When to plant rose bushes
Plant rose bushes from 4 weeks before the last spring frost up to the last spring frost in spring, or 6–8 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. That works out to zone 5b (early April to early May), zone 7a (mid March to mid April) and zone 9a (early February to early March).
Rose bushes planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 17 – May 15 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| 4b | Apr 15 – May 13 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| 5a | Apr 13 – May 11 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| 5b | Apr 7 – May 5 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| 6a | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| 7a | Mar 18 – Apr 15 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| 7b | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| 8a | Feb 27 – Mar 27 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 |
| 8b | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| 9a | Feb 2 – Mar 2 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| 9b | Jan 7 – Feb 4 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
How to plant rose bushes
| Plant as | bare-root or potted bushes |
|---|---|
| Depth | Bud union at or just below soil level |
| Spacing | 2–4 ft |
| Light | Full sun (6+ hours) |
| Time to bloom | 1–2 years |
| Hardiness | Perennial in zones 3–10 depending on variety |
Bare-root roses go in early spring while dormant; potted roses can be planted any time in the growing season.
Soak bare-root roses in water for a few hours before planting.
Morning sun dries leaves and reduces black spot.
When to expect flowers from rose bushes
Most modern roses rebloom; deadhead spent flowers through summer.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More flowers to plant
Begonias · Coleus · Marigolds · Zinnias · Sunflowers · Cosmos · Mums · Lantana