[Arid_gardener] rose care

[Janet Howe]

Original question:

 

I have a flower bed in front of the north side of my house.  It contains

3 rose bushes that are pretty established.  The problem I have is that

the soil is very clay-like and tends to dry up and crackle.  It looks

awful.  What do I need to add to it to prevent the crackling?  

 

I was thinking about removing the bed entirely and building it up with a

flagstone wall and then filling it again with another type of soil, but

I'm concerned the rose bushes will die if I change out the soil.  Should

I be concerned and, if not, then what type of soil should I use when I

refill it.

 

~ Kelly

 

      

 

 

Answer:

 

Kelly, if you have established roses in this area and don't want to replant them, I'd recommend amending the soil.  Roses like soil with lots of organic matter, so using a good, aged compost and a deep mulch on top might be the way to go.  Without disturbing the roots, work compost into the existing soil, then top with more compost or other mulching material on top.  The roses here at home get a good 3-4 inches of mulch on top of the soil, then as that breaks down, in the fall it gets worked into the soil, then more mulch is added, etc. Our roses seem to really like this.  The compost and mulch will also help with drainage, as roses like a lot of water, but don't like their roots to be water logged.

 

If you want to remove the roses and make changes to the bed, wait until winter to transplant.  If transplanting the existing roses, here's some information on transplanting:

 

It is recommended in a number of rose care books that if the plants are three years or older, consider buying new plants instead.  If you choose to transplant your existing roses, you'll want to move them some time between December and March.  

 

Prior to transplanting, cut the roses back 1/3 to ½.  One of the most important things for roses is good drainage.  Prepare the new location prior to digging up the plant by using the existing soil amended with compost and well draining materials -- if you are installing a raised bed, you'll need to use additional soil anyway, so when you refill the bed -- a recommended mixture is ½ native soil with ½ compost/mulch/pumice/sand mixutre.  Dig the holes for the plants a minimum of 18-30" deep and wide - depending upon the size of the root balls you will be removing.  In the bottom of each hole, add one cup of soil sulfur or gypsum and one cup triple superphosphate or bone meal for phosphorus (phosphorus will promote vigorous blooming).  

 

When digging up your roses, take care to save as much of the root system as possible.  Plan to take a ball of soil along with the roots, to keep the damage to existing roots to a minimum.  Place the root ball into the hole, ensuring that the bud union is approximately 2" above the surrounding soil level - this will help prevent disease.  Add your soil mixture until the hole is approximately ½ full, then fill with water and allow to drain out - this will help ensure the soil settles properly and air pockets are removed.  Check to ensure the bud union is still 2" above surrounding soil level, then fill the hole and water in well again, allowing to drain.  Again check to ensure the bud union is 2" above the surrounding soil level, add additional soil if necessary and pat into place.  Water sufficiently to maintain a moisture depth of at least 2 feet.  How much water this will take depends upon your soil, weather conditions, etc.  It's best to water slowly to ensure the water has time to percolate into the soil.   

 

Do not add additional fertilizer until you see the first bloom in the spring.  Once you have bloom, plan to apply small amounts of slow release fertilizer every 6-8 weeks during the growing season (usually through June).  Discontinue fertilizer in the heat of summer, then begin again in October.

 

Good luck with your roses!

 

Janet Howe

Master Gardener volunteer

Maricopa County Cooperative Extension

 

 

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