How To Treat Roses When They Arrive

The guide below will give you easy advice on how to treat and look after your roses once you have had them delivered of have taken them home from the nursery.   

Planting Bareroot Roses

Bareroot roses are dormant or semi-dormant plants that are supplied between November to March. The roots are dipped in water and shrink-wrapped in recyclable plastic before they are packed and dispatched from the nursery. Any bareroot ordered delivered between November and February need planting as soon as conditions allow, however they can also be stored in the supplied packaging for up to 3 weeks in a cool and draft free area. You can also heal your roses into a temporary hole in the garden instead on storing them in the bag supplied. Orders delivered in march will need planting as soon as they are received. Always make sure the roots remain most while they are being stored.  

If you have ordered more than one bareroot rose, you will typically find them in one single wrapped bundle. Any leaves on the bareroot roses you receive will go brown and fall off, do not worry as they will quickly bud up and re-shoot afterwards. 

Planting Potted Roses

Potted roses are supplied throughout the year and can be planted at any time so long as they are fully rooted in their compost and weather and soil conditions are not freezing or too wet. 

Unpack your potted rose as soon as you receive it. Remove the plastic bag and any gift wrap and place the rose (still in its supplied pot) outside and give it a thorough watering. Leave the plant in a semi-sunny position outside for the next 24 hours, this will give the plant chance to recover from the delivery process. 

If you receive a potted rose between November to June it may well be ‘recently potted’. This means the plant is not yet fully rooted into the compost and is less likely to have leaves and new shoots are just coming through. If this is the case the container the rose come in will have a warning sticker on advising you to leave the rose in its supplied pot until in full leaf and fully rooted. The rose should be ready to plant into its final position in late Spring or early summer, providing it has full leaf and is fully rooted. 

Keep potted roses outside and water them frequently, ensuring the compost is moist at all times until the plant is fully rooted and ready to be planted. In severe weather cover the plant with bubble wrap or a fleece during, if you receive prolonged day and night freezing temperatures move the rose to a cold greenhouse or a cool shed/garage. When more normal winter weather returns (night frosts to -5C) you can place the rose back outside again.