.o\eiuber, 1916. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



2G!) 



Fall Planting and Protection of Roses 



H. J. Moore, Queen Victoria Park, Niagara Falls, Ont. 



HARDY roses may be planted suc- 

 cessfulh' in November. Except 

 in extremely cold seetions the 

 fall is preferable to spring planting. 

 .\[any people consider roses too tender 

 1() plant out in the fall. There is, how- 

 I'vcv, no foundation for this supposi- 

 tion. 

 Our spring is short. Hot weafher 

 ines rapidly, and vegetation starts 



This rose bush is ready for winter. Straw and 

 leaves are scattered over the roots and part 

 way up tiie stem. Burlap is then tied around. 



((uickly into growth. The dormant life 

 of the rose is thus awakened almost as 

 soon as frost leaves the ground. If 

 spring planting is the least delayed the 

 plants receive a check. This is harmful 

 and derogator.v to the production of 

 nowers. When roses are lifted from the 

 ui-sery lines many root fibres are 

 iiroken. This results in a set hack, more 

 especially so when growth has started. 

 Whether the plants are taken directly 

 Horn the field or from the nursery cel- 

 lar, where they have been stored dur- 

 ing winter, they are apt to dry out in 

 transit. 



It does not seem logical that a hardy 

 plant with the nature of the rose should 

 not be as successfully planted in the 

 fall as in the spring, especially when the 

 foregoing disadvantages are consider- 

 ed. During the fall the nurseryman 

 has more time to lift and to pack, thus 

 these things are more carefully done. 

 November is the best month in which 

 I plant, and at this time the soil is 

 >ually dry and friable. Good plant- 

 ing cannot be done in a wet soil. Per- 

 haps the greatest advantage of fall 

 planting is that the soil commences to 



.settle firmly around the roots the mom- 

 ent the work is done, and the spring 

 rains and thaws all tend to make it 

 firm. Consequently when the }ouaig 

 i-ootlets develop in spring they are not 

 disturbed or restricted in any way. 

 .Veither does the Stem growth receive 

 a check. 



Soil to Use. 



The best soil for roses is a claj' loam. 

 A stubborn clay, however, may be so 

 improved by the addition of staible 

 manure, leaf soil and a little sand, as 

 to grow the most beautiful flowers. A 

 light, sandy soil may also, bj' incorpor- 

 ating a sufficient quantity of clay loam, 

 or in the case of extremely light soils 

 a quantity of pure red clay, be render- 

 ed satisfactory. Blue clays or blue 

 clay loams contain poisonous salts of 

 iron. To this their blue color is due. 

 They should be scrupulously avoided. 

 When cultivated it takes a long time 

 for them to oxidise and so becoine 

 fertile. 



Clay loams are usually cool in sum- 

 mer. This is an ideal .soil condition for 

 root growth of roses. They are also 

 retentive of moisture, an essential for 

 the production of strong flowering 

 growth. Dark colored humic soils arc 

 warm duiiing summer and unsuited to 

 I'oses. They a;bsorb and retain the 

 sun's heat to a greater extent than 

 light colored dlay loams. Roses 

 .should not be planted in a dark color- 

 I'd soil ^\•*hich is light in weight or 



coarsely porous in nature. 



Fall is the best time to prepare beds 

 or borders to receive roses, whether in- 

 tended for November or for spring 

 planting. New ground should be 

 trenched or dug to a depth of eighteen 

 inches. Half rotted stable manure, 

 preferably from the cow stable, should 

 be spread over the surface of bedsi 

 where spring planting will be done, and 

 on those to be planted in November a 

 very light covering of thoroughly rot- 

 ted manure may be scattered. This 

 should be dug into the soil. Heavy ap- 

 plications of rotted stable manure con- 

 fahiing urine should not be applied to 

 tall planted roses. A heavy applica- 

 tion of leaf soil may, however, be 

 given. Newly planted roses are in- 

 capable of absorbing the food solu- 

 tions until they make new feeding 

 roots and become established. 



Rose beds or borders should not bo 

 nuide on Ijow lying portions of the 

 garden, or in posiitions where drainage 

 is not good. Wet and soggj^ soil con- 

 ditions in spring may mean failure. It 

 is in these positions and under the lat- 

 ter condition that the soil will become 

 sour and acid through non-aeration, 

 Roses will not live long in such soils. 



Planting Methods. 



Careful planting of the rose is es- 

 sential. All broken root fibres should 

 be cut awa}% and all plants with Ijadly 

 mutilated roots be rejected. The 

 holes should be made large enough to 



.\ll the roses .shown above were planted on r>ecember 15, ISlt. They should have been planted 



in November, but were delayed by war conditions in transportation. Both hybrid perpetual-s 



and hyfbnid teas are here, and not one has been lost during the past two. ye&rs. 



