Dreaming of Roses? Now’s the Time to Plant Them Bare Root
There’s never a bad time to daydream of roses. But right now, as we dive into winter, it’s the best time to plant them: Bare root season is upon us.
Photography courtesy of David Austin Roses.
The beautiful soft peachy pink blooms of Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’.
Bare root means exactly that—these are plants with their roots free of soil that are pulled up from the ground when they go dormant from late autumn through to the start of the following spring.
1. It’s more sustainable.
2. It’s cheaper.
Bare root plants more economical to transport—and also cheaper to buy: A bare root is normally around two thirds of the price of a potted rose (for hedging plants and trees, the difference between bare root and potted plants is significantly more).
3. It helps establish the plant.
Getting bare root plants into the ground also gives them a good chance to settle and establish their roots before the growing season too with no watering required.
Keep plants in the packaging they’ve been delivered in until you are ready to plant.
When your roses arrive it’s best to carefully follow the planting procedure.
How to Plant Roses Bare Root
Carefully teasing a pack of bare root plants apart before planting.
As with any planting, ensure you give your roses the best possible start. Heel the soil in so that it’s firmly compressed around the plant.
The luscious crimson flowers of Rosa ‘Thomas A Becket’.