following year. Whatever method is used, all dead wood, weak spindly growth and old unproductive stems should be removed annually. ,/p
Shrub Roses: If required Shrubs can be allowed to grow freely and reach their full potential, but weak and dead wood should be removed regularly together with any old unproductive stems from the base. If growth needs to be controlled, stems can be reduced accordingly.
English Roses & Ground Cover Roses: Both groups will benefit from pruning. First remove all dead and weak growth together with any old unproductive stems from the base. Shorten all remaining growth by 50%.