August 7, 2009, Newsletter Issue #275: Soil Preparation For A New Rose Bed.

Tip of the Week

Rose bed preparation is very important as the bushes can live for 30 years or more.
All types of soil are greatly improved by the addition of organic matter
Well rotted horse manure is the best or garden compost.
If you live near stables,often the owners are only to glad to sell you horse manure and usually deliver.
The manure/ compost must be dug into the soil.
The best way to do this is to spread a 4" layer on the soil surface.Take out a trench the width of the plot and a spade depths deep.
take the soil out of this trench and barrow it to the other end of the plot.
Now, scrape some of the manure/ compost into the base of the trench and turn the soil over to cover it.Repeat this till you get to the other side of the plot, where you should be left with an open trench.This is where you dump the soil that you took out of the first trench.
Make sure that you remove any weed roots as you are digging.
This seems like an awful lot of bother, but remember that your roses could live to be 30, so it is well worth the effort.
Leave the plot for a few weeks to settle before you start to plant.
when you come to be planting your roses, take out a hole wide and deep enough to take all the roots and add a slow release fertilizer,such as osmocote or bone meal to the soil mound , mixing in well, before covering the roots.Firm down the soil all around the bushes using the heel of your boot.

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