: SELECTION, PLANTING, & CARE Page 1

ROSES: Publication Number SELECTION, PLANTING, & CARE 31-156 (revised ADAPTED from Roses: Their Selection, Planting, & Care, by Donald R. Hodel, Environmental Horticulturist, UCCE July 2003) Los Angeles County, and John Karlik, Environmental Advisor, UCCE Kern County. Roses have long been the most GRANDIFLORAS varieties but might not bloom as loved flowering shrubs in home profusely. Intermediate between the hybrid . Indeed, they are Consider some of the All- popularly referred to as the queen teas and floribundas, they combine the large flowers of American Selections of flowers. A few simple steps will (AARS). Roses earn this award help to ensure that your roses hybrid teas with the increased bloom production of floribundas after two-to-three year grow and flower well and are evaluations in test gardens worthy of their noble title. and have long stems on a vigorous shrub five to eight feet around the country. AARS SELECTION tall. designation means these roses are often more disease resistant Roses have an undeserved CLIMBERS and have sturdy growth and reputation as temperamental They have flexible stems to exceptional flowers. When requiring enormous twenty feet long or more and selecting plants, look for disease- amounts of care. Rather, roses need support on a structure, such resistant varieties. are easy to grow and have very as a wall, fence, trellis, espalier, Roses require protection from few pest problems if adapted pergola, or arbor. varieties are selected and wind and need high light to be properly situated in the or LANDSCAPE ROSES healthy and perform best. Pick a landscape. There are many types wind-protected place in your Sometimes called shrub roses, garden with full sun all day near of roses available to fit most these are varieties developed for landscape situations in the home the coast or with late afternoon use as general landscape plants, shade in hot inland areas. Space garden. The two broad categories and offer several advantages. are and landscape roses so there is room to move They possess glossy green and work between plants. Do not roses. Garden roses include the leaves, have few thorns, and well known hybrid teas, crowd them since plants need require little for disease good air movement for disease floribundas, grandifloras, and and pest control. They are well climbers, and are planted mostly prevention. Soil should be well suited for low maintenance drained but still retain water. Clay for their flowers. The main garden landscapes, including drip roses include the following: and sandy soils are okay but irrigation, and do not require watering must be adjusted, HYBRID TEAS removal of old flowers since heavier and infrequent on clay petals fall away cleanly. Growing They are the most common roses and lighter but frequent on sandy on their own roots and not soils. If you have companion in home gardens today. They budded or grafted, landscape form a shrub three to five feet tall plants, choose ones with the roses flower throughout the year same or similar light, soil, and with large, mostly single but with greatest bloom in mid-spring spectacular flowers. water requirements as roses. and early autumn. Bark mulch or wood chips help to FLORIBUNDAS Some other kinds of roses include retain soil moisture. These have smaller flowers borne miniatures and English garden Place roses where their splendid, more profusely in clusters on a types. Miniatures make good colorful flowers can be admired shrub two to four feet tall. Many of container plants. English roses from the house. Roses serve today’s newer varieties resemble and certain older varieties have double duty in the garden and hybrid teas. more fragrance than some newer COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Placer County WEB SITE: ceplacernevada.ucdavis.edu Nevada County

The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, 11477 E Avenue (Bldg 306, DeWitt Center) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical 255 So Auburn (Veterans Memorial Bldg) Auburn, California 95603 The Universitycondition of (cancer-related), California, in accordance ancestry, maritalwith applicable status, citizenship, Federal and sexual State orienlaw andtation, University or status policy, as a does not Grass Valley, California 95945 discriminateVietnam-era on veteran the basis or ofspecial race, disabledcolor, national veteran. origin, Inquiries religion, regarding sex, disability, the University’s age, medical nondiscrimination condition (cancer- PHONE (530) 889-7385 related),policies ancestry, may be marital directed status, to the citizenship, Affirmative sexual Action orientation, Director, University or status ofas California, a Vietnam-era veteran and or special PHONE (530) 273-4563 disabledNatural veteran. Resources, Inquiries 1111 Franklin,regarding 6th the Floor, University’s Oakland, nondiscrimination California 94607-5200. policies may (510) be 987-0096. directed to the UFAXNIVERSITY (530) 889-7397 OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVEAffirmativeUnited E ActionStatesXTENSION Director, Department University of Agriculture, of California, University Agriculture of California,and Natural Placer Resources, and Nevada 1111 Franklin, Counties 6th Floor, PLACER & NFAXEVADA (530) C OUNTIES273-4769 Oakland, Californiacooperating. 94607-5200. (510) 987-0096. E-Mail: [email protected] United States Department of Agriculture, University of California, Placer & Nevada Counties cooperating. E-Mail: [email protected] ROSES: SELECTION, PLANTING, & CARE Page 2

landscape as providers of cut bare-root roses the same flowers of legendary quality. day they are purchased. They can The landscape roses fulfill the be stored up to seven days if left same garden and landscape roles in a cool place and roots are kept as most other shrubs. They find moist. Dig a hole large enough to use as flowering borders, spread the roots evenly without foreground plants, barriers, crumpling them. Mound a firm groundcovers, and even as cone of soil in the center of the informal hedges. They are hole and spread the roots over unusually effective when massed, the cone, taking care to keep the such as in a formal or informal bud union four inches above the rose garden. Of course, a single, soil line. Backfill around the roots solitary plant with spectacular with unamended soil originally flowers and without competing taken from the hole. Settle the soil plants is an unsurpassed accent by inserting a hose and flooding or specimen. Miniature roses the backfill. Form a watering Make the cut at an outward- make fine potted specimens, basin three to four inches high facing leaf or bud. which can be positioned around and about three feet diameter Begin each cut about one- eighth the garden or patio as needed. around the plant or place a drip inch above the bud or leaf and emitter about six inches from the angle it downward at 45° towards PLANTING stem. Spread a two-inch layer of the inside of the cane. mulch in the basin and water Roses are available at the thoroughly. For containerized Climbing roses should not be nursery or garden center as either roses select a plant in at least a pruned for two to three years after packaged or unpackaged bare- three-gallon-size container. Dig a planting, allowing them to become root, dormant plants in the winter hole twice as wide but the same large, well established plants. At and early spring or as depth as the root ball. Carefully that time select six, well spaced, containerized plants year round. remove the plant from the horizontal, spreading canes and Avoid selecting packaged plants container and place it in the tie them to the support. Remove kept in a warm, sunny location at center of the hole. Continue all remaining canes and any the nursery; they might be planting as you would for bare- coming from below the bud union. desiccated and/or have weak, root plants. premature shoot growth. Subsequent annual pruning each PRUNING January consists of removing only Bare-root plants are usually less those old and unproductive expensive, require less care, are In most cases prune roses in canes, adding two or three new, easier to handle and plant, and January. For garden roses like main canes to replace those offer a much wider selection of hybrid teas, floribundas, and removed. Flowers form on short types and varieties. grandifloras, cut out all weak, laterals or spurs arising from the Containerized plants are more diseased, and dead stems main canes. Cut these back to expensive but offer the benefit of (canes) and those crossing over three buds at annual pruning. being able to see exactly what the others or arising from below the Prune strictly spring-flowering flowers are like if purchased bud union. climbers after during the blooming period. Also, Leave six to ten canes evenly flowering ends, not containerized roses can add spaced in a circle around the in January. instant color to the garden and plant and growing toward the Landscape or are useful if one desires an outside, keeping the middle open shrub type roses instant full-sized plant to fill in an to form a vase-shaped structure. require less existing gap in the garden or Cut back these remaining stems detailed pruning; landscape. However, most roses or canes, leaving about one-third prune them mainly do not thrive in containers so to two-thirds of the previous to shape and plants potted the current year are year’s growth. Removing more control size. preferred to those carried over growth gives fewer, larger flowers Groundcover from previous years. on longer stems, while removing roses should only less growth retains plant size.

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be pruned to remove upright ADDITIONAL RESOURCES branches. Healthy Roses. 2000. ML. Flint and J. F. After pruning, rake up and discard Karlik. UC ANR Publication 21589. old leaves, twigs, and stems, and Roses: Cultural Practices and Weed spray plants and soil with a Control. 1999. John Karlik and M.L. dormant spray, oil, or sulfur if Flint. UC ANR Publication 7465. pests or diseases are problems. Roses: Diseases and Abiotic Disorders. Reapply mulch if necessary. 1999. John Karlik and M.L. Flint. UC GENERAL CARE ANR Publication 7463. Roses: Insect and Mite Pests and Roses flower on new growth, Beneficials. 1999. John Karlik and which occurs in cyclical flushes ML. Flint. UC IPM Publication 7466. throughout the growing season from about March through November. Each cycle begins However, occasional washing of with a flush of new growth and leaves with a strong spray of ends with a flush of blooms. water can reduce spider mites, a Instead of one or two heavy common pest in warm inland applications of fertilizer during the areas, and aphids. Wash leaves growing season, make several early in the morning so they can light applications, timing them just dry by nightfall. prior to each new flush of growth. When cutting or removing flowers, Use a fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio cut back far enough to remove at of 3-1-3 or 3-1-2 (e.g. 12-4-12 or least three leaves and to an 11-4-8). The total amount of outside leaf or bud, while still fertilizer applied during the leaving at least two leaves with growing season should not five leaflets on the cane. exceed the recommended yearly amount. Regularly inspect plants for pests, such as aphids, spider mites, and Water during the growing season thrips, and diseases, such as by flooding the basin with one to powdery mildew, rust, and black two inches of water using drip or spot. bubbler systems to water when the soil is dry one inch deep. Ask your nursery or garden center professional or additional Avoid frequent wetting of the information and assistance about leaves to reduce diseases. roses and their care.

WARNING ON THE USE OF CHEMICALS are poisonous. Always read and carefully follow all precautions and safety recommendations given on the container label. Store all chemicals in the original labeled containers in a locked cabinet or shed, away from food or feeds, and out of the reach of children, unauthor- ized persons, pets, and livestock. Confine chemicals to the property being treated. Avoid drift onto neighboring properties, especially gardens containing fruits and/or vegeta- bles ready to be picked. Dispose of empty containers carefully. Follow label instructions for disposal. Never reuse containers. Make sure empty containers are not accessible to children or animals. Never dispose of containers where they may contaminate water supplies or natural waterways. Do not pour down sink or toilet. Consult your county agricultural commissioner for correct ways of disposing of excess pesticides. Never burn containers. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PLACER & NEVADA COUNTIES