Popular for their many different flower colors, fragrances and forms, the rose is the national flower as well as the most popular garden plant in America. Valentine’s Day is when the “queen of the flower world” truly shines. If you receive a rose bush from your sweetheart as a symbol of a budding romance, take time to follow these few tips so that your plant will get off to a good start and grow to its full potential.

Avid rosarians have their own special tips and techniques year-round for producing prize winning blooms, but it’s Feb. 14 that beckons many new gardeners and self-proclaimed “brown thumbs” to try their hand at growing roses. Although one could study rose cultivation in great depth, for most folks, a few basic dos and don’ts are really all the guidelines they have time to consider initially in the quest for beautiful and bountiful blossoms.

Two of the most important requirements for successfully growing almost any rose (yes, as with everything there is an exception or two) are full sun and good soil drainage. Roses do not tolerate “wet feet” so the soil should drain readily after heavy rains. Usually a combination of existing soil amended with compost including finely ground pine bark, peat moss and/or other type of humus tilled together will provide a good growing media. Forming a raised bed will help to ensure that proper percolation takes place in the planting mix.

Before planting a container grown specimen, prune any damaged wood from the plant. Dig a planting hole at approximately one-and-one-half the depth of the root ball and twice the diameter. Loosen the roots and set the plant into the ground so that the bud union or crown will rest above the soil after it settles, and backfill.

Bare-root roses require a little different care at first. Begin by placing the roots into a bucket of water overnight to rehydrate them. Make sure the plants are not left outside in freezing temperatures. If it will be a few days until you can plant, “heel in” the roots with pine bark or some other loose organic material. Don’t let them dry out.

Immediately after planting, water the soil surrounding the roots thoroughly. Mulching the soil around the root zone will aid in conserving moisture during dry periods, protect roots from freezing, and aid in weed suppression. Shredded cypress mulch and pine straw are choice mulches for roses. Neither will float away during heavy rain (unlike pine bark) and in the case of pine straw, it is often free for the raking. Pine straw, and even leaves, can be quite lovely and work as well as a relatively expensive material.

After you’ve taken the first few simple steps toward growing a healthy rose bush, contact your county extension agent, a master gardener, one of the many books on basic rose growing in the South, or the Internet, for more information regarding the general TLC needed to keep your special tribute thriving. Happy St. Valentine’s Day!

Traci Maier can be reached by e-mail at ratmaier@bellsouth.net