The Planting Month for Roses 
MARCH IS THE MOST SATISFACTORY TIME TO START ROSES—THE MOST SUCCESS¬ 
FUL RULES FOR CULTURE, PRUNING AND PREVENTION OF INSECT PESTS 
BY H. S. Adams 
Photographs by Nelson R. Graves, Mary H. Northend and others 
XT ERY likely there will always be a difference of opinion as to 
^ the proper part of the year in which to plant roses. “Late 
autumn,” says one authority, “is the best time for setting out 
hardy roses,” while the next expert will as stoutly stand up for 
spring. The preponderance of opinion, however, is in the direc¬ 
tion of spring; and this is based on such excellent premises that 
the general run of rose growers should dismiss from the mind 
all thought of setting out their plants at any other season. 
March, to be more specific, is 
the planting month for roses in the 
neighborhood of New York. In 
central Connecticut we plant the 
latter part of March or early in 
April. The great point is to get as 
early a start as possible in order 
that the roses may be fully estab¬ 
lished before the summer sets in. 
The hot summer, save in a few 
favored sections of the country, is 
the trying time for roses, by com¬ 
parison with the English condi¬ 
tions, and the only way to grapple 
successfully with it is to plant as 
soon as the ground can be worked. 
This rule, of course, applies to 
the so-called “dormant” roses. 
These are field grown. When re¬ 
ceived, they have shown no sign 
of awakening from their long win¬ 
ter sleep, and the earth has all 
been taken from the roots. Pot- 
grown roses, which have come 
from under glass and are in full 
foliage, are planted later. Their 
roots are in active feeding trim 
and they do not need so much 
time to get established in their 
new quarters, nor are they in so 
good shape to stand the cold of 
early spring. For that class of 
roses, which many prefer, the best 
rule is to set them in the ground 
when danger from frost is over. 
Generally speaking, roses will grow in very nearly any soil that 
is not too loose or excessively sandy. If you have soil that does 
even tolerably well with vegetables, grass or grain, you can 
cultivate “the queen of flowers.” In many places the ordinary 
garden soil, without special preparation, will grow roses that are 
good enough for any one who is not striving for “points” at an 
■exhibition. But this does not mean that soil is something to be 
considered too lightly. Roses like a rich, deep loam which has 
Loth clay and'sand in it. Hybrid perpetual roses will do well in 
nothing else, though teas sometimes will thrive in soil in which 
tfiere is considerable sand or gravel. 
First pick out the spot for the rose border or garden ; the soil 
can be made more easily than favorable site conditions. The hot 
sun of summer is one of the things climatic to l)e thought of. 
Nevertheless roses must have plenty of sun; no shade, but shelter 
is their demand in brief. Therefore choose for them a place that 
is really warm and sunny and at the same time well protected 
from the bleak winds of winter and the strong winds of the other 
seasons. Protection from' the north and west may be obtained 
by a hedge, not too near a wall, a windbreak or buildings; it 
matters little so that the winds do not have full sweep. 
The question of whether to lay out a bed, a border, or a more 
or less formal rose garden is not so much a matter of one’s desire, 
or taste, as his limitations. Aside 
from the all-powerful reason of 
expense, there are the questions 
of adaptability to the particular 
space that the home grounds af¬ 
ford and the time that one cares 
to give to this branch of garden 
diversion. Unless one makes 
roses an out-and-out hobby, and 
has both leisure and money to ride 
it, the attempt to create a rose 
garden of any pretentiousness is 
not worth while. Nor is it usually 
best for a small place; as it takes 
up a great deal of room and, save 
for a prodigal fortnight or so in 
June, is anything but showy. 
Beds would better be avoided, un¬ 
less incorporated in a general 
garden scheme. That leaves the 
border, and this is far preferable 
for the average home grounds. 
The border has one distinct ad¬ 
vantage that few ever think of; 
it can be run along the sunny edge 
of the vegetable garden. What, 
relegate one’s roses to the vege¬ 
table garden ? Why not ? They 
will thrive there wonderfully, can 
be cared for easily and you may 
cut all the blossoms you want with 
long stems and feel that you are 
not depriving the dooryard of 
color. This plan has been tried 
and it is all right. 
When the site is selected, soil that by nature is poor must be 
made fit for the purpose. If hopeless-as it stands, don’t attempt 
to compromise with the situation, but resort to heroic treatment 
at once. Define the boundaries. Then remove all the soil to 
the depth of two feet and loosen the bottom of the trench with 
the point of a pickaxe. Next put about a foot of well rotted 
manure in the trench and fill up with good soil mixed with more 
manure. Some growers maintain that the surface of the bed, 
when the soil has settled, should be one inch below the surround¬ 
ing level; this is in order to catch and hold water. I, however, 
prefer the slightly raised bed. If the soil does not need replacing, 
the spading should be at least two feet deep and all stones re¬ 
moved. Also some manure should be worked into the soil, as 
the rose is a rank feeder — a characteristic never to be forgotten. 
That the rose does not care for wet feet is likewise true. Choose, 
In many ways the rose is still queen of the garden and should 
not be neglected because of cultural difficulties 
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