Roses are known to everyone as extremely capricious garden plants. But the beauty of this plant is so fascinating that every season thousands of gardeners think about how to plant a rose. We talk about all the subtleties of this process.
It is recommended to plant roses in the spring only after the soil temperature reaches 10-12°C. It is advisable to choose seedlings with buds that have not yet blossomed or with very short shoots. As for the place of planting, for most types of roses, sunny places on the south-eastern and southern sides of the site are the most optimal.
How to prepare rose seedlings for planting
Before planting, perform the following important steps:
- Remove the seedling from the packaging. Carefully remove the protective material, trying not to damage the plant. You can plant a seedling together with a packing net only if it is provided by the manufacturer (decomposable packing material – paper).
- Spread the roots and carefully examine them. If you find signs of the disease, treat the seedling with any biofungicide. Cut off the dried or damaged roots of the rose, in normal roses, renew the sections, trimming them by about 1-2 cm, so that the healthy white core is visible. Over time, this will allow the rose to absorb nutrients better. If the roots are too long, then root it to 30-35 centimeters.
- If necessary, cut the shoots. Planting roses in the open ground in the spring also involves cutting the shoots of the seedling. Examine the shoots, remove the broken and thinnest ones. Cut the longest branches of roses to a level of 30-35 cm. Leave the strongest branches on the bush and cut them to 2-7 buds, depending on the species.
- If the stems are covered with paraffin, before planting, clean the shoots with a wooden toothpick so that the rose can “breathe more freely”. Draw a longitudinal line – the wax will begin to lag behind the bark of the seedling. Carefully pick up the layer of wax with a toothpick, lifting it. Clean the rose sapling from the wax.
- Soak the roots of the seedlings. To fill the lack of moisture, immerse the roots of seedlings (up to the root neck) for 2-3 hours in water or a solution of any growth stimulator (prepare the preparation according to the instructions). Then, for disinfection, immerse the roots of the seedlings for 20 minutes in a solution of copper sulfate.
Planting roses in spring: the main rules
The place for planting a rose should be chosen based on the fact that this fastidious plant needs good lighting and protection from the wind. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant a rose under a tree, near a wall or in a lowland, as such conditions contribute to the development of diseases and rotting of the bushes.
If roses previously grew on the site selected for planting, then the soil layer must be replaced with a new one (to a depth of ≈50 cm). The level of soil acidity is also important – roses prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5). If the soil in the area does not meet these indicators, the pH level can be adjusted.
Pits for planting rose seedlings are made 40-60 cm wide. If the soil is loamy, the depth of the pit is calculated as follows: 15 cm is added to the length of the roots. On heavy clay soil, the pit is made deeper (60-70 cm). At the bottom of the pit, pour compost or humus mixed with 1-2 tbsp. ash, and on top – a mound from the upper fertile layer of the soil.
Dip the roots of the prepared seedlings in a mixture of clay pot with fertilizer (the local store will advise you on the fertilizer that is suitable for your soil), then place the seedling on the mound, straightening the roots. Then fill the hole with the seedling with soil, deepening the grafting site by 3-8 cm. To protect the root neck from temperature changes, carefully compact the soil around the plant.
Water the planted rose abundantly. You can use the same solution that remained after soaking the seedling. Try not to get on the shoots, otherwise the plant risks getting sunburned. If, after abundant watering, the vaccination site is exposed, cover it with earth. The final stage is mulching the planting with compost, humus or dry earth. Then the planted rose should be shaded for 10-12 days.
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