Bareroot Roses - beginner style!

What about growing roses in containers?

Most of the roses you will find in packages will do well in containers, providing they are planted well and given plenty of moisture. For the average Hybrid Tea or Floribunda rose, the minimum container size should be that of about a half-barrel. For smaller containers, try miniature roses or one of the "Flower Carpet" series, which are not commonly available as bare-root plants. These are more easily sourced as plants in May or June.

Choosing a rose

Some rose varieties are less disease resistant than others, while some varieties that do well in one area will not do well in another. In many ways, choosing which variety of rose you want to grow is much like deciding on which tomato seeds to plant. Currently, most of the roses available in the bare-root form can be included in the following 4 classes...

• Large-flowered Roses - includes Hybrid Teas and most Grandifloras. Flowers are medium to large-sized with high, symmetrical centres. These made good cut-flowers and if pruned properly will produce long stems with only a few side-buds.
• Cluster-flowered Roses - includes Floribundas, and are distinguished by a mass of medium-sized flowers produced in clusters or on numerous stems. These make nice cut flowers as well, and produce a bright display of colour.
• Climbing Roses - obviously, these are climbers, but it should be noted that they will need support in order to climb. They will not attatch themselves to wood or any other material, so plan ahead with a lattice or framework. Be ready with twist-ties to support the rapidly-growing stems.
• Antiques and Shrub Roses - This class commonly includes "old-garden" roses, and many are sold under the "David Austin" trademark. These are also great for hedging and specimen plantings, and they often have a strong fragrance. Shrub roses are often large, tall plants.

Choosing a good plant

• A good specimen will have several branches the thickness of a pencil.
• In certain areas, wax is applied to the branches when the rose is packaged or dug up. In the desert southwest, or in similar warm, arid regions, avoid buying plants coated in wax. Often, warm, dry conditions can cause the plant to suffocate under the wax. In other areas, the wax is meant to protect the stems for damage and cold temperatures. If you do purchase a waxed plant, be sure to scrape a bit of the wax away and take a look underneath. If the stems are green,
  The copyright of the article Bareroot Roses - beginner style! in Perennials is owned by Jojo Sigurgeirson. Permission to republish Bareroot Roses - beginner style! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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