If you are planting bare root bushes, make sure that you have soaked them in a bucket of water for at least a few hours before planting, I always try for overnight; then I am fairly sure the plant is well hydrated. I will then prepare the new planting holes.

My planting holes are around 18 inches deep by two feet wide, with the soil going into a wheelbarrow. The soil returning to the hole will only be ½ of what was removed. In the wheel barrel I will mix in organic materials such as well-rotted chicken or steer manures, Tagro or compost. I also have a mixture that I put in the bottom of each hole. I mix together 1 cup each of Epsom salts, kelp meal, bone meal, cottonseed meal, blood meal, dolomite lime and alfalfa meal. If I am planting two roses I double the mixture. Each planting hole will get 5 cups mixed into the soil. Do not add any chemical nitrogen at this time. We don’t want to encourage any top growth at this time of the year.

I set the rose in the hole to see if the hole needs to be adjusted. If not, I will put some of the wheelbarrow soil mixture in the bottom and add 3 cups of the meal mixture. At this time I also add ¼ cup of superphosphate and mix it all together. This is your only chance to put phosphate at the root level of the rose. It takes many years to reach the roots from the surface.

With this all mixed together I will make a cone for the rose to sit on, making sure that the bud union is above the ground level. Set the bush carefully on the cone and spread out the roots, holding the plant steady. Begin filling the hole with the soil mixture, pressing it gently with your hands. When the hole is half filled, fill the hole with water to help eliminate air pockets. After the hole has drained, I add the remaining 2 cups of the meal mixture and then fill the rest of the hole with the soil mixture. Press down gently with your hands and water again.