CALIFORNIA ROSES, INC. 
NOTES ON ROSE CULTURE APPLICABLE TO THE 
TEMPERATE REGIONS OF THE PACIFIC COAST 
Soil Conditions and Planting 
Roses flourish in a wide range of soils—from sandy 
loam to heavy gumbo or adobe—but the ideal is a heavy, 
modified adobe with good drainage. 
Roses are heavy feeders, therefore, light soils must be 
built up with barn-yard manure, bean straw or perhaps 
the addition of heavy soil in the bottom of the hole when 
planting. This will furnish the plant food and make a 
light soil more retentive of water. 
Heavy soils require the same treatment—but for a dif¬ 
ferent reason. These soils must be modified, made mel¬ 
low and open to furnish good drainage which is essential. 
The best results are obtained by preparing the whole 
rose-bed to a depth of 18 inches in advance of planting, 
leaving a layer of bean straw topped with a moderate 
dressing of barn-yard manure underlying the entire bed. 
When planting in unprepared ground, a 16-inch circular 
hole is dug to a depth of about 18 inches, in the bottom 
of which bean straw topped with well-rotted manure is 
packed to form a 4-inch plug in ordinary soils and a 6- 
inch plug in very dense (heavy) soils. Enough soil is 
then packed back into the hole and left in the form of a 
cone to make possible the even spreading of the roots 
downward on a 45-degree slope. 
Planting now proceeds, refilling the hole with soil to 
fully cover and protect the roots. The plant is now grad¬ 
ually lifted, filling and tamping all the while to bring the 
apex of the root system to a level which must be exactly 
three inches below the finished ground surface. The 
"Apex" is the point where the main root system eman¬ 
ates from the trunk. 
An old pick handle is a most satisfactory tamp. Do 
not be afraid of packing the soil too hard. You will be 
the loser if any air is left in contact with the roots, for the 
plant will remain inactive until these voids are filled. 
Next, basin the plant and soak it until the water has 
penetrated to the bottom of the hole. This should be done 
two or three times, providing, of course, that the surface 
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