What should be determined through a soil test when planting roses?

When planting roses, determining the pH is essential because it directly impacts the plant's ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. Roses thrive in slightly acidic to neutral conditions, typically around a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. If the soil pH is too low (acidic) or too high (alkaline), it can lead to nutrient deficiencies or toxicities, affecting the overall health and growth of the plants. Understanding the pH allows gardeners to amend the soil appropriately to create the best possible growing conditions for roses.

While assessing nutrient levels, soil temperature, and soil texture are also important factors for successful horticultural practices, they do not specifically address the immediate needs of roses as directly as pH does. Nutrient levels do inform about what amendments may be necessary, soil temperature can influence planting times, and soil texture affects drainage and root growth, but none of these elements are as critical to establishing a healthy pH balance, which is fundamental to nutrient uptake in roses.