Beautiful roses in full bloom are one of the joys of the English summer garden. However, such results do not happen overnight. If you are hoping to plant bare root roses this year, now is the time to get to work. We have asked the experts for their advice to help you achieve the best results with relative ease.
Why should you choose bare root roses?
‘Planting bare root roses at this time of year can be a cheaper option than buying container plants throughout the rest of the year – but it can also be a surer way of getting a plant to establish quickly,’ says House & Garden garden editor Clare Foster. ‘Bare root plants are lifted straight from the ground and therefore have a less restricted root system than containerised plants, and are usually stronger growers.’
‘There is also a larger range of varieties available, and it is the most environmentally friendly method of planting, since there is no compost or container involved,’ adds Liam Beddall, head rosarian at David Austin.
Why is autumn the best time to plant bare root roses?
‘Autumn is an ideal time to plant your bare root roses because while the soil is still workable and there is plenty of moisture in the ground to ensure the roots do not dry out,’ explains Liam from David Austin. ‘The bare root roses are dormant plants, essentially asleep. They will have been lifted from the ground in the autumn, graded and checked for quality and then sent out to customers in the post.’ This year’s plants are now available to buy online from David Austin. They are very handily sent out in compostable, potato starch bags within a recyclable, paper bag.
How do you plant bare root roses?
We have asked Liam Beddall, head rosarian at David Austin, for his top tips.
Soak the roses: although we soak the roses before we dispatch them, and they can stay within their packaging sealed somewhere cool and frost free for around two weeks, it is important to give the roots a good drink before you plant them. This not only ensures the plant does not dry out but makes for a better surface for the mycorrhizal fungi to stick to.
Choose the right position: ensure that you choose a planting position for your rose that is bright and airy and receives a minimum of around four hours of sunlight during the growing season. While roses are sun lovers, some varieties can tolerate some shade. Avoid areas that are dark and dank. Try to avoid too any positions where the roses will be in too much root competition.
Know and improve your soil: get to know your soil. Roses prefer a moisture retentive and humus-rich soil with a neutral pH. Avoid extremes. Improve your soil with a spadeful or two of soil improver at the time of planting.
Dig and position: dig your hole a minimum of 45cm deep and wide and ensure that you break up the soil at the bottom of the hole. Position the bud union – the knuckle/knobbly bit – around 5cm below the soil level. We do this because it avoids wind rock. All the weight of the plant will be on the bud union when it grows and, if it is windy and it rocks around, this can cause damage to fibrous roots.
Use mycorrhizal fungi: hold the plant roots horizontally over the whole and sprinkle the mycorrhizal fungi onto the wet roots. Most of the fungi will stick to the roots, and the remainder will fall into the whole. This forms a mutually beneficial relationship between the fungi and plant roots.
Re-position and plant: re-position the plant with the bud union 5cm below the soil level, centre the plant and backfill with your improved soil.
Can you plant bare root roses in a container?
If your borders are full, you don't have access to soil or you have a small balcony garden, you can still nourish a bare root rose. You can follow the same steps, but use a container instead of planting directly into the soil. ‘The trick with containers is to select a pot big enough and choose the correct growing medium. We recommend a pot size a minimum of 45cm deep and wide,’ says Liam from David Austin. ‘The bigger the better as potted plants are completely dependent on the gardener for watering and feeding. The growing medium is also important. We advise a 50:50 mixture of John Innes No. 3 and multi-purpose compost. Alternatively you could use a rose, tree, and shrub compost. You will still want to ensure that the bud union is around 5cm below the soil level and leave a lip in the pot so that when you water the compost does not spill on your patio!’
Bare root roses are available to buy online from David Austin.
