Get your roses off to the best possible start by choosing their growing site carefully and then planting them using the techniques most suitable for your climate. Bare-root rose plants — those sold without soil — offer the best value and grow quickly after planting.

Choose the planting site. Roses need at least 6 hours of direct sun each day, although some afternoon shade is best in hot climates. Plant them in a spot where air can circulate and dry their leaves soon after a rain, and give them fertile soil that drains quickly.

Determine the depth to plant. Most rose plants consist of two parts: the rootstock and the flowering canes. The bulge where the parts join is called the graft union. Plant the graft union just at or slightly above the soil surface.

Dig the hole. Keep the roots cool and moist while you dig the planting hole. The hole should be deep enough to set the graft union at the proper depth and at least wide enough to allow the roots to extend without bending. Put the removed soil in a wheelbarrow or on a tarp.

Amend the soil. Very sandy or heavy clay soils benefit from the addition of organic material. Mix the soil from the planting hole with 25 percent compost and 25 percent composted bark plus a few handfuls of composted manure. Partially fill the hole with the soil mix, making a cone or mound in the center to drape the roots over.

Set the rose in the hole, carefully arranging the roots over the center mound.

Backfill and water. Holding the rose at the right planting depth, fill the hole with soil, working it carefully around the roots. When the hole is nearly full, water thoroughly to settle the soil. Finish filling the hole and create a low ring of soil around the perimeter of the hole. Water again. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch in a circle around the plant, taking care to keep the mulch 3 to 4 inches away from the canes. Water as necessary to keep the soil evenly moist until the rose resumes vigorous growth.

The White Forest Nursery staff’s choice for “Best Apple” goes to The Pink Lady.

The Pink Lady was first produced in Western Australia around 30 years ago for its brilliant pink color, pleasantly tart flavor and crunchy texture; it’s actually a cross between Golden Delicious and Lady Williams.

Pink Lady trees were brought to Washington by Brandt’s Fruit Trees, Inc., in the early 1990s. The trees were soon being sold in California, where they are grown today on about 1,000 acres.

The apple ripens in mid-October in California. The fruit is dense, and has a long storage life extending into the following April, for the longest season of any California apple.