Rose Planting FAQ

 
A: If less than 3 weeks delay…

Store in a frost-free, cool place such as your garden shed or garage. Bare root plants will keep for up to three weeks tightly sealed in the bag without a problem. You may see new growth - this is a good sign.

If more than 3 weeks delay…

If you are expecting a longer delay before planting it is worth considering heeling in your plants. To do this, simply remove your plants from their packaging and dig a hole large enough to take the roots of your plant. Replace the soil to cover the roots. Water if conditions are going to be dry.

 
A: We recommend planting potted roses as soon as possible. However, if you are unable to plant immediately, roses can be kept in their pots quite happily for two months or more, as long as they are watered appropriately.  Potted roses should not be allowed to dry out. A full, regular watering is better than just small amounts daily.  The need for water is dependent on the weather and potting mix. For that reason we suggest contacting the garden centre where you bought the rose for a local recommendation.

  For in-depth advice and a 'How to' video, please visit our 'How to plant a rose in as pot' care article here.
A: SIZE OF POT
For best results, your pot should be at least 45cm deep and 45cm across. For climbers less than 3.5m we recommend a pot at least 60cm wide and deep. It is surprising how much difference a larger pot will make to the performance of your rose. As the growth of your rose is determined to a large extent by the size of the root, we always recommend as large a pot as possible. A larger pot will also retain moisture for longer, which is key to a healthy vigorous plant.

WHICH COMPOST? For best results we recommend using a quality potting mix specially formulated for roses. Look for the ones with the red ticks of quality assurance on the bag. You want that rose to grow and reward you for years so investing in a quality potting mix is important.
HOW TO PLANT Step 1: Hold your plant in the pot and see where the roots reach down to. You will want to cover all of the roots with compost. Step 2: Remove the rose and fill with compost to this level.
Step 3: Place the plant back in the centre of the pot and add compost around the plant covering the roots. Aim to have the top of the roots about two inches below the top of your pot.
Step 4: Water well with about 5 litres of water. We recommend adding a seaweed product to the watering to stimulate root growth.

 
A: Aside from times of extreme weather, roses can be planted at any time during the year. The extreme weather conditions that we advise against planting in are when the ground is frozen, water-logged or during a drought. Often people ask, ‘when is the best time to plant’, but as long as you avoid the conditions mentioned, there really is no one best time to plant.

 
A: We suggest planting roses approximately 60cm apart. For more in-depth information and diagrams, please visit our article on 'How far apart should shrub roses be planted?' here.

 
A: If possible, we suggest that you avoid planting a rose in the same position. However, if you do decide to plant in the same location we recommend removing as much soil as possible and adding compost from your home compost heap or buying a bag of planting mix or compost rather than buying top soil whose quality can vary. As a guide, this area needs to be a minimum of 60cm deep and 60cm wide. Deeper and wider is better.