Planting Roses

If you're a member of an electrical membership co-op here in Georgia, you should be getting a new issue of Georgia Magazine in the mail very soon. Hope you'll read my article about planting bare-root roses at this time of year.

Cold weather gives us a window for getting these dormant plants into the ground, so they can develop strong roots and get established for the coming growing season. (Georgia gardeners can certainly plant roses later, in the spring and early summer, but once our temperatures start to climb, you'll have to work harder to keep them mulched and properly watered.)

Today I received an email from Jordan Farm and Nursery in Warthen, Georgia, reminding me that while you can find the roses mentioned in the magazine in "big box" garden centers, you really shouldn't miss shopping at our smaller, local nurseries. They're often able to give their stock more attention, so you get plants that have been carefully handled and that are more likely to grow and perform for you. The bigger stores that sell plants don't always specialize in them--and besides, it's good for our local economies to shop at local merchants and support our smaller businesses.

Check out the Jan. 2010 issue of Georgia Magazine to get the "how-to" of planting bare root roses. The weather may be cold right now, but spring will be here before you know it, so plan ahead for a summer filled with beautiful blooms!