Autumn and winter are the best time to plant bare root roses to ensure a healthy, blooming plant in the summer.
The period between autumn and winter might not bring roses to the forefront of your mind, but if you want a flourishing crop come the spring and summer months, now is the time to get ahead. Just as we would plant bulbs and vegetable crops in the autumn, ready to harvest and bloom in the summer, we should be doing the same with our roses. Roses can be planted from April, but opting for the autumn months gives them all winter to become established plants that will thrive come spring. As the team at rose specialists David Austin say, 'There is something special about taking a number of similar looking bare stems of different rose varieties and allowing them to progress and establish through the seasons, as their bare stems begin to display their unique and colourful characters come summer.'
Planting bare root roses at this time of year can be a cheaper option than buying container plants throughout the rest of the year - but it can also be a surer way of getting a plant to establish quickly. Bare root plants are lifted straight from the ground and therefore have a less restricted root system than containerised plants, and are usually stronger growers. They are planted when dormant in autumn and winter, at any time as long as the weather isn't too cold or the ground frozen, and therefore need less maintenance than container plants that might be planted in dry weather in spring or summer.
How to plant bare root roses
Bare root roses should be planted as soon as you receive them. If conditions stop you from planting straight away, keep your plant in a container of compost – lightly watered – and plant them as soon as conditions allow. At least two hours before planting, rehydrate your bare root roses in a bucket of water. Choose a spot that gets a minimum of four hours sunlight a day, dig a hole that means the bottom of the rose stems are 2cm below the top of the hole and place your root in. David Austin advise sprinkling their Mycorrhizal Fungi over the roots for a healthier plant and drought-resistant root system. Fill the hole, lightly pack the soil around the bare root rose with your foot and water it well. Then sit back, take care of it and enjoy blooms in summer.
Other ways to plant bare root roses
If your borders are full, you don't have access to soil or you have a small balcony garden, you can still nourish a bare root rose. Follow the same steps for planting it but instead plant your root in a container. From a reclaimed planter to a lovely ceramic pot, the steps are the same, but you'll want to put something in the bottom of the pot before you add soil to help with drainage.
This story originally appeared on House & Garden UK.
