Roses

[Wilma]

I just overspent my Visa allowance for this month and bought myself some roses.  Now I need some advice on the best way to plant them.  I have planted roses before, some successfully, some not so.  What do you think is the best way to plant roses?

[larryJ]

IN THE GROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

Sorry, Wilma, I just couldn't let that one slip by.   

Larryj

[Rudy Taylor]

I plant mine in fertile ground (even if I have to import it), then apply good Miracle Gro or something similar. I also use an inexpensive fungicide to spray on the leaves. That helps keep away the black spots.  And most importantly, I spread Rose Food granules around the base of the plant to keep disease and insects away.

But I'm no rose expert.  Just sharing our flower garden experiences.

[Wilma]

I expected that from you, Larry.  That's why I left it open.  Thanks, Rudy.

[Diane Amberg]

 Pick an area with almost full sun if possible and about 18'' apart, or more. For me, I plant about 18 '' deep or about to where the graft knuckle is. Nice big hole in good or amended soil, well drained. Make a pointed mound of soil in the hole and spread the roots out over it pressing down firmly but gently to hold in place.  Cover up to the knuckle, dishing the dirt a little to hold water. I prune back to the first set of five leaves that face outward, if there are leaves present.  Water in thoroughly and often until they settle in. Try not to wet the leaves. I'm sure others have tips better for Kansas specifically. Do you have Japanese beetles out there?  We do and lots of black spot too. For fertilizer, I do as Rudy does and use a systemic black spot preventer also.

[Wilma]

I didn't know about the systemic black spot preventer.  I have to go back to the nursery anyway.  After placing the roses about where I want them, I can see that I can use 4 or 5 more.

[Jo McDonald]

Oh Wilma --- sounds like you received some very good advice ( all except Larry of course  lol )
I hope they thrive and do well for you.

[larryJ]

WHAT???

You can do all that other stuff mentioned above, but you still gotta put it IN THE GROUND!!!!!!!!

On a sidenote; When my Grandmother Andrews was alive, she had one specific rose bush on the south side of the house.  After she passed, the house was torn down (by Bill Redmond, I suspect} and the rose bush was moved to his house near the fence on the east side of his house.  On my last visit there, I took a cutting and tried to get it home, but it died.  It was a mostly symbolic thing as we have all the roses we need.  I suppose it is still there if it still lives.  My Grandmother died in 1962 so it is a very old rose bush if it is still alive.  Just some old memories.

Larryj

[Wilma]

What kind and what color?  Janet lives just across the alley from where Bill lived until he moved to his aunt's house.  She lives on S. Pennsylvania.  I don't know the name of the street where he lived.  Or maybe he was living somewhere else at the time.  I have never tried a cutting, but I know how to dig up things.

[Jo McDonald]

I always dug a small trench along side of the existing bush and laid a limb of the bush in it, covered it with soil.  There would be a new bush come up from that, and I would transplant it.  If the bush is still there, some one ( I would if you want) can do that for you - or at least try.  If there was a new start, then it would be safely mailed to you.

Jo