There many things that came to mind while reading this. I'll touch on a few if you don't mind. First before I forget start a spray program for those two roses. One key to getting a rose threw winter here is to keep it healthy. Both of these roses black spot like crazy. Pat Austin is a weak rose here own root and grafted. It will need the most help to survive. Don't forget to check your soil before you water. Most water recommendations will kill your rose where we live. My soil holds ample water. The first few inches may dry out but I have a sandy silty subsoil so once established they are good to go. I do dig a large hole and amend it for many reasons. One to be sure the soil is not to wet for a young rose. We also have many click bugs and if there are any of its larvae (wireworms) around that area. Its certain death for a young band. Young bands come with young fiberous roots. I do think they need the extra loosened up soil to really get those roots going. The best chance a rose has this up coming winter is its root system. Since many roses are not cane hardy here. That leaves the roots and crown to bring it back to life next year. Why not give it the best chance that you can. Sometimes I just remind myself that I only need to dig the hole once in the roses life. How many time have I read the phrase never plant a $10 plant in a two bit hole. Much better to plant a two bit plant in a $10 hole or something like that. Honestly it is true the better the soil the better the plant. Okay enough of that. I was just out side and dug a walnut tree that had started to grow. The squirrels are so kind as to give each plant a walnut every fall that I must dig out each spring. Anyway when I popped it up a giant grub was attached to the root. You don't want any of those to be in there either. Christophers advice is always great and to the point. Much better than my rambling thoughts. So dig that hole your rose will love you for it.

I remember when I was first gardening I tried the chicken mesh thing - laid it down in the fall after planting. Don’t know what I was thinking but by next spring I wanted to remove it after the shoots had already started pushing through and I ended up pulling out a good deal of my precious while doing so. So not really good for my purposes. The other thing is that the mesh may stop them being able to dig down to the bulb - but doesn’t stop the buggers from snapping the neck of the flower just as it about to open.

I applied a generous layer of used coffee grounds on my newly planted bulbs last autumn. I think I lost just one crocus bulb to the skwerls. (I planted over 100 crocuses and about 30 or so species tulips.) As things have emerged this spring, I've had some leaves nipped off as the new growth was apparently too tempting and I think one or two flowers have been nibbled on too. But on the whole, things have worked out well. I have an abundant skwerl population due to the density of pines on my property and in surrounding gardens.

do you fert your lawn ... if so.. the tree gets all it needs.. if it needs anything .... regardless.. fert is not really a remedy.. obviously.. the tree has prospered for decades without such.. so why would it need it now .... thx for being patient with trying to get a mind picture ... all you can do .... is heavily water the lawn/ trench during the heat of summer ... and deep into fall ... not just the usual lawn irrigation.. wet the top inch or two of soil ... thats not where the roots are ... perhaps .. depending on ma nature ... once a month.. water long enough to get moisture down 6 inches or so ... dig small holes to find out.. as we cant really tell you how it works in your particular soil ... if you see die back in july/august ... you will know.. on some level.. how bad it was ... if you dont ... you win ... but it will take a couple years for it to fully recover .... so perhaps do the same next summer ... and come fall .. dont go putting away the hose in early october ... oct/now can be a drought ... and instead of going into winter full of water... the tree might go into winter dry .... again.. it all depends on the wicked witch of the north.. aka ma nature ... ken