According to most people, the soil is the most tedious part of rose gardening. You must learn to feed the land since it will feed the plants. To get the best roses, you should do organic gardening. Add organic matter to the soil; this will provide food for microorganisms which will decompose and release nutrients to the land.
Roses are categories as fussy and fragile plants. They are easily susceptible to fungal and insect damage. Regardless of that, there are though roses such as rugosa and shrub roses. Just like any plant, roses have their preferences, and you must be able to provide for their growth. Soil preparation before planting will immensely improve their performance. To improve your soil type, you must understand your land.
Type of Soils
There are three major types of soil.
Clay soil
It consists of small particles that stick together. Its affinity for water is very high. It is good at holding nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The soil is difficult to work with since it sticks together when wet and forms a stone-like mass when dry.
Sandy soil
The soil is light and dry and has low nutrients. The soil drains water quickly and is easy to work on. You can improve the soil by adding organic matter to boost its nutrients and capacity to hold water.
Loam soil
The best soil to work with since it’s a mixture of sand and clay. It is highly fertile due to high levels of compost. You can work smoothly through the soil. It also retains and loses water effectively. The soil makes the best compost for roses.
Preparing Garden Soil for Growing Roses
1. Soil pH
Described as the measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. Soil pH will affect the soil’s access to nutrients, thus making it an essential component. Roses require soil with 6.0 to 7.0 pH levels. The soil should be neutral or slightly acidic. To know the pH level of your soil, you will need to buy a soil pH tester. You can adjust the soil pH before planting or do so afterwards. Adjusting soil pH is a lengthy process that will take time; thus, you may opt to plant your roses in containers as you work on it.
How to increase soil pH
- You can raise the soil pH by adding a base. Powdered limestone is commonly used to increase soil pH.
- You can use wood ashes since they add more so to sandy soils. It also contains micronutrients such as calcium, boron, potassium, and phosphate.
- Using original lime directly will take time; thus, you will need to add it to the soil two to three months before you plant your roses.
- Watering the soil regulars will also react with other components such as lime leading to an increase in soil pH.
How to decrease soil pH
- Use organic materials such as compost to lower the soil pH. It takes time; thus, it is applicable if you have long-term gardening goals.
- Adding sulfur to the soil will increase its acidity leading to reduced soil pH. This depends on factors such as temperature, bacteria and moisture.
- Adding aluminium sulfate will instantly make the soil more acidic, thus reducing pH levels.
2. Soil Texture
For roses to thrive, you will need a soil with good drainage and one that can hold to moisture long enough for absorption by the roots. This makes loam soil ideal since clay soil can make roots waterlogged while sand soil will drain leaving roots too dry.
To maintain your soil texture, you will need to remove rocky particles from the planting soil. If its clay soil, use compost and manure to aid in water retention and drainage. These amendments will give you the best soil texture for your roses.
3. Enrich the soil
Soils are different; thus, they need various amendments. Have your soil tested or check plants that grow nearby. If the plants nearby are green and flower freely, then your soil will require a few amendments. If the plants nearby are yellowing and stressed, you will need to enrich the soil by adding nutrients.
To avoid soil dependency on fertilizer, consider mixing the soil with mineral components combined with organic compost. It will eliminate constant fertilization and make your roses healthy. Add phosphorus to the soil to enable for development of healthy roots and quick establishment of the roses. Purchase a bag of pure phosphate in the form of bone meal and mix it throughout the soil before planting.
For nitrogen, add kelp or soy meal, but if your garden contains enough organic matter, then you don’t need to add nitrogen since it has plenty of it. Other important components that you will need to add to the soil include; Epsom salts, magnesium and sulfur. These elements are vital for healthy roses.
Topping the soil
You now have the perfect soil for your roses. You will need a layer of organic mulch to the surface around the roses. Mulch will kill weeds, keep the soil moist and fresh roots. The best mulch should be able to break down slowly as it continues to feed the soil and improve its texture. The best organic mulch is composed of leaves, organic compost, garden wastes such as weeds, sawdust and manure. Plant-based compost is better at improving soil texture since they have lower salts.
A quick guide to planting and caring for roses
- Roses need more care since they are fragile.
- Prepare your garden well and choose well-suited compost to minimize care.
- Works best when planted as bare-root plants compared to containers.
- Choose a site in full sun since it requires good sunshine to blossom.
- To ensure healthy roses, mulch and prune them well.
- Use evergreen boughs and straws to protect against winter.
- Increase air circulation since poor air circulation will lead to high pest infestations and diseases.
Roses require 8 to 10 hours a day of sunshine for optimal growth. With a well-drained soil and proper protection of the plant, you will have quality roses in your garden.