Getting Started Growing Roses

Getting started right is very important. Choosing and preparing a good site is necessary for growing good roses. First, I pick a location that will recieve plenty of morning sun. Roses like the sun, and the morning sun will help dry the dew off of the leaves. Roses like at least 6 hours of sun a day, however, can tolerate all day sun. Always make sure to space your roses properly for good air circulation which helps to prevent fungal problems later in the season. I grow hybrid tea and floribunda roses and plant them about 4’-5' apart, or more.

Testing your soil for pH is also important. Ideally roses like the pH to be 6.0 to 6.5. In this slightly acid range, most of the nutrients that roses need are readily available. You can raise your pH by broadcasting lime and working into the soil. If your soil is too alkaline, you can lower the pH by broadcasting agricultural sulfur and working into the soil.

There are two types of roses available: container grown, and bare-root roses. Your local nursery may offer both container-grown roses and bare root. If not, bare-root roses are available for purchase by mail order catalogs or various sites on the internet. There are different ways to plants these two types of roses.