Have you browsed through your favorite gardening catalog or website looking for the newest roses to plant in your garden and wondered whether it would be best to choose bareroot roses or those in nursery pots? Or does it matter? If you’re like most rose gardeners, this question has come up at one point or another. And we want to help you find the answer as to what’s the best for you and your garden.
Bareroot
Bareroot roses are an inexpensive and easy option for early-season planting. In fact, late winter is the best time to plant. Bareroot roses meet the highest industry standards. They arrive dormant, which makes them ideal for planting. The roots get to acclimate to native soil, as opposed to the packaged soil. And of course, since they aren't in soil when you get them, there’s no mess to contend with.
Own-Root Rose
Own-root roses are developed by taking a cutting from an existing stock plant, then it's planted directly into the soil. This type of rose is the same variety above and below the ground. They are easy to plant, typically hardier in colder climates, and can produce more shoot and blooms for the variety than if it was traditionally grafted or budded.
Bareroot roses will have brown roots and dormant stems when they arrive. Plants that arrive this way actually have the advantage of being able to focus their energies on strong root development rather than having to support an extensive growth of leaves during planting.
You can plant your bareroot or own-root roses earlier in the growing season as well, since there aren't any leaves to get nipped back by frost. They can typically be planted as early as six weeks before your area’s last frost date in the spring. Since they don’t have to provide water to leaves or flowers, they usually establish quickly.
Container
Container roses should typically be planted in late spring and fall. They’re easy to plant (all you need is a trowel), and they provide instant gratification, as they aren't dormant and will have buds within a few short weeks, if they don’t when they arrive. They’re also perfect for transplanting into decorative containers and make an attractive gift. All of our potted roses are own root, unless otherwise noted.
As you can see, there are advantages to both bareroot and container roses, so whichever you decide is the best for your garden, we feel certain you’ll become a lifelong rose lover, if you aren't already!
Anyone can grow roses - all that's needed is a spot with 6 hours of sun a day. Roses are even well suited to container growing, so you don't have the excuse of no garden space!
STEP 1
If planting bareroot roses, first soak roots in lukewarm water for 12 to 24 hours. If you can’t plant your roses right away, you may leave them in their boxes for up to a week in a cool, dark place. Be sure to sprinkle roots with water every few days.
STEP 2
Dig a hole about 12" deep and 24" wide. Make sure it’s large enough to give the plant’s root system plenty of room to develop after planting. Loosen the soil at the bottom and sides with your shovel.
STEP 3
Traditional images for the holiday season: Poinsettias, pine cones, red berries, and glittering silver balls! It can be transplanted outdoors after the holidays, where it can grow to 14 feet high!
STEP 2
Dig a hole about 12" deep and 24" wide. Make sure it’s large enough to give the plant’s root system plenty of room to develop after planting. Loosen the soil at the bottom and sides with your shovel.
STEP 3
Fill the hole with water. It should drain in one hour. If the water remains longer, dig deeper to improve the drainage – or mound your soil and plant the rose in a raised bed.
STEP 3
Fill the hole with water. It should drain in one hour. If the water remains longer, dig deeper to improve the drainage – or mound your soil and plant the rose in a raised bed.
STEP 4
Build a mound in the center of the hole to support roots. Set rose on top, making sure the crown (the point where the canes join together at the shank) is at ground level, or a little lower in cold climates.
STEP 4
Build a mound in the center of the hole to support roots. Set rose on top, making sure the crown (the point where the canes join together at the shank) is at ground level, or a little lower in cold climates.
STEP 5
Fill the hole with two thirds of the remaining soil mixed with peat moss or compost. Tamp down gently with your hands. Add water, let it soak in, then finish filling the hole with soil. Tamp down lightly and water well.
STEP 5
Fill the hole with two thirds of the remaining soil mixed with peat moss or compost. Tamp down gently with your hands. Add water, let it soak in, then finish filling the hole with soil. Tamp down lightly and water well.
STEP 6
Spread mulch, compost or bark chips around the plant to suppress weed growth and help retain moisture. Water 3 to 4 times a week until leaves begin to grow.
STEP 6
Spread mulch, compost or bark chips around the plant to suppress weed growth and help retain moisture. Water 3 to 4 times a week until leaves begin to grow.
STEP 7
Your plants will leaf out faster if you mist the canes as often as possible while they’re getting started. Roses need plenty of moisture both above and below the soil to develop fully.
STEP 7
Your plants will leaf out faster if you mist the canes as often as possible while they’re getting started. Roses need plenty of moisture both above and below the soil to develop fully.
The Jackson and Perkins Difference
Grown in California by the World’s Best Rose Professionals
California provides one of the finest rose-growing environments in the world. All of our roses are grown in soil that is tested and analyzed to ensure they are grown with the exact level of essential nutrients needed. The proper amounts of fertilizer, water, and nutrients are then added to the roses during their active growth cycle by our experienced rose growers.
Each rose is hand selected and prepared by seasoned professional rose growers. Our experienced growers are continually evaluating and testing the roses in the fields to ensure maximum rose health.
All of this tender loving care under the generous California sun results in a young but vigorously growing rose plant with a root system that is ready for fast blooming in your rose garden.
Exclusive and Superior Rose Breeding Process
Jackson and Perkins exclusive rose varieties have been bred to exhibit the most preferred rose characteristics for rose gardeners. It takes many years to develop a single rose variety, and our rose breeders have painstakingly evaluated, tested, and grown superior new genetic features into these new rose varieties for introduction.
The healthy rose plant canes are now hand groomed for the customers' garden presentation. The roses are then harvested at the perfect time in preparation for shipping and customer planting. All of these steps, from rose research, planting, budding, growing, harvesting and storing, are essential to ensure you receive a healthy, vigorous Jackson & Perkins rose plant, the WORLD’S FINEST ROSE.
What to Expect
If this is the first time your are planting a bare root rose, you may be surprised by their brown roots and dormant stem. However, bare root roses provide the easiest and fastest way of planting roses without the concern of transplant shock.
Bare root roses may appear to be dead upon arrival, but the plants actually have the advantage of being able to focus their energies on strong root development rather than having to support an extensive and stressful growth of leaves right after planting.
Bare root roses are the best option for early-season planting. In fact, late winter is the best time to plant. Our bare root roses are fully established plants that meet the highest industry standards. They arrive dormant, which makes them ideal for planting. The roots get to acclimate to native soil, as opposed to the packaged soil. Of course, since they are not in soil when you get them, there's no mess to contend with.
You can plant your bare root roses earlier in the growing season, since there are no leaves to get nipped back by frost. They can typically be planted as early as six weeks before your area's last frost date in the spring and no later than two weeks after that average date. Since they don't have to provide water to leaves or flowers, they usually establish faster than those that arrive in containers.
Due to the nature of plants and the fact that some are younger than others, there will be some variance in the size of our bareroot roses. However, they have all gone through the same quality inspections in order to make sure they meet the high standards we expect from all of our roses.
Gold Standard Stamp of Approval
Each Jackson and Perkins rose is individually inspected and graded to meet our standards for shape, viability, fragrance, and disease resistance.
Jackson and Perkins Exclusive Preservation Process
Our roses are maintained in a suspended state of growth utilizing a state-of-the-art wet cooler. By providing a uniform storage temperature just above freezing and employing a fog system to provide a consistent humidity of 100%, we are able to ensure that each of our roses remains fully hydrated and does not come out of its dormancy before leaving our facility. Bare root roses ordered elsewhere often arrive dry and shriveled. Through our exclusive preservation process, Jackson and Perkins is able to provide a fully hydrated premium bare root rose. Prior to entering the shipping container, we carefully wrap the root system to preserve the moisture and to provide a top-quality rose that is in optimal planting condition.
Our Superior Bare Root Rose Growing Process
Our roses are hand budded by professional rose budders to ensure you receive a true-to-variety quality rose. This takes a special skill. These professional hand budders make sure the bud union lives and the rose plant becomes the premium Jackson and Perkins rose variety desired.
At the end of the rose growth cycle, when the rose plant has hardened off and is ready to be harvested, the roses are hand selected according to our top-quality Jackson and Perkins rose standards.
If this is the first time your are planting a bare root rose, you may be surprised by their brown roots and dormant stem. However, bare root roses provide the easiest and fastest way of planting roses without the concern of transplant shock.
