Rouge Royale™ Rose

1. Planting: When planting roses, dig a hole large enough for the root zone, typically two by two feet. Remove weeds and debris from the area. Choose a sunny spot (at least 6 to 8 hours daily of sunlight) with rich, well-drained soil. In the center of the hole, create a cone shape of soil or compost. Then, fill in the hole, cover the roots with soil, and press firmly to remove air pockets without compacting the soil or breaking the roots. Water daily for 1-2 weeks, skipping if there's lots of rain.

2. Watering: You want the soil to stay moist to a depth of 12 inches without standing water. Keep watering overhead as needed until you see the first buds, then switch to drip irrigation or hand watering at the base.

3. Fertilizing: Remember not to apply any rose fertilizer until you see the first set of leaves push out. Allow the rose time to get established before adding anything extra to the soil. After the first full sets of leaves appear, feed the plant with balanced rose fertilizer once every 6-8 weeks.

4. Pruning: Remove spent blooms when your rose petals begin to fall. Regular deadheading will signal the plant to produce more blooms.

5. Pollination: This shrub is pollinated by bees and butterflies, so no other rose variety is required.