These roses aren't growing on me

[NewspaperTaxis]

Hi, I bought this standard rose two months ago but sadly didn't get around to planting it for a month. When I did I put in lots of John Innes compost and special plant food. But when I moved it to place in the earth, well, the flowers fell off and now it looks like this.

Shall I remove the dead flowers or will it feel that after neglect I am now torturing it? It doesn't seem to be blooming as when I bought it.

Definitely dead head it as this should encourage more blooms.

Have you been watering it regularly?

It may possibly have had TOO RICH a diet; but yes, dead head it, and keep it watered, but not over-watered.

sometimes plants in pots find it a shock to adjust to the ground. It may just be that. Listen to Ferguson, she knows of what she speaks.

This is very common when planting things from pots into the garden when they are in full flower. The worst time to do this is in the summer. Deadhead it now as it needs its energy for the new roots to establish rather than wasted on producing hips and new flowers. It will be fine next year.

For future reference, when buying plants in full flower, keep them in the pot until the flowers have faded. If you really want them in the garden, you cam dig a hole and plant the whole thing pot and plant. Then when the weather cools, water it well. Digit up, remove the pot, tease out some of the roots and replant. Don't be tempted to feed at that time because it will be entering its dormant stage. Watch out for a dry Autumn and water if necessary.

Thanks for your tips, and looked up 'dead head' on youtube, it's not quite as simple as just cutting off the flowers of course!

But when is the best time to plant roses then? Spring?

Best time is late Autumn. The plant is dormant then and has plenty of time to establish roots before getting busy in spring with making flowers. I buy bare root Roses as I find they establish better. David Austen and Peter Beale have very good websites.

As for dead heading and pruning, it really is not such a science as the websites make out. At Rosemoor, they go across them with a hedge trimmer.

For us mere mortals, deadheading, just cut of the spent rose with 4 -6 inches of stem.

Prune in November cut out any thing that looks deceased, is coming at a funny angle or crossing another branch. I know the wisdom is to prune into a goblet shape, I never have. You can prune again in Spring if things don't look right