PHS | Grow Fabulous Roses

At the Philadelphia Flower Show, you will always see roses by the dozen. It's only natural that you may want to plant a few in your garden. Here's a quick guide to getting your roses happily in the ground. Our experts also recommend 5 great roses to look for.

Roses can be planted in spring or late summer (no later than mid-September).

Roses prefer at least 6 hours of direct sun daily, good air circulation, well-drained soil, and adequate water and fertilizer. To prepare a rose bed, dig the soil over to a depth of 18 inches, mixing organic matter such as peat moss, chopped leaves, manure, or compost into the soil. If your soil is heavy, add sand or perlite to improve the drainage.

You can buy roses "bareroot" (i.e., they come without any soil around the roots), in a package, or with soil in a container. Try to get those sold bareroot or in a package in the ground as soon as possible.

When bareroot roses arrive, they will be dormant, but the canes should look smooth, with a green or reddish color. If you can't plant them right away, make sure the material in which they are wrapped is moist, and store them in a cool place or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Before planting, prune off broken canes or roots and cut back the canes by about one-half to one-third, leaving two or three buds. Dig a hole 18 inches deep by 24 inches wide, but put a little of the soil back into the hole in the shape of a cone (see diagram below).

Spread the roots and set them over the cone so the bud union is level with the soil. Replace the soil, packing it tightly, and water well to eliminate air pockets. The planting procedure is similar for packaged roses, but be sure to remove the packaging.

Remove the plant gently from the container, first tapping the container on a hard surface to loosen the soil. If it does not fall out easily, cut the container rather than yanking the plant out by its roots.