HIGH OR LOW PLANTING - Part 2

Articles In This Section:

· TIME TO PLANT

· ORDERING

· UNPACKING ROSE PLANTS

· SPACING

· HIGH OR LOW PLANTING - Part 1

· HIGH OR LOW PLANTING - Part 2

· HIGH OR LOW PLANTING - Part 3

· HIGH OR LOW PLANTING - Part 4

· SOIL REPLACEMENT

· POSITION

High planting is essentially a practice for hot or temperate climates, and would be quite unsuited to those of England, Canada, and the northern parts of the United States of America, whence reports come at times of the loss of tremendous numbers of rose plants from the effects of cold. Such calamities may occasionally occur in the South Island of New Zealand and in Australia's coldest mountain districts, but in a lesser degree. Roses in Australia mostly suffer from the effects of heat, not of cold. Hence we must not slavishly follow the routine treatment given in cold climates. This variation affects our work in planting, pruning, and general management. In Australia it is seldom necessary to protect the base of the plant with soil against cold, but it is necessary to protect it with abundant foliage against heat.

In sandy soil it is a common thing to find roses, when planted high, swaying about in the wind and working a conical hole in the soil. This increases in size with time and the intensity of the wind. No plant can thrive under such conditions. Movement in the soil wrenches the fibrous roots and prevents the plant from obtaining food. Such roses must be staked.

Perth growers have a practice of driving in a stake until only about three inches is left above soil level, beside the root stock. They tie the stock to the stake with several turns of binder twine. This will rot in a few months, necessitating retying. No tie should ever be very durable, for then it cuts into the bark. Growers in any light soil could well follow this example.

In bygone days rose planting was always preceded by heavy liming. Now this is deemed unnecessary and often harmful unless the soil is very acid, which is most common where land has been heavily fed with vegetable matter. In any such beds a little lime applied a month before planting is usually helpful.

Liming should never be done without first testing the acidity or alkalinity of the soil.

The hole in which a rose is to be planted should be about fifteen inches in diameter, sufficiently large to avoid having to bend any of the roots, and just deep enough to set the union at the required level. This depth will vary with the type of stock used. Roses budded on R. multiflora seedlings have very short stocks. No stock should exceed six inches in length. If it does exceed this limit it should be planted in a sloping position to avoid placing the roots too deeply in the soil, but buy roses with short stocks if at all possible.

Fig. 8. Planting, i. Wrong. Roots should not be cramped or turned up. No dome in base of hole. 2. Correct. Hole large enough and roots short enough to avoid trouble shown in i. Dome of earth under plant. Budding above soil level. Use no manure. 3. Partly till hole with virgin topsoil. Fill hole with water. 4. After water has soaked away completely fill the hole.