Home > Projects >

How to plant a bare-root rose

You will need: Spade, cane, rose, fork, fertiliser

There are two schools of thought about rose planting, regarding whether or not the graft union should be buried. Here we show you planting with the graft above ground. This reduces the chance of rot occurring at this point or the scion forming roots. See What is Grafting? in our Gardening Basics section.

Best time to do it:

Step 1

Dig a hole large enough for the root system of your new plant, including room to spread the roots out.

Step 2

Use a short cane to work out how deep the hole should be. If the graft union is not obvious, then leave the very upper part of the brown root system above ground level.

Step 3

Fill in the hole around the roots and firm around the plant with your heel. This stops the plant rocking in the wind, which would break off new roots as they began to grow out into the surrounding soil.

Step 4

Add a measure of general fertiliser around the plant, fork it lightly into the soil and water well. This settles the soil around the roots and washes fertiliser sown towards the rooting zone. Cut any ties, but leave labels in place.

Related FAQs

Ask a gardening question:

Latest Gardening News

Join Mr Fothergills & Darlac in The Chelsea Chop

RHS Celebrates National Gardening Week

BIG Changes for RHS Shows

A Good Garden Boosts Property Price More than Extending

Gardening Projects for April

---

How to Care for Bulbs after flowering

How to sow large seed

How to prick off

How to: New orchids from old

Latest Gardening Videos

---

Planting Vegetables in Succession

Lawn Drainage

Potting On Small Roses

How to Grow Perennial Scabius

Treating white fly and red spider mite

Apples in Spring

All Videos

Explore Gardens from Around the World

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens
Tokyo, Japan

Majorelle Garden
Marrakesh, Morocco

The New York Botanical Garden
New York, United States

Monet's Garden, Giverny
Giverny, France

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Melbourne, Australia

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona, USA