How to Plant Bare Root Roses

This is one of those spring garden tasks that might seem intimidating, but actually, the process is incredibly simple if you have follow a few basic steps. Here’s how to plant bare root roses.

This year is going to be the year of the roses in my garden, and I can’t wait. I recently added several new rose bushes in shades of cream, butter yellow, and champagne, and I used bare root roses this time, so I thought I’d share the planting process with you today. Planting roses as bare root plants might seem like an expert-only gardening endeavour, but it’s actually really easy, and I was so thrilled to see how these new additions to my garden took off and started putting out new growth immediately once I got them into the ground. If you love to grow roses in your garden, this is such a great way to bring in new bloom varieties in the spring and try a few options that might not be available at your local nursery. Here’s how to plant bare root roses.

What are Bare Root Roses?

Bare root roses are dormant plants that have had the soil gently removed from the root system, leaving only the roots and the canes. These plants will typically be shipped directly from the grower to your door as quickly as possible and will usually be wrapped in brown paper, plastic, or both to help retain moisture. Because the soil has been removed, the plant is very lightweight and cost-efficient to ship.

Bare root plants are usually ordered from specialty nurseries, allowing home gardeners to have access to top-quality plants in many interesting colors and species that they might not normally be able to find in their area at local garden centres. My roses came from Jackson & Perkins, an iconic source for roses for over 150 years, and I had so much fun looking through all the options available.

More spring gardening ideas: 5 Cottage Garden Plants That Are Virtually Bulletproof

Preparing to Plant Bare Root Roses

It’s important to plant your roses as soon as you can after they arrive on your doorstep. Within a few days is ideal. Before you can begin planting, soak the roots of your roses in a bucket of water, making sure to fully submerge the roots, but to avoid submerging the canes. Leave the roots to soak for 24 to 48 hours to wake them back up, and you’ll be ready to plant.

The planting location you choose should be as sunny as possible, and receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. This is what is considered “full sun,” but truly, the more sun, the happier your roses will be. Roses prefer moist, well-drained soil in a spot with good air circulation to prevent mold and mildew, so choose a spot where they’ll have plenty of room to breath.

Fixing rose problems in your garden: What to Do When You See Yellow Leaves on Roses

The Easy Planting Process

To plant your roses, begin by digging a hole that’s at least twice as wide and twice as deep as the reach of your rose’s roots.

Trim the canes of your rose to 5-6″ to encourage new growth. This will help to ensure that all your rose’s new energy will be going directly into new growth, which will later results in lots of beautiful blooms.

Place the rose into the hole so that the crown of the rose (where the roots meet the canes) is level with the top of the soil, or just below.

Begin filling your hole in with a mix of organic material and existing soil from the hole you dug. Water frequently as you’re filling in the hole to remove air bubbles.

Once your hole is filled, firmly pat down the soil and cover with mulch to help retain moisture.

Your rose is now planted and ready to start growing!

More helpful ideas for growing roses: How to Use Epsom Salt for Roses and Other Plants

Caring for Bare Root Roses After Planting

Here is one of the places that I planted some roses. I still need to tidy this garden up for the spring and put down some more fresh mulch, but the rose doesn’t mind. It’s just happy to be planted and ready to grow. By the time this rose blooms, this garden will be beautiful. 🙂

Once bare root roses are planted, you can treat them like any new planting from a nursery or garden centre. Make sure to water them deeply and regularly to encourage deep root growth. Water them at least a couple of times per week, and more once the weather really heats up in the summer.

Feed your roses with a fertilizer designed specifically for roses or blooming plants once a month during the spring and summer months, and stop applying plant food about 6-8 weeks before the first hard frost of the fall.

Don’t worry about pruning your roses until the next spring. When buds start to swell and show signs of life in March or April, prune the canes back down to about 12-18 inches, and prepare for another year of beautiful new growth!

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