Use and Care Manual
ROSES
Soak bareroot roses in water for several hours
before planting. Plant in a sunny, well-drained
spot in early spring. Place the joint or bud union 1
inch above the ground in warm regions and up to 2
inches below the ground in cold areas. Mound 8-10
inches of soil around the top of the plant and leave
until new growth appears (see illustration below).
This protects the bud union, where most canes
originate, and helps roots get established before top
growth begins.
Planting Roses
10"
Once new growth appears, carefully remove the
soil mound and add mulch. A 2- to 4-inch layer
conserves moisture and helps keep weeds down.
Water to supply the equivalent of 1 inch of rain
weekly, soaking soil to a depth of 8-10 inches.
Fertilize after pruning in early spring and just before
plants bloom. An additional feeding should be given
as one flowering period ends to stimulate the next
one. However, in cold climates, roses should not be
fed after August.
Prune just before new growth begins, as the buds
begin to swell. Hold off pruning until danger of
frost has passed or newly trimmed tips may be
killed. (NOTE: Climbing roses are the exception.
They benefit from a light pruning immediately after
flowering.)
When pruning roses, remove 1/3 to 1/2 of the
previous year’s growth. Trim off suckers (canes
emerging from the roots) as they appear. Remove
any damaged branches and work to open the plant
up so air and sunlight can reach the center (see
illustration above). Additional pruning may be
needed in cold climates.
Proper Pruning for Roses
Remove deadwood, weak and twiggy
branches and any crossed branches
In cold climates, reduce bush
to half the size it was in fall
To improve production, remove flowers as they fade.
To keep climbers blooming, prune just above the first
five-leaf grouping when the first flush of flowers has
faded. Roses need winter protection in northern
regions. Mound dirt, leaves or straw over plants or
cover with rose cones after a couple of good, hard
frosts. (The ground should be frozen to a depth of 2
inches before cones are added.) Lay climbers on the
ground and cover with heavy mulch.
TREES
Follow the general planting directions on page 1.
Varieties that grow taller than 50 feet are best
located at least 30 feet from the street and the house.
Larger varieties look best alone; smaller ones are
more appealing planted in clusters of two or three.
After planting, trunks can be wrapped to protect
the bark from sun, wind, insects, rodents and deer.
This is best done in fall and should be removed the
following spring. Wrap the tree from the ground to
the crotch of the first major branches. Most trees are
pruned before shipment to avoid damage in transit.
However, they may need some additional pruning.
Prune out crossed limbs and remove broken or
injured branches by trimming just outside the
branch “collar”—the small, raised area around the
branch where it grows from the main stem.
SHRUBS
Follow the general planting directions on page 1.
Give shrubs room to grow by setting them rather
far apart unless you want to form a dense, upright
hedge. It’s better to allow too much room than
too little since cramped quarters will cause shrubs
to lose their natural shape. Set shrubs far enough
from the house so that they won’t touch the walls
when mature. This protects the health of the plants
by permitting air to circulate freely, lessening the
chance of disease. Never plant directly under the
drip line of a roof where shrubs could be damaged
by falling icicles or snow. Avoid planting under
overhangs where the plants won’t get sufficient
moisture. Don’t place a shrub in an exposed site
if it’s a variety that needs shelter from winter
winds. Most shrubs need very little pruning—just
enough to maintain the basic shape of the bush
and to keep deadwood trimmed out. Lightly prune
early-blooming shrubs immediately after they finish
flowering. Midseason and late bloomers can be
pruned in late fall after flowering or in early spring.
Hydrangeas—These plants thrive in rich, moist
soil and flower freely in sun or shade. Flower color
is determined by soil acidity. Where soils are acidic,
blooms are blue. Where soils are alkaline, blooms
are pink. For pink flowers, sprinkle 1/2 to 1 cup
lime around the plants at planting time. For blue
flowers, add 1/2 to 1 cup aluminum sulphate. Prune
stems which have just borne flowers and leave those
that won’t flower until next year. Older, darker
canes can be removed almost at the ground. Go easy
on young, vigorous green shoots; they shouldn’t be
drastically pruned.
Lilacs—Lilacs prefer cool temperatures and early
planting—as soon as the soil can be worked—in a
soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Never prune lilacs severely—
just trim off the old blooms immediately after
flowering. It’s easy to see where you should make
the cut; you’ll notice next year’s buds developing
just below this season’s flower clusters. As soon as
the blooms are spent, remove them to make way for
next year’s crop of blossoms.
SMALL FRUITS
Follow the general planting instructions on page1.
Prune any crossed limbs or branches which rub
against each other. This lets light into the center of
the plant and becomes more important with each
successive season as plants get bigger and bushier.
Work the soil well so that the plants’ roots aren’t
restricted. Avoid crowding—berry bushes need lots
of room because they’re heavy feeders, and the
brambles put out numerous suckers. Place small
fruits away from fruit and shade trees which might
need spraying when the berries are ripening. Many
small fruits may take some time to break dormancy.
Be sure to allow plenty of time for plants to bud out
after transplanting, especially during a very cool,
wet spring.
Blackberries and Boysenberries—All brambles
require deep, well-drained loam soil high in organic
matter. They can’t tolerate sandy soil or soil that’s
so heavy it leaves moisture standing around the
roots. Apply a balanced fertilizer at a rate of 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet in the spring and again
right after the plants have finished flowering.
When you receive your plants it is very important
that you maintain a moist root system continuously
until you can get the plants in the soil and watered
in. Allowing the roots to dry out is the most
common cause for failure in starting new bramble
plants. Between receipt and planting you can do
this by storing in a cool dark place with the roots
wrapped in plastic and some water misted in the
bag as-needed.
When planting, it is important to place the plants in
the hole at the same depth they grew in the nursery
row. Space blackberries 5-6 feet apart in rows 8-10
feet apart and provide a trellis for trailing types (see
illustration below).
Training Blackberries
Weave onto trellis
Tie onto wires
Canes can be woven or tied to keep them in place.
Do not allow canes to set fruit the first year. Water
heavily and mulch to reduce weeds. Thick layers of
shredded bark, leaves, wood chips and hay make
excellent mulches for any type of berry.
Visit Gurneys.com, Gardening-How To
Videos to view our blackberry plant care and
pruning videos.
Blueberries—Blueberries must be planted where
they have full sun most of the day and acidic soil (a
pH of 4.5-5.5) that’s well-drained, porous and high
in organic matter.
If your local soil does not fit this description you
may have better luck creating a raised bed filled
with the appropriate planting media, or growing
plants in patio containers.
6 7
GUPG-17.indd 6-7 6/30/2017 11:23:12 AM