Anyone who wants to buy garden roses can choose between bare-root roses and potted roses. Both grow into beautiful garden roses, but if you can plant between October and March, a bare-root rose is often the best choice.
Bare-root roses are more affordable, require less water and packaging material during cultivation, and can develop a strong root system directly in your garden. In this blog, we explain the difference and which rose best suits your garden plans.
What are bare-root roses?
Bare-root roses are delivered without a pot or potting soil during their natural dormant period. They are lifted directly at the nursery and then planted in the ground.
The planting season usually runs from October through March, as long as the soil is not frozen or completely waterlogged. Because the rose is dormant during these months, it can be safely transplanted.
When received, the plant has no leaves or flowers yet. All its strength is stored in the roots and branches. As soon as temperatures rise in spring, the rose comes into growth and begins its first growing season in your garden.
Why are bare-root roses a good choice?
The same rose at a lower price
On average, a bare-root rose is €6 to €8 cheaper than the same potted rose. No plastic nursery pot, potting soil, or months of care in a container is needed.
So you save on packaging and additional handling, not on the quality of the rose. Especially when you want to plant several roses, for example for a rose border, hedge, or pergola, this can result in a significant price difference.
Less water needed at the nursery
An important advantage of bare-root roses is that they are not grown in pots for months beforehand. Potted roses must be watered individually and regularly at the nursery, because a pot can hold only a limited amount of moisture.
Bare-root roses grow in the ground until they are lifted. During their dormant period, they are lifted and delivered without a pot. As a result, significantly less irrigation water is needed during the final stage of cultivation and storage.
That makes bare-root roses a conscious choice in times of drought and increasing water scarcity.
Benefit from natural rainfall
Bare-root roses are planted in autumn or winter. During this period, much less water evaporates than in spring and summer. In addition, there is generally more natural rainfall.
This gives the rose the opportunity to establish its roots gradually without requiring daily watering. Of course, you should water thoroughly after planting and check during dry winter periods that the soil does not dry out.
Strong roots in the open ground
A bare-root rose is planted directly in its permanent location. The roots develop immediately in the soil where the rose will grow for years to come.
They do not first have to grow from a compact root ball into the surrounding garden soil. When you plant in autumn, the rose has the entire winter to adapt to its new position.
In spring, it can therefore use its energy immediately to form new stems, leaves, and flowers.
Better able to withstand drought later on
A well-rooted rose can absorb moisture from deeper soil layers. As a result, the plant gradually becomes less dependent on regular watering.
During the first growing season, extra water remains important, especially in warm and dry weather. But a rose that has room to develop deep roots in the ground from the outset builds a strong foundation for withstanding future dry periods.
Less plastic and potting soil
Because bare-root roses are supplied without a pot, fewer plastic nursery pots are needed. No extra potting soil is used either, and the roses take up much less space during storage and transport.
More plants can be transported at once, using less packaging material. This makes a bare-root rose not only an economical choice, but also a more sustainable one.
A wider selection of special roses
During the bare-root season, the selection at the grower is usually the largest. You will find not only well-known varieties, but also special and less commonly available roses.
Think of:
- English roses, including those by David Austin;
- historic roses;
- fragrant shrub roses;
- climbing roses;
- rambling roses;
- large-flowered roses;
- special and exclusive garden roses.
This way, you can choose exactly the roses that suit your garden, color scheme, and preferences.
November is the ideal month for planting
November is one of the best months for planting bare-root roses. The soil is often still relatively warm from summer and usually contains sufficient moisture. At the same time, the rose is already dormant.
This allows the roots to establish undisturbed before growth begins in spring. This gives the plant a natural head start.
You can also plant bare-root roses between December and March. Only do so if the soil is not frozen, covered with snow, extremely dry, or completely waterlogged.
How do you plant a bare-root rose?
Plant the rose preferably as soon as possible after receiving it. If you cannot plant it immediately, store it in a cool, frost-free place and make sure the roots do not dry out.
Follow these steps when planting:
- Place the roots in a bucket of water for a few hours before planting.
- Dig a spacious planting hole in which the roots can extend freely downward.
- Remove damaged root tips with clean pruning shears.
- Carefully spread the roots out in the planting hole.
- Place the bud union a few centimetres below soil level.
- Fill the planting hole with the excavated soil.
- Gently firm the soil so that no large air pockets remain around the roots.
- Water the rose generously after planting.
If necessary, apply a thin layer of compost around the plant. Do not let the compost touch the branches directly.
Watering in winter too
Although bare-root roses need less water in winter, their roots must not dry out after planting. Therefore, always water generously when planting.
During longer dry periods, check whether the soil is still sufficiently moist. This is especially important for roses planted close to a wall, fence, or under an eave. In such locations, rainwater may barely reach the roots.
A bare-root rose therefore uses less water during cultivation and benefits from the cool planting season, but it needs the right care to establish successfully.
What are potted roses?
Bare-root roses are supplied with an established root ball and are available almost all year round. They are especially convenient when you want to plant outside the bare-root season.
In spring and summer, potted roses often already have leaves, buds, and sometimes flowers. This allows you to assess the flower colour, shape, and fragrance immediately.
Potted roses are a good choice when:
- you want to plant in spring or summer;
- you want an immediately visible plant in the garden;
- you want to see the flower in person first;
- you want to give a flowering rose as a gift;
- your favorite variety is no longer available as a bare-root rose.
A potted rose provides immediate results, but because of the pot, potting soil, care, and greater shipping volume, it is usually more expensive. In addition, a potted rose needs to be watered more often at the nursery.
Bare-root rose or potted rose?
Which option is best depends mainly on when you want to plant.
Can you plant between October and March? Then we usually recommend a bare-root rose. You benefit from a lower price, a wide selection, and a natural start in the ground. In addition, less water, plastic, and potting soil are needed.
Would you like to get started outside the winter planting season, or do you want to see leaves and flowers immediately? Then a potted rose a practical choice.
The benefits of bare-root roses at a glance
Choosing bare-root roses means:
- the same high-quality rose at a lower price;
- less water used during cultivation and storage;
- fewer plastic pots and less packaging material;
- no additional potting soil;
- more efficient transport;
- rooting directly in the ground;
- benefiting from natural winter rainfall;
- a strong start in spring;
- a larger selection of exceptional garden roses.
Buy bare-root roses at Belle Epoque
At Belle Epoque Buy your garden roses directly from the nursery. You will find a unique selection of English roses, historic roses, shrub roses, climbing roses, and rambler roses.
Our bare-root roses are lifted during their natural dormant period and carefully prepared for shipping. This means you receive a strong rose that can be planted directly in its permanent place in the garden.
During the winter season, you can also collect your order from us in Aalsmeer on the specified collection day or by appointment.
Can you plant in autumn or winter? Then choose bare-root roses. It is cost-effective for you, good for the rose’s development, and a conscious choice at a time when using water carefully is becoming increasingly important.
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