Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Before a rose bed can be planted, the soil must be properly prepared. While roses are not particularly demanding when it comes to soil, there are still a few points to keep in mind when preparing the rose bed.
Loosening the soil is especially important for the roses
What soil do roses like?
Roses grow reasonably well in most soils, although they do prefer them
- slightly acidic,
- permeable and
- nutrient-rich soils.
Test and adjust the pH
If you want to give your roses the best possible start, you should test the pH of the soil before planting the rose bed and adjust it if necessary. You can purchase the appropriate test strips online or in garden shops. The pH should be between 6 and 7.
If the soil is too basic, you can mix chopped conifers mixed with horn shavings (€32.93) into the soil. If you still have time before creating the bed, you can also lift peat under the ground. The bed should then rest for a few weeks.
Create loose soil
Roses have deep roots, but they are not the strongest. You should therefore help by loosening the soil well. To do this, it is best to mill the entire bed of roses at least 50 cm deep. Alternatively, you can dig it up, which of course is more work and takes longer.
nutrient-rich soil
Roses are very sensitive to salts in the soil. Therefore, it is not recommended to enrich the soil with compost. Instead, mix well, nutrient-rich garden soil into the existing soil.
Roses don't grow on roses
Roses are heavy feeders and need a lot of nutrients. Therefore, they must be fertilized several times a year. In addition, roses cannot easily be planted in a place where roses or other heavy feeders such as cabbage plants have already been.
In such a case, remove old rose bushes or plant remains from the heavy feeders and then dig out the area generously. Use this soil elsewhere and replace it with fresh, nutrient-rich garden soil.
Prepare the rose bed step by step
With this knowledge, proceed as follows:
- Remove plant debris, grass, weeds, stones and other things from the bed.
- Measure the pH of your rose bed. If necessary, put some chopped coniferous wood with horn shavings on the bed.
- Apply a layer of fresh garden soil several inches thick to the rose bed.
- Till or dig the entire area at least half a meter deep, mixing the old garden soil with the new soil.
- Level the soil with a rake.