Potted roses, give you far more control during late summer. Using quality potting mix enriched with compost allows you to provide a cooler, more even root environment, with better moisture retention than the garden soil. Pots can be moved under shade cloth, verandahs or into protected corners of the garden, helping to shield tender plants from harsh afternoon sun and hot easterly winds. Having some flexibility is important for young roses and any new purchases you are nursing through the hottest months.
For serious rose growers, there is also a timing advantage. While budding and grafting can be done in Western Australia from mid-summer into early autumn, I prefer to work on strong, well-watered potted rootstocks rather than exposed plants in the ground, because they can manage water and heat stress more closely. It’s why growers leave their main cutting work for the cooler months or milder periods, when they find it easier to maintain consistent moisture and temperature around the cuttings.
Using pots now also sets you up for success in winter, which is still the ideal time in Perth to plant roses into their permanent positions or to do major structural work in the garden. By holding your roses in pots through late summer and autumn, you allow them to settle, grow roots and stay healthy, so they are ready to take off once they are planted out during the cooler, more forgiving winter period. I find this approach means less stress on the plants, fewer losses, and stronger, better-established roses when the main growing season begins again.
I have been testing this myself and find my roses that I decided to pot rather than plant in the ground are doing really well.
I can help you …
John Kelly