How to Hedge Rosa Rugosa

Site

• Rugosa rose tolerates planting sites that challenge many other plants. Requiring only some drainage and at least six hours of sun a day, rugosa rose hedges grow in most soil types and also tolerate drought and polluted, windy and coastal sites. In fertile, humus-rich ground with a pH between 5.5 and 7, plants grow 10 feet wide and 6 feet high, but in less favorable conditions they are smaller, so space your plants accordingly. For a dense hedge in infertile ground, such as sandy soil, space plants 2 to 3 feet apart. Prepare a planting area 2 to 3 feet wider than the hedge, and place plants in the ground at the same level as their original growing levels.

Growing

• Rugosa roses suit busy gardeners with time for only occasional watering and feeding. Apply a 2- to 3-inch mulch of organic matter, such as garden compost, after planting and every spring, to help retain moisture around plant roots. Watering regularly during the first year as roses establish, and weekly during dry periods, also benefits plants. Spread a slow-release, balanced shrub fertilizer around plant roots during spring at a rate of 1 tablespoon per square foot, or according to manufacturer's instructions, working the granules into the mulch before watering in. Few pests or diseases affect rugosa rose except aphids, which can be hosed off with a strong jet of water.

Taming

• A vigorous spreader, rugosa rose needs some taming to grow as a formal hedge. Plants spread through suckers and self-seeding. Lawn growing on either side of hedges limits spreading, because mowing regularly shears off suckers and seedlings. Alternatively, gardeners can prune out suckers and pull up seedlings as they appear. Prune hedges to shape them in early spring, using a hedge shears to create a smooth effect. Remove old and dead wood at the same time to help prevent hedges from becoming leggy and sparse in the center. Rugosa rose also grows well as an informal hedge if left unpruned.

Cultivars

• Rugosa rose cultivars with dense growth are most suitable for growing as hedges. Hybrid rugosa rose "Sir Thomas Lipton" (Rosa "Sir Thomas Lipton") is a vigorous, dense, upright, rounded shrub that grows 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 7 feet wide. Its fragrant white flowers appear in June and repeat intermittently throughout the year until fall. Rugosa rose "Thérèse Bugnet" (Rosa "Thérèse Bugnet") is another dense, upright rose. Bearing 4-inch-wide fragrant, ruffled, deep-pink blooms from May to fall, it grows 5 to 7 feet tall and wide. Both shrubs are suitable for USDA zones 3 through 8.