Hi Larry, Marlorena is right on the money! (as usual) I would do just what she did.

Thanks Marlorena. I did just that yesterday. I press down on the soil around the rose and watered again so I will leave them and let Mother Nature do her thang. Thanks for the responses.

Larry,

Relax! You probably did not even have to firm down the soil around those newly planted roses, and they would have done just fine as long as a couple deep waterings were followed up with. Since you firmed them down, just keep them well watered.

I know it is like comparing apples with oranges, but if you ever saw a forester going along a hillside planting seedling evergreens, you would be amazed.

The forester takes his adze, wacks it into the ground making a hole, drops an app. 12" evergreen seedling into the hole with the adze still in the hole, holding the soil back. The adze is lifted out, followed by the forester pushing the soil firmly back with his foot, who then moves on to the next seedling planting.....no watering and no after-worries or second guessing. The majority of the seedlings take, no sweat.

Now, I know roses are not evergreen trees, but they're tougher than we give them credit to be.

Moses

I have never tamped down the soil around my roses. I just water them in good. I have never had a problem.

I just planted some bare roots and put the dirt back in in stages. First stage I work the soil under and around the roots with my fingers to make sure it's pretty solid. Then water. Then fill in with the rest of the dirt , firming a little with my hands, then water again and mulch. I am not a bare root expert though as I usually buy own roots.

I read somewhere it's better to water them in than tamping them down and it avoids damaging any small feeder roots, so I think you're good!