Hands down, now is the best time to plant grafted Fortuniana Roses in our grow zone. The humidity is down, the days are shorter, the nights are cooler, all of which lower the chances of fungus and pest issues. Planting now also gives plenty of time for the shrub to establish itself before our hot, humid summers. And if we get a cold snap, no worries — most roses can handle temperatures down to -10 degrees.
When planting, amend our sandy soil with rich compost, a favorite for roses, and use Bio-tone® Starter Plus. We cannot recommend this enough: it will expand the roots and allow the shrub to absorb more water and nutrients, establishing it faster and more efficiently. Come early spring, you’ll conduct hard prunes if necessary and fertilize.
All these preliminary steps can help guarantee a happy, healthy rose bush and prepare it for our Florida weather.