Soil Preparation for Healthy Roses

Many gardeners fear roses, but these lovely scented plants aren’t that difficult to grow. The most important thing to know is in the foundation. The key to growing a healthy rose is in the planting location and in the soil itself. Tea roses, climbing roses, antique roses, china roses and any other rose in this large family all need basically the same foundation.

Micro-Climates

Before planting, consider the micro-climate where the rose is to be placed. Roses need protection from drying winds. They need lots of sun and they need the air to flow freely around them. Those are the location basics.

Roses and Soil Characteristics

Roses can grow in any soil, but they do seem partial to clay. However, there are three characteristics the soil must have; drainage, humus and the soil must be rich in nutrients or natural plant food before the gardener sticks the plant in the soil and buries its roots.

Drainage

Drainage is very important to the rose. Like all plants, other than swamp or pond-loving plants, roses hate sitting in puddles. There has to be a happy medium for them. They need moisture, but don’t drown them in it. Don’t plant a rose where standing puddles are visible after a rain or in wet, sodden areas.

If unsure of the position, dig a test hole about 12″ deep and fill it with water. If it still has water in it in a couple of days, then it’s obviously not draining well. Heavier clay soils can be amended with the addition of gritty sand. The gardener can also add manure, compost or peat moss to the soil, deeper than she would normally dig the hole for the rose. In most cases it’s that easy.

If the gardener is determined and has time and money, she could do more digging and install a drainage tile bed, but simple soil amendment usually does the trick.

The Benefit of Humus

Humus is decaying vegetable matter – decaying rather than decayed. Once decayed only texture is left. All the good nutrients are gone. So it will be necessary to add compost from time to time even after planting. Humus has a few benefits to the rose. It absorbs the moisture that would otherwise drain away and releases it only as the rose roots need it. It encourages bacterial growth in the soil, important for the addition of nutrients. Humus conditions the soil to allow air and water to penetrate it easily.

Well-Rotted Cow Manure

Composted well-rotted cow manure is available in garden centers in large bags. This creates the perfect humus environment for roses. Peat moss, also easily available in large bags will absorb and hold moisture. So with a good helping of kitchen compost, well-rotted cow manure and peat moss the gardener will create a perfect fountain for a rose. But the roots can’t get those nutrients without water and roses don’t like their beds to dry out completely.

Food for Roses

Plant Foods can be bought in nurseries today, but there are also more natural plant foods – things the gardener can do herself easily. Roses need nutrients from four basic ‚”food groups”; nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and calcium. There are more to mention, but they are only trace elements and the rose grower doesn’t need to worry about them in soil preparation. Trace elements exist naturally in most soils.

1. Nitrogen stimulates the growth of leaves and stems. Too much and it will delay or halt the production of flowers. This is true for many plants.
2. Phosphorus on the other hand, stimulates flower production and gives strength to the stems. Potassium ensures vigorous root growth. It balances the overabundance of nitrogen and helps the rose to resist disease.
3. Calcium is not just a plant food, but assists in helping the rose absorb the other plant foods. These four nutrients provide a well-balanced diet for the rose.

Most plant food materials can be found in the organic matter already mentioned; peat moss, compost and cow manure. The soil will become rich in nutrients, looser and more friable and it will both hold moisture and drain water away. This is basic soil preparation for a rose and will give it the perfect foundation.

References

The Rockwell’s Complete Book of Roses, F.F. Rockwell, Doubleday, 1958