Planting a Bare-Root Rose

Soak the roses for 2 to 12 hours in cold water in a large container outdoors. (A garbage can is ideal and can hold several roses.) Trim off any broken roots or damaged canes.

Follow the old saying about digging "a $20 hole for a $10 rose" and prepare the soil well. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the rose. Then work the soil beneath the hole to a depth of an additional foot, working in plenty of compost. Then make a small mound at the bottom of the hole.

Position the rose, spreading its roots over the mound. Then check the position of the graft union (also called the bud union) the knobby section between the roots and the stem where the top has been grafted onto the roots.

In most climates, plant the bud union 1 to 2 inches above the soil level. In cold-winter regions, plant it at soil level or up to 2 inches below the soil. You can lay a broom or spade handle across the hole to compare the bud union level to that of the surrounding soil. If in doubt, follow the instructions that come with the rose or check with your The Home Depot garden associate. 

Mix the remaining soil with compost and refill the hole halfway, firming it as you go. Water well. Fill the remaining half and create a saucer by mounding up soil in a circle around the rose to collect water.