Bare root roses are scary-looking things – they’re barely a plant, let alone a beautiful rose bush! But, don’t be deterred by their appearance, because bare root roses will give you the most beautiful blooms after you’ve prepped, planted and cared for them.
The best time to plant bare root roses is during winter, when rose plants are dormant. Nurseries and garden centres usually begin selling bare root roses during mid to late autumn, giving you ample time to prep your rose garden space, and get ready for planting.
What are bare root roses?
Bare root roses are rose bushes or plants that have been pruned back to just their roots and main stems, with no soil around the roots. The rose plant will be in a dormant state, and becomes ready to plant once you rehydrate and ‘wake’ up the root system.
Bare-root roses are sold by nurseries and garden centres during winter, and are easy for beginners to start their rose garden with.
What do bare-root roses look like?
Bare-root roses are very stick-like – after all, they’re taken back to the bare necessities. They will have a root system that has been cleaned of soil, and a few stems that have been pruned to a short height.
It’s not so pretty now, but this bare-root rose will produce a bounty of beautiful blooms in summer.
Step-by-step guide to planting bare-root roses
- When the roses arrive, the roots will probably be wrapped in burlap. Remove this and immediately put the roots in water for about 24 hours.
- When ready to plant, dig a hole as deep as the roots and twice as wide, and loosen soil at the bottom.
- Create a mound of soil at the base as a support for the roots, then spread the roots over the mound, ensuring all roots are facing down and the graft scar is about 2.5cm above soil level.
- Half fill hole with soil and press down the roots to make them secure.
- Pour water into the hole and, when water stops bubbling and drains away, fill the hole with remaining soil.
- With clean, sharp secateurs, trim back each of the branches to about 20cm above the graft scar, and 1cm above a growth node. Make your cut at an angle so that rain water runs off the the stem, rather than sitting on top, causing rot or fungal disease,
- Water soil well, then cover with mulch.
For the first year, water well every two weeks, but don’t add any fertiliser until buds begin to emerge.
Should bare root roses be soaked before planting?
Bare-root roses need to be soaked and rehydrated for at least 2 hours before being planted. We recommend soaking for 24 hours to ensure that your rose plant is ready to ‘wake up’ and start growing after it’s dormancy.
How long can bare rooted roses survive before planting?
Bare-rooted roses can last around 3 weeks before it will need to be planted, provided that they’re properly stored. Keep your bare root roses in a cool, frost-free area that does not get much sunlight.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Lawn envy is real, here’s how to have the best on the block
Native ad body.
