We receive many emails and phone calls every day, and our priority is to answer to all of you and give you the right information and the correct suggestion for your roses.

Here we have the most common questions that we would like to share with you, hoping our answers will help you grow strong and beautiful roses.

My post is slow due to COVID, will my roses be OK?

Yes, the roses can stay in this packaging for up to 8 weeks as they are packed with damp newspaper in a plastic bag.  The roses are happy in this environment and some varieties can be so happy that you may see new white shoots sprouting on arrival.  These should be trimmed off as they have not seen sunlight.  Plant as normal and see them flourish.

I have received my roses and I am not ready to plant them as yet.  What should I do with them?

Firstly, open the box and check your order.  Re-dampen the newspaper (not dripping wet) and close the box back up.  Store in a cold dark place - like your car shed.  The day before planting, pull them out and soak in a bucket of water for 24 hours, then plant as normal.

I live in NSW/Queensland where the weather heats up earlier.  Is it OK to plant bare-rooted roses in this time?

Yes.  

NSW and QLD are experiencing warm weather, but here at the nursery we are still in the deep dark depths of winter.  We are having rain, thunderstorms and hail with temperatures ranging from 0 - 15 degrees.  This is great for growing roses!!  The roses are dormant and frosts are hardening their canes which results in a healthy rose.  Once you receive your roses, plant as normal and they will very quickly take off. 

IMPORTANT:  If you are in warmer weather, you will need to water adequately.

Water 3 times a week with a deep water which equates to 20L per rose.  Water in the morning if you are worried about black spot.  Wagner's recommends watering with a sprinkler as you want the ground to accept the slow soak of water droplets to reach 20cm into the ground, that is where the root system is.  By having a deep soak, you are training the roots to search deeper into the soil for moisture.

Inadequate watering is splashing water on top of the soil.  This causes run off and will only wet the top layer.  The rose will search the top layer for water, therefore on hot days the shallow root system will dry out and die.

If you have water restrictions and are using a dripper system, we recommend having two or three lines to soak enough of the surrounding soil and not just watering the base of the rose.

What mulch do I use?

When you have planted your new bare root rose, we recommend not mulching until you see a canopy of leaves.  The reason for no mulch is that you don't want light coloured mulch (e.g. pea straw) reflecting light and heat onto the rose.  This causes sunburn and death.

Once the leaves have grown, this will provide shade and protect the bud union and branches from sunburn. Wagner's recommends lucerne hay (watch Brian's video) or a super mulch from Neautrog called Who Flung Dung.  Surround the rose but keep it away 10cm from the base.  Once again, deep water so the water soaks down to the root zone.

How do I know if my rose is getting enough water?

Firstly, we like overhead sprinklers because you can visually see them working.  If you use dripper lines, make sure they do not block up. Some people only realise the blocked hose when their rose has died.

A good test is to get a shovel and dig down 30cm, around 50cm away from the rose, to test the soil.  If it is nice and moist - well done!  If it is dry, water for longer.

Can I put my rose in a pot?

Yes, all roses can be put in pots but there are a few things to remember.

1) The bigger the pot, the better.  We suggest the minimum size of 40cm x 40cm x 40cm

2) Use a good quality potting mix.  We recommend a slightly acidic blend that is suited for Roses and Azaleas

3) Plant with the graft above the soil by 2 - 3cm

4) Water your pot everyday in Spring, Summer and Autumn.  Every second or third day in Winter - depending on your rainfall.  Never let the potting mix dry out.  Dry potting mix will repel the water and the water will run down the sides and not actually soak to the root zone.

5) After 6 months you can fertilise with a 1/2 handful of fertiliser monthly and water in.

6) After 3 - 4 years you must replace the potting mix.  Do this in winter time when the rose is dormant.  Take out of the pot and remove as much old soil as you can. You are allowed to trim the root system but try and keep the top and the bottom roughly the same.  Repot (this is the time to upgrade the size of the pot if you wish) and watch your rose thank you for your efforts.

More questions answered here.

(In the picture: 2021 release Pink Ayoba)

Winter in the rose garden is a very quiet period after the pruning is done, and it provides a good opportunity to make any changes such as moving either established or ‘non-thriving’ roses to new spots, planting new ones or even redesigning the layout.

When moving a healthy, ‘established’ rose – one that has been thriving for at least two or three years - follow these simple steps:

1. Dig around the plant, taking out as much of the root ball and its surrounding soil as possible.
2. If replacing this rose with another one, it is important to remove around 30 to 40 cms cubed of soil from the area. A general rule of thumb is the bigger the root ball, the more soil needs to be removed.
3. At this point, bulk up the area with fresh soil, containing plenty of organic matter, or supplement the area with blood and bone, cow manure or compost.
4. The old soil may be reused somewhere else - simply move it to another part of the garden.
5. A new, ‘replacement’ rose can then be planted.

The same principles should be followed when removing a small, non-thriving rose and replacing it with a new rose. Naturally, the root ball will be smallish, so it won’t be necessary to remove as much of the old soil.

If replanting the old ‘established’ rose in a new spot:

1. Cut its roots back, and cut out wood to around 20 centimetres in height, pruning back hard. Don’t be afraid of pruning it back hard as it will give the rose every opportunity to establish itself in its new position.
2. Plant the rose.
3. Again, supplement the soil with a healthy dose of blood and bone, cow manure or compost, and water in well.

A small weak plant that has never really thrived won’t require soil replacement and can be easily replaced with a fresh rose. 

Remember that roses are one of the hardiest plants to grow, so if you are having trouble with roses not thriving consider its position in the garden – ie. is there enough sun, the amount of water provided, and possibly the PH levels of the soil. 

Naturally, a rose planted under a shaded established pine tree with very little water is going to struggle to survive.

As a final note, if the soil is heavy –such as clay soil – it’s ideal to add gypsum to the replacement soil, or simply sprinkle it onto the surface to allow the water to seep through, thus improving the soil and giving your new rose every chance for success.

(in the picture: the popular Gold Bunny)

August is still ok to order and plant new bare root roses and we are happy to say that, beside the very busy season we are experiencing, we still have some varieties in stock.

Just note that any order placed today, will be posted around the end of August/beginning of September, as we are processing orders from earliest to latest.

We have very popular varieties, like the strong and versatile Iceberg and the highly fragrant Mr Lincoln, but also very new varieties, like the 2021 release Pink Ayoba, and the beautiful Tallulah, Elodie Gossuin, The Poet's Wife, Princess Claire of Belgium, and the Australian bred Miss Unique.

See the full collection here.