It’s the perfect time to plant bare-rooted roses

Garden tips from...

Passionate local gardeners Henrietta Hood and Peta Swift, co-founders of The Avid Gardener, are here to share a few tips and tricks to help Orange City Life readers in their own backyards.

This week, Henrietta explains how to plant bare-rooted roses for their best chance to thrive.

The term “bare root” is basically a plant that is dormant (asleep), without soil around the roots and then planted directly into the ground. Barerooted roses are generally lower in cost to purchase as there are fewer materials (potting mix, pots) and labour involved. It’s important to remember to plant bare-rooted roses as soon as possible as they can dry out very quickly and will die.

This is how we plant bare-rooted roses at The Avid Gardener:

• Gently brush away sawdust from the roots.

• Rehydrate roses in water for 24-48 hours prior to planting.

• If necessary, prune back thick roots with clean, sharp secateurs. Leave any fine roots.

• Dig a hole twice as wide and as deep as the rose roots. Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole.

• Prepare a mound of soil at the bottom of the hole and place the roots of the rose gently over the mound.

• Backfill with soil and press down firmly.

• Prune rose by a third to encourage good root growth.

• Mulch with organic sugar cane or equivalent.

• Water in well. Use at least 10 litres of water.