Rose
Rosa
Plant out 4 weeks before your last spring frost. Space plants 24 in (61 cm) apart.
Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
When to plant
Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.
Optimal Spring Transplant (Container)
From a plantRecommended from a plant- Plant out4 weeks before your last spring frost
- First harvestsummer (petals), fall (hips), once established
Optimal Fall Transplant (Container)
From a plant- Plant out6 weeks before your first fall frost
- First harvestsummer (petals), fall (hips), once established
Optimal Spring Planting (Bare-Root)
RootRecommended root- Plant outdoors4 weeks before your last spring frost
- First harvestsummer (petals), fall (hips), once established
Optimal Direct Sow (Stratified Seed)
From seedRecommended from seed- Sow outdoorsaround your last spring frost
- First harvestsummer (petals), fall (hips), once established
Growing rose
- Spacing in the row
- 24 in (61 cm)
- Between rows
- 36 in (91 cm)
- Planting depth
- Seeds: 1/4 inch. Grafted roses: bud union 2-4 inches below the soil in cold climates (zones 3-6), at soil level in warm climates (zones 7+). Own-root roses: crown 1-2 inches below the soil.
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile loam with good organic matter
- Germination
- 28-84 days (after stratification, highly variable) at 65-75°F
- Harvest season
- Summer (petals), Fall (hips)
- Mature height
- 2-10 feet (0.6-3 meters) depending on variety
- Support
- Varies by type; climbing varieties require trellis or support, shrub roses are self-supporting
- Hardy to
- USDA zone 5
- Life cycle
- Perennial
Seeds require cold stratification; bare roots and container plants are more commonly used for establishment.
Watering. Consistent moisture, especially during establishment and dry periods; water deeply at the base to prevent fungal diseases.
Neighbours
The companion chart →
Garlic
Onion
Parsley
Geranium
Catnip
YarrowKeep apart from
- Wormwood
- Rue
Feeding
- Seedlings
- Not typically applicable for seeds; dilute balanced liquid fertilizer if growing seedlings indoors after stratification.
- Growing
- Balanced granular or liquid rose-specific fertilizer (e.g., 5-10-5 or 10-10-10)
- Flowering and fruiting
- Higher potassium fertilizer (e.g., 5-10-10 or 2-8-4) during active bloom periods to promote flower production.
- How often
- Every 4-6 weeks during active growth (spring through mid-summer).
- Note
- Cease fertilization after mid-August in the Upper Midwest to allow plants to harden off for winter.
Your rose, planned to the day.
Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.