The Best Way to Plant Your Seeds Indoors so They are Easy to Transplant Outside

Transplanting seedlings is something that many people do in the springtime to jumpstart their flower gardens. In many climates, the last frost or free comes late in the year, making it hard to plant flowers outdoors that will bloom in their first year. If you live in a cold climate and haven’t been able to plant seeds outdoors yet, planting seeds indoors can be done quickly and easily, giving your plants a head start on this year’s growth. Read more

How To Rototill Your Flower Garden This Spring

Many gardeners start off their spring flower beds by tilling the soil. This is not necessary for all gardens, but there are times that tilling is necessary for successful gardening. Tilling should be done only when the soil is relatively dry and is warm. If the ground is still frosty, the tilling should wait until the last of the frost is gone. The soil should be at least 60 degrees when it is tilled. If the soil is too wet, it will not be broken up well by the tiller, and you could even damage the machinery. To test whether or not the soil is too wet, pick some up and try to make a ball with it. If you can make a mud ball, the area is too wet for tilling. If the soil falls apart, it is dry enough for the tiller. Read more

Planting Potted Roses

If you have roses that have already been potted, planting potted roses in the ground is a relatively simple task. The plant is already established in soil and is growing. That means that the only real task is to transfer the plant and its soil from the pot into a hole in the ground. Special care does need to be taken of the roots so as not to damage them during the transfer.

Take the container and turn it on its side. Then, tap on the pot several times to encourage the soil to loosen from the inside of the pot. The root ball should be ready to come out of the pot after a few taps. If not, you may be able to cut away the pot so that the roots are not damaged. Try to avoid pulling the plant out of the pot if at all possible

Dig a hole in a sunny spot. The best time to plant posted roses, like any other type of rose, is the spring after the risk of frost is over. The hole should be large enough to accommodate the plant and deep enough for the entire root ball to fit inside easily. Fill in the hole around the plant with soil and water the plant. Some gardeners also suggest digging a small ring around the plant where water can pool and supply the plant with more water. However, watering and covering the soil with a layer of mulch also works well to keep the soil moist for you newly planted roses.

This post is a part of  17 posts about Rose Gardening. If you want to start at the beginning you can click on Caring for Roses