How to Plant & Care for Roses

First, consider the overall size and shape of your rose bush and where you’ll be planting it. When selecting your roses, be sure to look for leaves that are healthy looking and free of insects. Choose a rose that has a good, strong stem and some unopened buds, which means it will bloom sooner, giving you beautiful flowers earlier in the season. Most roses are graded in terms of vigor, with 1 being the strongest. Different types of roses had different shapes and growth features. Hybrid roses usually feature one rose per stem, while Floribundas grow clusters of roses. Be sure to pick the type that is right for your garden when planting roses.

Plant your roses in the spring just after the last frost if possible. You can even plant them in the fall the year prior, about 6 weeks before the first frost. Dig a hole about 6 inches deeper than your container and plant the rose. Mix some bone meal into your soil and use it to cover the plant. Once you’ve planted your rose, give it lots of water and consider laying mulch down to prevent the soil from drying out. If you’re growing them in a container, make sure it has drainage holes in it, as roses thrive in well-drained soil.

Pruning rose bushes is one of the most important parts of rose care. Pruning your roses means removing any dead or decaying parts of your plants so the rest can continue to thrive. Start from the bottom and work upward, removing any dead or broken wood from your stalks. Always prune about a quarter of an inch above the nearest bud to ensure it stays healthy. Be sure to remove any suckers, which are stems that sprout from the roots.