Planting a Rose Garden
The rose is called the queen of the flowers and if you ever have seen a blooming rose garden you know why. If you want to plant your own roses you have to know a few things first. Before starting ask you local tree nursery or your florist what types of roses are suitable for your local climate. Try to get disease resistent types. These are easier to care for. The best time for planting roses is in spring.
The place where you plant them should be an open place with good air circulation and sunshine at least half of the day, preferably in the morning. The soil should have good drainage. For every rose plant dig a hole that is approximately double the size of the roots. That way the roots find more room for growing in the first time after planting. Soak the roots in water and prune broken ends of the roots before planting.
In the first month after planting the roses you must water them frequently. After that once a week should be enough. Around three months after planting you can start to use fertilizer. Using mulch works very good and has the added benefit of stabilizing moisture and temperature as well as keeping weeds away. If you plant your roses the right way you will enjoy them for many years.
In the following years you should prune your rose plants. This is necessary to keep them healthy and in good shape. The best time for pruning is the early spring. First cut all dead and damaged branches. Whenever you see two crossing branches cut one of them. The pruning should support the plants to grow in the shape or direction you want them to grow.
If you want them to stay low prune branches that are too long. If you want them to climb prune branches that grow in the wrong direction. Either way you should take care that every part of the rose can have good air circulation. That helps to keep diseases out. Keep only healthy dark green branches. It may be difficult doing it the first time but you will get a feel for it if you do it regularly.
