Rose planting advice

[Scarlet]

My David Austin roses have arrived. Two standard trees that weren't cheap so I'd really like to give them a good start.
Ideally I want them in the same place that I've had two other roses growing (either side of my bay window in my garden border) and have heard conflicting views about planting in the same spot. Any thoughts on this? I'm hoping to dig out a fair sized hole, fill with compost from my bin and top dress with a little manure.

I have read the DA site for planting instructions but apart from 'roses grow in a variety of soils' and "they like a bit of old manure" there's not much else.
Any other advice is welcome

[Kristen]

"Rose Sickness" tends to be an issue replanting roses in soil that has previously grown roses and will hamper the new roses development. I've read that using Mycorrhizal Fungi (a product which comes in pouches called "Root Grow" endorsed by RHS) solves the problem, and I would suggest using that anyway (it must be in contact with the roots when planting, not just sprinkled in the planting hole; I find it easiest to dunk the roots, or rootball, in a bucket of water and then hold the plant sideways rotating the roots/rootball whilst sprinkling on the Fungi so they "stick")

Personally I would replace the soil too - Belt and Braces - perhaps swap a barrow full with the vegetable patch, if that is an option?, which will be soil well worked and in good heart then add manure as well.

Don't add Bonemeal or a high potash fertiliser (formerly promoted as good for root establishment) as it will kill the Mycorrhizal Fungi, and current thinking is that it may not be as much of a benefit as thought in yesteryear. I don't use Bonemeal when planting any more as the foxes dig the plant up looking for the "bones" they can smell!!

[Guest]

Why where the old roses taken out and how long had they been there?

If they were diseased, is it likely the disease is still present in the soil? Also had they been in the same spot a long time where nasties could have built up (not so much a problem for healthy established plants could be an issue for nice new shiny plants)

How established are the new plants?

Like most things if they are strong healthy plants they can usually fight off more things that are thrown at them.

I hope it goes well. Unfortunately I have never had much joy with DA roses and no idea why

[Scarlet]

Thanks for the info Kristen..I'll pop to the Garden Centre this evening. Need to pic up some posts too. I will replace as much soil as I can barrow!

Norfolk Grey. The old roses have been in for 15years. They were a house warming present from my Mum. I haven't had much trouble from them but last year one of them looked a little worse for wear, rocking on it's stem. It didn't produce any leaves this spring and when I lifted it there wasn't a huge amount of roots left considering it has been in for so long. The matching one on the other side was fine but I didn't just want to replace the one.

I hope it goes to plan..it took me ages to decide where to get them from. They look pretty sturdy.

[Kristen]

If they were diseased, is it likely the disease is still present in the soil?

Good point. Even if not apparently diseased there is likely to be some Black Spot in leaf litter etc. in the soil, so replacing the soil will help reduce the chance of transferring that to the new plants.

[Thelma Sanders]

Another vote for the Mycorrhizal Fungi here.

They really do help roses planted in difficult situations. (I have some planted in small holes through a tarmac path, and both have done well, with the help of the fungi )

[roitelet]

Other here they recommend dumping the roots in a bucket of liquid mud before planting.

[bend1pa]

Replacing top soil is a heavy, time consuming task. Mycorrhizal Fungi worked well for me too rather than the task of replacing the soil. I can speak from personal experience having planted bare-root roses in soil previously occupied by old roses last winter. One or two plants were a bit slow off the mark come April, but by late May they soon caught up with no problems at all and displayed well throughout the summer.

Just make sure you apply the fungus granules correctly. You do not mix it in with the soil as you would with fertiliser.

[Glutton4...]

I would plant them somewhere else. Even if it is next to where the original roses were. I can't comment on the Fungi, as I have no experience of it.

A good haircut, and a good dose of horse poo, is my method!

[Scarlet]

I don't think my roses have taken followed all the advice and so far neither of them have any green

[bend1pa]

Sorry to hear that. Rose stems should be shooting by now It's been very dry over the past month in the SE and I was wondering if you let the soil get too dry, or when you planted the roses you did not water them in sufficiently? Did you soak the rose roots in a bucket of water for at least an hour before you planted out?

[Scarlet]

They were soaked prior to planting, watered in well and as they are near a water butt have had a good soaking most weeks unless we had rain. All my other roses in the garden have started to sprout. The branches look pretty dry and brittle.

[Scarlet]

Well, I sent an email off to David Austin roses, they asked for my planting info and photos in return. They've kindly offered replacements, either choose something different now or have another two delivered in the winter. Very happy with their service.