How late can I plant florabunda roses this spring?

How late can I plant florabunda roses this spring? We are having our house painted the last week in May, and my husband thinks we should wait until after the painters are finished so they don’t get paint on them, as the flower beds that they will be planted in are right up against our house. Also, how often do I feed/fertilze them once I get them planted? - Lisa

Answer:

Roses should be planted as early as possible in the spring, but you have a special situation. I would wait to put in the rose until the house is painted. You can plant a container grown rose almost any time, but special care should be taken to prepare the bed, mulch and provide adequate water all season long. When you plant the rose, use a starter fertilizer. Here is the link to the KSU bulletin on rose care, which includes more information, including the fertilizing schedule:

Click here. Good luck. - Carole-Johnson County Extension Master Gardener

This story was originally published April 11, 2014 at 3:43 PM.