Now that you know how to prune, let’s take a quick look at how to select the best quality roses for your garden. If you order from the reputable mail order nurseries, you really don’t have to worry about getting quality roses. They ship them to you at the proper time for planting in our area and most of them guarantee the plants well into the summer months.

Many times we want to support our local businesses and that is a good thing. This also gives us the chance to select exactly which plant we want. You can find a good selection of roses at most nurseries and garden centers, home improvement and discount stores. Go into this purchase in the same way you would for anything else – be an educated shopper. Talk to rosarians in your area to find out which varieties do well in your area – growth, disease resistance, etc. The best way to learn is to call a Consulting Rosarian in your area. They are more than willing to talk with you and their time and expertise are FREE!

Know what to look for in a rose bush. This, too, is really pretty simple. You want quality. How can you get a quality plant?

Buy only grade #1 roses.

Grade #1 roses have at least three strong canes 5/16 inch in diameter. You can find grade 1½ and grade 2 for less money, but they cost less for a reason. They are not as strong, will not produce as much and may not make it through the winter. Pay a few dollars more for a grade #1 – you’ll save more than that in the time you will waste on lesser grades.

Click to enlarge

Don’t buy waxed roses.

They may look nice but your plant has to grow through that wax and it may slow the development of bud eyes. The wax is used by growers to allow them to keep the plants out of the ground and in transit for longer periods of time.

You may think that the rose bush will "perk up" when you plant it. That’s not necessarily true. Adjusting to a new environment takes a lot of energy on a rose’s part. Putting it in the ground when it is already stressed just decreases the odds of having healthy, productive plants.

A few last pointers about buying new roses.

If you buy bareroot roses, be sure to soak the roots before planting. I usually let mine soak overnight.

Prune them when you plant them.  Click the thumbnail below to see how it should look after you prune it. This will encourage basal breaks and strong bud eye growth. It will also allow the plant to develop a strong root system.

If you buy roses in containers that are tall and beautiful, pruning back the taller growth will encourage the roots to grow faster and stronger. If you don’t have a strong root system, your plant will never be strong.

The main point to keep in mind is that growing roses should be enjoyable. If you spend a little extra time when you plant the rose, you will have less work and better results as the year progresses. Now go out and have some fun!