Growing roses in Florida is a challenge, which is a lesson I learned well after killing a few. After you have chosen your grafted rose bushes, you must learn the proper way to plant and fertilize them. Except for some heirloom old garden roses (OGR), most roses will not thrive on their own roots in our native Florida soils. In order to get optimum growth and bloom from your Florida roses, you will have to plant them properly.

I learned this technique from a rose expert in South Florida, and it gets raves from everyone I've taught it to.

How to Plant Grafted Roses in Florida

Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day, preferably with some morning sun. Roses can't get too much sun, so don't hesitate to plant them in full sun if possible.

Nematodes are the main enemy of roses in Florida. These microscopic worms attack the roots, leaving them gnarled and knotty, unable to absorb nutrients. The best defense against nematode infestation in your roses is organic matter in the soil.

Roses need rich, loamy soil to thrive. To ensure that they have this, you have to totally replace the native Florida soil with organic peat. Organic peat is not the same as composted manure, however, you will also need composted manure when planting your grafted roses.

NOTE: Planting container roses and bareroot roses is different, and both will be explained in this article.

How to Transplant Container Grown Grafted Roses

First, you will dig a hole twice the diameter of and 3" deeper than the pot the rose bush came in (i.e., if the pot is a 10" pot, the hole should be 20" wide). Add 3 inches of composted manure into the bottom of the hole, fill the hole with water twice and let it soak in.

Remove the rose bush from the pot and cut the rootball with a box cutter or other sharp knife on four sides, going from top to bottom. This will loosen the roots so that they can spread. If the bottom roots have grown into a tight in a circle, and you cannot loosen them, you may have to slice off from 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the bottom, but if possible, just tease the bottom roots away from the rootball.

Place the rose bush in the center of the hole, spreading out the bottom roots as much as possible, and fill halfway with organic peat. Fill the hole with water, and let it soak in. This serves two purposes: to wet the soil and rootball, and to settle the soil so that there are no air holes.

Continue to add organic peat to the hole to within three inches of the top, and water again as before, letting it soak in well. Fill the rest of the hole with organic peat, making sure that the top of the rootball is approximately 1" above the top of the hole.

Sprinkle 1 cup of epsom salts around the top of the hole and water in well. This will gets your roots off to a good start, just as the composted manure in the bottom will feed your rose until it is established.

How to Plant Bare Root Grafted Roses

Dig your hole to a diameter of at least 20 inches and 3" deeper than the rootball. Fill with water twice, and let it soak completely in to moisten the soil around the hole.

Put 3 inches of composted manure into the bottom of the hole. Now, you must build a cone shaped mound in the middle of the hole with the organic peat, and spread the rose roots out over the mound as evenly as possible. Do not let the rose roots scrunch up on the bottom. If they do, build the mound higher.

Fill the hole with organic peat to within 3" of the top. Sprinkle 1 cup of epsom salts into the hole, and fill with water twice, letting it soak in between each watering. Fill the rest of the hole, making sure to leave the graft above the level where it will be mulched.

Build your watering well as outlined above and water the rose once to settle the soil down around the roots. Thereafter, water as outlined above.

Watering Newly Planted Grafted Roses

Build a dam of the soil you dug out of the hole in a circle around the bush, about 12 inches out from the trunk, and 2 inches high. This is your watering well. You will water the rose by filling the well three times every other day for 2 weeks, twice a week for two weeks, and give it at least one inch of water, twice a week thereafter. After 4 weeks, you may take down the well, fertilize and mulch the rose.

Mulching Grafted Roses

VERY IMPORTANT: Do not ever let the mulch or anything else cover the top of the graft bud (where the rose is grafted onto the rootstock). This will cause graft rot that will kill the hybrid rose on top and cause the bush to come back from the rootstock. While the rose is growing, quickly cut away any growth from below the graft.

Although it's a bit more work to plant these grafted roses properly, and provide a place where they can grow and thrive, it's well worth the effort and will pay off with lovely blooms for years to come.

Since a lot of people move down here in the spring and summer, thought I'd clue you in.

FLORIDA GARDENING RULE #1: Forget everything you know about gardening up north.

Honestly, just forget it. You have entered a totally different world. I moved here from SC with a degree in horticulture, and I had to relearn everything.

Soil Woes

First off, our soil SUCKS. It is either sand or marl. You can read on this blog about How to Plant in Sand and How to Plant in Marl. In some areas of the state you may find clay or even soil full of limestone rocks, but by and large, these are the main two soils.

Northern Plants That Won't Grow Here

This may not apply in the panhandle, Z8b, but by and large -- Forget about

• lilacs
• most spring flowering bulbs
• cherry trees
• hostas (they have come out with a couple for FL, but they aren't nearly as nice)
• peonies (I miss these)
• zoysia and centipede grass 

Florida Vegetable Gardening

We grow our "summer" veggies in the fall, winter and early spring. Forget summer vegetable gardens unless you happen to love

• southern peas
• okra
• hot peppers
• cherry tomatoes
• eggplant

General Florida Gardening and Critters

Learn to love tropical plants and flowers, tropical fruits, tropical vegetables (for summer planting) and stuff you have never heard of before that is not sold in any supermarket, anywhere, anytime.

Learn to adjust to a multitude of animals, lizards and huge insects you thought only existed in science experiments.

ALMOST EVERYTHING grows out of control and most things can become invasive or at least peskily rampant. Get used to pruning. If you hate pruning, don't plant shrubs. Don't go into a garden center asking for something that only gets 3 feet tall and blooms all year. There is no such plant, and they will laugh at you behind your back when you leave. I know this from experience.

Organic Gardening in Florida

Organic gardening is harder down here, because of the insects that aren't killed off in the winter, the lousy soil, and because it really is the HUMIDITY, not the heat. Humidity causes fungus and mildew and all sorts of horrid diseases that you will fight constantly.

Growing Roses in Florida

Roses are labor-intensive down here. They have to be planted on special rootstocks, and many of your favorites will not grow down here no matter what you do, such as Lady Banks rose (which I also miss). Weekly spraying for insects and fungus is a must. Roses die off after a few years just because they never go dormant and grow themselves to death. There are not a lot, or maybe not any, 100 year old rose bushes in FL, except maybe in extreme N. FL. Here is some info on growing roses:

Growing Roses in Florida:  Choosing a Rose Rootstock  

Florida Gardening 101:  Planting Grafted Roses

Sun and Shade 

Full sun in the garden can be your enemy and shade is your best friend. Lots of the most beautiful and easy-to-grow tropicals require shade, such as most gingers, orchids and bromeliads, so if your first inclination is to chop down all those beautiful shade trees, you may want to think twice.

It's a lot to learn. I've been gardening here for over 20 years, and just moved from the south of FL to the north of FL; now I have to learn it all over again. May take me another 20 years.

Take it slowly and find a good local garden center that can advise you. Get in touch with your local extension service. Read, read, read on sites like Floridata and Florida Gardener.  Scour the University of FL IFAS pages, especially the Solutions for Your Life Lawn and Garden site and the Vegetable Gardening Guide. Go to the Florida Gardening forum on Gardenweb  or any number of forums on social media and ask a lot of questions. People there love to help.

And subscribe to this blog in the sidebar by email or RSS if you like. I try to post as often as possible, and feel free to ask questions. I'm also on Gardenweb.

Florida gardening is not as scary as it seems, but it is very different, so be prepared to study and learn and have failures and successes.

Happy Gardening!

Sand is the predominant soil type in Florida. While sand on beaches or in zen gardens may be wonderful, pure sand is not conducive to growing most types of plants.

Florida sand has no nutrient value, and very little mineral value. It does not hold water well, and is a host to a very large nematode population. In short, unless you're planting nothing but natives, planting in Florida sand requires adding organic matter (compost, leaf mold, etc.) to get plants to thrive.

Adding Organic Matter is the Key when Planting in Sand

In my experience, when planting in sand, the best ratio of organic matter to sand is 3 to1, or 75% organic matter to 25% sand. Adding organic matter in this ratio converts pure sand into a sandy loam, which will hold enough moisture, while still providing proper drainage, giving proper nutrition, and keeping the nematodes under control.

When planting in sand, you will use one of two techniques. If you are planting a large area, you will want to mix the organic matter into the sand. Of course, if you are adding 75% more than what is there, this is going to raise the level of the soil unless you remove some of the sand beforehand. My favorite way of adding organic matter is to dig out to about 12 inches deep, and layer the organic matter three times with 3 inches of organic matter to 1 inch of sand. It will still be a little above ground level, but the sand will very quickly filter down into the organic matter, and it will level out. This saves a lot of work mixing the two in place. Digging down the required 12 inches is easy except for the sand collapsing in on itself, which I address below.

Planting a Single Plant in Sand

Planting a single plant in sand is easier. First you need to wet the sand so it will not collapse down upon itself while you're digging. Dig a small hole and fill with water and let sink in. Do this two or three times until the sides are saturated enough so that they don't collapse while digging. The water won't want to sink into the sand at first, so to decrease the surface tension, add some liquid dish soap to the water. The soap acts as a surfactant to make the water "stick" to the sand.

Once you have dug a hole that is two to three times the width of the plant rootball and 3 inches deeper, put 3 inches of organic matter into the bottom, add the plant, fill the hole with water, then layer as above, with 1 inch sand and 3 inches organic matter. To help roots establish, sprinkle 1 cup of epsom salts around the plant , from the trunk/stem to the drip line, water in, and mulch.

Maintaining the Organic Matter to Sand Ratio

Organic matter eventually breaks down, so adding organic matter each year will ensure that your plants continue to thrive. This can be done by simply spreading compost about 3 inches deep from right past the trunk to the dripline of the plant, working it into the top inch or two of soil, and mulching. After a few years, you will notice that the soil is very friable (crumbly) and rich; nothing like the sand you once had there.

Now your plant will be able to grow and thrive, and when it grows out past the amended soil, it will be strong enough to survive in the sand around it.

Image credit: Horton Grou via sxc.hu

Planting in marl soil is challenging and time consuming, but it may be the only way to have a garden. Taking the steps to plant properly in marl will save a lot of trouble in the future.

What is marl?

Marl soil is one of the two most predominant soils in South Florida. Marl looks something like cement mixed with shell, and is almost as hard. While it may seem impossible that anything could grow in this soil, that isn't so. With the proper amendments, most plants can grow quite well in the marl of South Florida.

South Florida sits on a base of limestone. Marl is a base soil that is mostly limestone, mixed with sand. Limestone + sand = concrete. Marl sets up very hard, like concrete, but it is not impermeable to water, making it the soil of choice for building up low lying lots.

Contractors usually only put a shallow layer of 3-6" of topsoil down to get the sod to grow, therefore, houses built after 1989 probably have mostly marl soil underneath the topsoil.

How to plant in marl soil

To plant in marl soil, you will need:

• A strong shovel
• A water hose
• Dishwashing liquid (not Dawn)
• Composted Manure
• Organic Matter
• Epsom Salts

When dealing with planting in marl, water is a necessity. 

To plant vegetables in marl, it is necessary to dig either a hole 18 inches in diameter or a trench 18 inches wide. Both of these should be at least 12 inches deep.

To plant ornamentals in marl, it's necessary to dig a hole 3 times the diameter of the container, that's a 24" diameter hole for a 1 gallon pot, and a 30" diameter hole for a 3 gallon pot. The depth of the hole should be 3" more than the height of the rootball.

This will allow the roots to have room to spread. If this is not done, the plant will begin to decline and die within a year when the roots hit the marl, because young plant roots cannot penetrate and draw nutrients from marl.

Digging in marl is a process

First, squirt dishwashing liquid on the ground, and sprinkle it with water until it starts soaking in. The dishwashing liquid acts as a surfactant, breaking the surface tension of the soil. Then it will be possible to dig a small hole, fill it with water, and let the water sink in. It will now be possible to dig out to where the water soaked into the marl. Why is this so? Because water breaks the chemical bonds between the limestone and the sand in the marl.

This is sort of a "rinse and repeat" operation. Every time a larger hole is dug, fill it with water, let it sink in, and repeat the process until the proper size hole is completed. Time consuming? Yes, but if the yard has been built up with marl, this is the only choice, other than having someone with a backhoe dig it.

Filling the hole

The marl will now go back into the hole, along with at least 50% organic matter added. This is done by layering. First, put three inches of composted manure into the bottom of the hole to feed the plant during the first four weeks when it is getting established. NEVER put non-organic granular fertilizer into a hole when planting, as it will burn the roots.

Then place the plant and layer the marl and organic matter in 2-inch layers. After every two layers, fill the hole with water to keep it from developing air pockets, and to also make sure the organic matter gets completely saturated. Stop when it is filled within 1" of the top of the hole. When planting ornamentals, the top of the root ball should be level with the top of the hole.

When the hole is filled to within 1 inch of the top of the hole, sprinkle epsom salts around the top of the hole (1/4 cup for 1 gallon or smaller, 1 cup for 3 gallon or larger) and water in. This helps the roots establish themselves better. Mulch the plant to retain moisture, and the planting is done.
If planted properly in marl soil, your plants will thrive in their new environment for years to come.

The first plant most northerners moving to Florida want in their yard is a hibiscus. They usually have the single red tropical hibiscus in mind, because they've seen them in pictures and movies. The truth is, hibiscus is a very large family of plants, and includes not only tropical, but several other varieties suitable for growing in Florida.

Tropical Hibiscus

Pictured above, tropical hibiscus is native to Hawaii, not Florida. They are easily identified by their shiny leaves. It's unknown exactly when the first tropical hibiscus plant was brought to Florida, but since then, an entire industry has sprung up around these spectacular plants. Hybridizers are constantly coming up with new varieties, with larger, showier flowers. Unfortunately, most of these fancy tropical hibiscus hybrids are more demanding to grow, and not as cold hardy as the older varieties. The easiest tropical hibiscus to grow are actually the original, single red and single pink flowered varieties. They bloom more prolifically, and have fewer problems.

Tropical hibiscus do best in zones 9b and above, but mature plants can survive the freezes in 9a and come back from the base if you mulch the bottom 3 inches well during the freeze.

Hibiscus Syriacus

Perennial Hibiscus

Perennial hibiscus is a name given to a large group of hibiscus that go dormant in the winter, and come back in the spring. Some of the perennial hibiscus , such as H. mutabilis (Confederate Rose) die completely down to the ground, while others, such as Hibiscus syriacus (Althaea), are woody perennial shrubs that simply go dormant and leaf out in the spring.

Hibiscus moscheutos

Hardy Hibiscus

Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) are actually members of the mallow family. These are the "Dinner Plate" and "Frisbee" hibiscus with large, showy flowers, and are hardy in much colder climates, so are a favorite of some northern gardeners. Hardy hibiscus usually do not come in colors other than white, pink
or red. Hardy hibiscus die back to the ground in winter, and return in the spring, growing larger every year. They many times do not survive our hot, wet summers for over 2-3 years before succumbing, but are much longer lived in cooler, drier climates. Fortunately, hardy hibiscus can easily be grown from seed and bloom the first year.

Okra

Edible Hibiscus

Edible hibiscus are usually ornamental as well as useful. As a matter of fact, okra is a member of the edible hibiscus family. Hibiscus sabdariffa, known as Florida cranberry, or sorrel in the Caribbean islands, has red calyxes that are used in salads, cooking, and to make a very tasty ginger wine. Hibiscus acetosella (Cranberry Hibiscus) has edible leaves, flowers, and flower buds. Albemoschus manihot (formerly Hibiscus manihot), a close relative of okra, is listed in the "Plants for a Future" database, as both its leaves and flower buds are edible.

Most garden centers in Florida, especially in the big box stores, only carry tropical hibiscus, and sometimes the hardy hibiscus in the summer. You will usually have to order plants or seed for the others.

In online forums, when you ask "Why is my hibiscus dying?", don't be surprised to get a reply of "What kind of hibiscus?" Knowing the different types can get you a more accurate and useful answer.

More about hibiscus:

Why Are the Leaves on my Hibiscus Turning Yellow?