Roses

Planting:

• Plant in late February or very early March. Fall planting is not recommended.
• As soon as plants arrive they should be soaked in water, overnight if possible, and then planted immediately.
• Prune broken roots and prune tips of remaining roots to force growth on feeder roots.
• Beds or individual holes should be dug a minimum of 18-24" deep, and plants spaced 3' apart for adequate light and air circulation to discourage diseases.
• Spread a 6" layer of organic matter (compost, Black Cow, pine bark mulch, etc.) over the soil, add 1/2 to 1 cup of dolomitic lime plus 1 cup of bonemeal or superphosphate per plant, and mix well into the prepared soil. Do not put any other fertilizer in the planting hole. Build a cone in the center of the hole. When the plant is set on top of the cone, the bud union should be just slightly above ground level. Carefully spread the roots around the cone. Fill the hole 3/4 full with soil, packing it closely around the roots to eliminate air pockets. Tamp down evenly and fill the hole with water. After the water has drained, use the rest of the soil to build a 6-8" mound around the base of the plant. As the weather warms up, reduce the mound gradually.

Established Plants:

• When they show 1" of growth, in late March or early April.
• Late May.
• End of July or early August. Do not fertilize after August 10th.

New Plants: Do not fertilize in spring until buds are forming.

Type and amount: Use 1/2 cup per plant of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10, put in a circle about 6" from the stem; scratch the soil lightly and water it in well.

Insect and Disease Control Spray Program:

1. Begin spray program about April when leaves are almost fully out (start sooner in an early spring). Continue spraying at 7-10 day intervals through the end of October. Be sure to spray both sides of the leaves. Do not spray when the temperature is above 85 degrees.

2. Formula:
   

   	1 gallon of water
   	4 teaspoons Captan
   	1/2 tablespoon benomyl (Benlate)
   	1 tablespoon acephate (Orthene)*
   	10 drops Spreader Sticker (helps spray adhere to leaves)
   	* 4 teaspoons of liquid Sevin may be substituted for acephate but ONLY during prevalence of Japanese beetles

3. In January or early February, after plants were cut back in December and have gone into dormancy, apply a dormant spray: Use liquid lime sulphur according to label directions, covering the bed AND bushes thoroughly. If red spider mites, black spot or mildew have been serious problems during the previous year, this dormant spray may be repeated after 2 weeks. Do not use this spray after sprouts have formed.

4. Sanitation is an important part of disease control. Rake up and destroy any diseased leaves that have fallen to the ground, since they contain the innoculum for next year's disease. In early spring, remove old mulch and replace with fresh mulch.

Pruning:

• Cut back to 2-3' in late December to prevent the wind from rocking plants out of the ground.
• Prune again in February to the height of your knee, 18-24", cutting 1/4" above an outside eye. Some growers use shellac on tips of all canes as large as a pencil to seal out stem borers. Always cut out dead or diseased canes to sound wood, and remove twiggy, unthrifty growth.
• Climbers: Prune after first bloom in spring. If any suckers rise from below graft union, cut them off immediately. If newly planted, do not prune long canes for first two years.
• Ramblers: Bloom in spring on last year's growth. After bloom, remove at their base any canes that flowered and select 3 or more young canes to take their place.

When roses begin to bloom, cut short stems, leaving 2-5 leaflet sets on stem. As the season progresses, longer stems may be cut.