Ensure rose success by planting hardy varieties and carefully transplanting them into the garden. Winterize them properly by burying, caging or moving inside.
In our zone 5 climate, we must take great care when planting and caring for our roses. They need special attention when going into the ground. Certain varieties that thrive in our climate must be chosen. Specific techniques must be employed to ensure that they survive the hard freezes and deep snows that come with our winters. With a bit of preparation and care, though, we can have beautiful rose blossoms all summer.
There are certain species of roses that will grow particularly well in zone 5. Knockout Roses (Rosa sp.) are easy to grow and are quite hardy in this area. They tolerate the heat and the cold, although they do benefit from some winter protection. Easy Elegance Roses (Rosa sp.) live up to their name, offering beauty and grace while being very low-maintenance. They are quite hardy and disease resistant and will bloom all season long! Also try the hardy Blaze Climbing Roses (Rosa sp.), which can cover a fence or arbor with brilliant red roses from summer well into fall.
The best time to plant roses is in cool, but not cold, weather. In our area, that is April-June and October-November. If your rose is potted, you can transplant it much like any other shrub. Dig a deep hole, big enough for the root ball to fit, add plenty of organic matter (either compost or decomposed manure) and set in your rose! Roses thrive best in slightly acidic soil (pH of 6.5) so, if your soil is more basic, sulfur may be added when planting roses. Phosphorous, in the form of bone meal or as part of a basic NPK fertilizer, will increase blooming. If its roots are tightly wound together, gently pull them apart a bit before setting it in the hole. Cover the roots at the base of the plant with soil and press down firmly. Water deeply directly afterward and you should be set!
Several techniques can be employed to winterize your roses. You can dig a trench to bury your rose, carefully tying branches together and laying it down in a trench dug next to the root ball (so it is not uprooted) and then covered with soil. A small cage can be built around a rose bush then filled with organic material such as compost, straw or leaves, to insulate it. This works well for climbing roses, especially.
