Planting roses in autumn

Container grown plants can be planted at any time of the year, but autumn remains the best time to encourage root development before spring growth. Plants with open roots can be planted after they begin to dormant. They start as soon as the leaves fall off the roses. In a state of hibernation, the rose is frost-resistant, and even frosts shortly after planting cannot harm it.

Note! Roses can live in a garden for many years and the initial care taken when planting can contribute to their health and longevity. The time for planting roses in autumn is the period from mid-September to mid-November.

You can choose from a wide range of species, from mini roses to lush shrubs suitable for hedges. Although there are many different varieties, their needs are largely similar. Some varieties can tolerate some shade, most roses do well in full sun and are useful in the sunniest parts of the garden.

The first thing to consider when buying is what kind of packaging the seedlings are in: with bare roots or in a container. Bare-rooted plants take longer to establish and may not survive the winter if planted in the fall. Roses packed in a container take root much faster, and they can be planted in the fall.

Winter temperatures affect when to plant roses. Most often it is in the first half of November. When planting roses, leave enough time before the first frost so that they have time to take root before the ground freezes. Must remain at least one month. This ensures that the roses have enough time to settle down. Although it takes more than a month for a rose bush to root, rose bush roots will continue to grow after the first frost.

How to plant roses?

Having determined that autumn is a good time to plant rose bushes, there are a few things you need to know about how to plant roses in autumn:

• do not fertilize;
• mulch abundantly;
• do not prune the rose bush.

Fertilization can weaken the rose plant, but it needs to be stronger to survive the coming winter.

Apply a thick layer of mulch to the roots of a newly planted rose. This will help protect the ground from freezing and give the rose a little more time to take root.

One of the main things to know when planting roses in the fall is that only dormant roses (no leaves) are planted. Transplanting active roses, or planting bushes that are grown in the nursery during the period of active growth, will not work when planting in the fall.

Roses are not pruned after they have been planted in the fall. You need to wait until the beginning of spring. Frosts can damage a freshly cut shrub, and this encourages disease and parasites to enter through unhealed cuts.

Proper planting of roses

Purchased roses with bare roots are taken out of the package immediately upon arrival and the roots are immersed in a bucket of cold water for several hours to moisten them. If roses grown in containers are purchased, they are also well watered before planting.

When digging the ground in the place where the rose should grow, you need to make sure that there are no weeds and stones in this area. Also make sure that nothing else has been planted around the roses. They stop developing if they have to compete with vigorous perennials.

Note! Too much shade will cause the rose bush to become elongated rather than compact and will not have flowers. Constantly damp soil will cause root rot and eventually death of the rose bush.

Planted plants are watered abundantly after planting, and until they take root.

Additional Information! Timely and sufficient protection will protect roses from frost, winter sun and icy wind.

It is necessary to protect the seedlings from the winter cold by covering the grafting site with earth, and then removing it as soon as the temperature begins to rise, from the end of February to March. In the same period, they also start pruning the branches, leaving a height of about 10 cm from the ground (or 2-3 knots) in order to concentrate the juice and cause a more vigorous and regular recovery.

Pros and Cons of Planting Roses in the Fall

More roses are planted in the spring, and it may be a little safer, but planting in the fall offers several benefits. Whether rose bushes should be planted in the fall depends on several factors.

Gardeners usually have more time to prepare well for planting. In autumn it is easier to prepare the soil. At this time, the ground is likely to be loose, not frozen or waterlogged. Earth that is still warm after summer promotes better root growth, and faster and more vigorous recovery in spring.

If rose roots are established before winter, the first June bloom comes earlier and is often better than roses planted in spring. By the time spring arrives, the plants are already rooting and re-vegetating faster and more vigorously.

It has the advantage of a well-developed root system that can cope with new shoots and flowers. It is more likely to withstand drought and intense summer heat.

Fall is a great time to prepare rose beds, even if planting is delayed until spring. Choose a place with good drainage, away from the roots of trees and where the sun shines for at least four or five hours a day, and preferably more. The soil is cultivated, a little dry cow manure and a little superphosphate are added to the hole. Let it settle before planting.

The main argument against fall planting is that the choice of nurseries, and therefore varieties, is limited.

If the soil has poor drainage, you can lose a bush planted in the fall due to freezing of the roots in the water in a very cold winter. However, a well-prepared bed with good drainage and proper planting shouldn’t be a problem.

If the variety is hardy and the bush is strong and healthy, it will produce strong and lush plants next pring.