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Rose Care Notes developed by Melville Roses. Rob and Katie Melville
When to Plant
Planting roses may take place at any time of the year however autumn is ideal. In very hot weather it is preferable to plant late in the afternoon. Remember you MUST water every day when the roses are young, sometimes twice or more if very hot.
Where to Plant
Roses require a minimum of 6 hours of sun a day to perform their best. Roses are happiest away from invasive tree roots in an open position, they don’t like heavy competition but love friends such as other cottage perennials and salvias.
Watering
Watering…..WATER WATER WATER a minimum of 5 Litres per day for the roses first summer. When the weather is very hot (30+o Celsius plus) water at least twice a day, more if they are in pots. Try to water as late as possible in the morning so the water is available to the root system when the plant needs it.
Soil Preparation
Prepare the hole to a depth of .5m. Use 1 bag of Melville’s Exclusive Rose Planting Mix developed by Rob Melville which contains every thing the Rose requires
Alternatively a) half a bag of good quality potting mix and half a bag of sheep manure mixed together per rose bush.
Alternatively b) if unable to use potting mix use 3 parts sheep manure to 1 part of your exiting garden soil
How to Plant
Having dug the .5m hole add half the bag of potting mix etc and 2 handfuls of ‘slow release’ fertiliser no other type of fertiliser can be put at the bottom of a plant we recommend Osmocote for Roses (9 month). Place your rose bush into the hole so that the graft is above the soil line, backfill with rest of bag. Stake until established. Water in thoroughly. Do not apply quick release fertiliser at this time, as you have added the slow release already under your plant ONLY SLOW RELEASE FERTILISER CAN BE APPLIED UNDER ANY PLANT NEVER QUICK RELEASE FERTILISER OF ANY KIND
Mulching
Mulching is very beneficial to roses it helps keep the root-run cool, prevents weeds and helps reduce water consumption. After winter pruning we recommend a layer of sheep manure to combat our sandy soils topped off with lupin mulch or pea-hay applied to a depth of 50-75 mm, as the mulch breaks down nitrogen is released into the soil slowly feeding the roses. Other forms of mulch will pull nitrogen out of the soil.
Fertilising
After winter pruning fertilising can commence once the rose has put on about 5cm of new growth. Roses respond well to regular feeding every 4 to 6 weeks. Last feed April mid autumn to get a good flush of flowers then the plants can start slowing down ready for dormancy and their winter prune. An ‘all-purpose’ garden fertiliser such as Black Marvel should give a good balance of flowers and foliage. 2 handfuls for a two+ year old plant. 1 handful for a young plant sprinkled around the base.
Standard and Weeping Roses
Standards should be firmly secured to a stake strong enough to support the weight of a mature standard or weeper. A metal stake is recommended (star picket).
Staking
If your rose leaves the nursery having a stake please ensure you plant it either in the ground or chosen pot with its stake in place. This is to protect the graft and stabilise the root system. We recommend replacing the stake with a stronger one (such as a Jarrah picket) as the plant grows and develops.
Must Pot Up Or Plant in Ground
When purchasing a plant from ‘Melville Roses’ the plant is supplied in a pot that is a vessel for us to grow in. The plant must be either potted into a larger pot (minimum 50cm) or planted directly into the garden using premium potting mix, It can’t be left in the pot that its grown in it is too small and can’t supply the plant with enough nutrition and water
Staking…..If your rose leaves the nursery having a stake please ensure you plant it either in the ground or chosen pot with its stake in place. This is to protect the graft and stabilise the root system. We recommend replacing the stake with a stronger one (such as a Jarrah picket) as the plant grows and develops.
Roses in Pots…..Things to think about should you decide to put your roses in large pots instead of in the ground. Minimum sized pot 50cmx50cm
a) They will require more attention and observation as they are the equivalent to a ‘bird in a cage’
b) Remembering this analogy …… the bigger the bird (ROSE) the bigger the cage (POT)
C) They are never independent being caged (POTTED) they have no ability to source their own food and water therefore a little extra care is required, but it is worth it 🙂
Please Note
All Roses sold by Melville Roses are sent out in great condition. We cannot accept responsibility for any rose that fails through the negligence of care or horticultural inexperience. To attempt to avoid this, all of our roses are despatched with a comprehensive rose care guide. If there is a problem or the purchaser requires advice or assistance at a later date we are only too pleased to help and offer free advice please call us ASAP. All our roses are outdoor plants and are not to be kept indoors at any time.
Flower appearances may be affected by differing conditions such as temperature, soil-makeup sunlight etc.
Enjoy your garden and beautiful ROSES!!!!