How to Plant a Bare-Root Rose in Southern California

Written by Elizabeth B.

To plant a dormant, bare-root rose in Southern California, do it in winter, roughly January to February, while the plant is leafless. Soak the roots in water for a few hours first, dig a hole about 12 to 18 inches wide, build a cone of soil in the bottom, and drape the roots over it. In our mild climate, set the graft (bud) union about an inch above the soil line, backfill, and water deeply to settle the soil. Prune off any broken roots and spindly canes, and wait to fertilize until after the rose finishes its first bloom.

Step	What to do
1. Soak the roots	Submerge the bare roots in water for a few hours, up to overnight
2. Dig the hole	About 12 inches wide and deep in good soil, 18 inches in hard soil
3. Build a soil cone	Mound soil in the center to drape the roots over
4. Set the bud union	In mild California, keep the graft union about an inch above the soil line
5. Backfill and firm	Fill in and press gently to remove air pockets
6. Water deeply	Make a basin and soak the root zone thoroughly
7. Prune	Trim broken roots and spindly canes; cut canes to an outward-facing bud

What Is a Bare-Root (Dormant) Rose and When to Plant It

A bare-root rose is a dormant plant sold with no soil around the roots; instead the roots are packed in moist wood shavings, and they are available from late fall through early spring.^[1] Because the plant is leafless and resting, it transplants with very little shock, which is exactly why winter is bare-root season. Plant as soon as you can after buying, ideally within a day, so the roots never dry out.^[1]

In mild-winter California, which includes Southern California, you can plant bare-root roses right through winter, and January is the classic month to buy and get them in the ground.^[2] If you want help choosing a healthy plant first, see our guide to how to choose the perfect bare-root rose, and for the bigger picture of rose dormancy see when and why roses go dormant.

How to Plant a Bare-Root Rose, Step by Step

Start by soaking the roots. On planting day, unwrap the rose and soak the roots in a bucket of water; University of California Master Gardeners suggest anywhere from a couple of hours up to about 24 hours.^[1] Sources vary on the exact time, from as little as one to two hours to overnight, so a few hours is plenty if you are short on time.^[3] While the roots soak, dig a hole about 12 inches wide and deep in soil you have already improved, or closer to 18 inches wide and deep in hard, uncultivated ground, and build a cone-shaped mound of soil in the center.^[1] Set the rose on top of the cone and spread the roots evenly down its sides.^[1]

Now the single most important detail for Southern California: the graft, or bud union, which is the knob where the rose variety was grafted onto the rootstock. In our mild climate, keep that bud union about an inch above the soil line.^[2] Clemson gives the same mild-climate guidance, setting the graft union just above soil level.^[4] This is the opposite of advice you will read for cold-winter regions; in a place like Iowa, gardeners are told to set the bud union 2 to 4 inches below the surface to protect it from harsh winter freezes.^[3] We do not have those freezes, so burying the union here just invites rot and encourages the rootstock to take over. Once the height is right, backfill with soil, firming gently to remove air pockets without compacting, then build a shallow basin and water deeply so the soil settles around every root.^[1]

First-Year Care: Water, Prune, and Feed

At planting, prune the rose: remove any broken or damaged roots, cut off small spindly canes, and shorten the remaining canes to an outward-facing bud with a cut a quarter inch above the bud at a 45-degree angle. A good bare-root plant has three to five healthy canes.^[1] Keep the root zone moist as the rose wakes up, and before the first bloom spread about a 2-inch layer of mulch over the bed to hold moisture and keep the roots cool, keeping the mulch a few inches away from the bud union.^[1]

The most common mistake is feeding too soon. Do not fertilize a bare-root rose at planting; wait until it has produced its first blooms, which tells you the roots are established enough to feed, then feed about once a month through the growing season.^[4] After that first year, prune your established roses during the dormant season, which in mild-winter California runs from about December through February, just as the buds begin to swell.^[2] For a broader rose routine, see our guide to growing roses in Southern California.

Common Rose Problems

Most rose problems can be managed without reaching for chemicals; University of California guidance is to choose good varieties, use sound cultural practices, and knock pests off by hand or with water.^[5] Aphids are the most common rose insect, clustering on buds and new shoots, and a forceful spray of water early in the day is usually all you need to supplement the ladybugs and other natural enemies that eat them. Spider mites respond to the same treatment, a periodic wash of the leaves with water, and they actually get worse if you spray broad-spectrum insecticides that kill their predators.^[5]

On the disease side, powdery mildew is the most common rose disease in California, and roses grown in a sunny, open spot with good air circulation rarely suffer badly from it; choosing resistant varieties helps too.^[6] For black spot and rust, give plants room to breathe, time any overhead watering for the morning or midday so the leaves dry well before evening, prune out badly affected canes, and rake up and dispose of fallen leaves during the dormant season to break the disease cycle.^[6]

Ready to start your rose bed? Visit any Green Thumb Nursery location during bare-root season and our team will help you pick healthy plants and the right soil, mulch, and tools to get them off to a strong start.

Bare-Root Rose FAQ

When do you plant dormant roses in Southern California?

Plant bare-root, dormant roses in winter, roughly January through February, while they are still leafless. Mild-winter California lets you plant right through the season, and January is the classic month to buy and plant.^[2]

How do you plant a bare-root rose?

Soak the roots, dig a hole 12 to 18 inches wide, build a cone of soil in the bottom, drape the roots over it, set the bud union about an inch above the soil line, backfill, and water deeply.^[1]

What does a dormant rose bush look like?

A dormant rose is leafless, just bare woody canes, and when sold bare-root its roots come packed in moist wood shavings rather than soil. It looks lifeless but is simply resting for the winter.^[1]

Should you soak bare-root roses before planting?

Yes. Soak the roots in water before planting, anywhere from a couple of hours up to about overnight, so they are fully hydrated when they go in the ground.^[1]

When do you fertilize a newly planted rose?

Not at planting. Wait until the rose has produced its first blooms, which signals the roots are established, then feed about once a month through the growing season.^[4]

Sources

• [1] UC Master Gardeners of Tulare and Kings Counties, Selecting and Planting Bare Root Roses: ucanr.edu
• [2] UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County, Bare Root Roses: ucanr.edu
• [3] Iowa State University Extension, How to Plant Bare Root Shrubs and Roses: yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
• [4] Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC, Growing Roses: hgic.clemson.edu
• [5] UC Statewide IPM Program, Roses: Insects and Mites: ipm.ucanr.edu
• [6] UC Statewide IPM Program, Roses: Diseases and Abiotic Disorders: ipm.ucanr.edu

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