I don't know what you are doing wrong with potting them up because I always plant mine directly in the ground. I have learned not to plant bands after August however, especially with teas and chinas, but if I get them in early enough, they usually do just fine.

This might be rose midge--bands may be too small to overcome midge damage without the gardener pruning away the damaged top growth.

I planted three bands last spring, and they did well over the winter, so I got overconfident in my abilities and ordered two more this year--well, one arrived with a tiny broken cane, and then had a cane just go limp and die out, and its third and final cane was rallying and starting to grow when something came along and ate it down to a nubbin. I just yanked it out of the ground and said, no more bands. Too fragile, and I can get a REAL rosebush for just a little more money. The other band (they are both Darlow's Enigma) is trying to grow, and I've got it better protected, so we'll see. I feel bands are a waste of money (especially after shipping), frankly.

Jon, I'm next door in Illinois. I've been pretty successful in growing bands. My method is to plant them immediately in the ground in May. I've bought some later during the summer and it's been too darned hot and those have died, but the ones planted early in spring have done well and prospered due to the spring rains. But, and there is always a but, there are a couple of rose vendors whose tiny bands do not seem to want to grow for me either and I have not had good luck with their bands either. Sometimes those bands do not come back in the spring or are slow to establish themselves.

I just received my Vintage bands yesterday and they look to be a hardy bunch. I was very pleased with the size and vigor and plan on planting them directly into the ground. Since we've such a limited growing season, if I pot them up for a couple of months to give them extra growing time, that puts me right into the middle of July...the hottest time of the year and the poor darlings will struggle with heat and no rain, and THAT I don't want.

So maybe try a couple of direct-planting bands again just to see if it makes a difference rather than trying to over-winter in the pots. It would make an interesting experiment.
-terry

I stick my bands right into the ground, don't do anything special for them, and they do fine for me. I can't take care of anything in pots so I've never even tried it. Some of my best roses started as bands. Maybe you're putting them into a too large pot and they're getting waterlogged?

Bands have been a definite mixed bag for us.We've ended up with a few really nice plants in the garden that we otherwise might not have,or have as quickly.Otoh,I think some varieties just aren't well cut out to grow from bands in most real world conditions.Bands can be extra work here.Especially if we get a windy spring.

Personally,I'd use them as a sort of last resort,and then consider catsrose and terryjean's advice of trying some direct ground planting.To tilt the odds toward the plants a bit more,tlc them from whatever might threaten.Be it chicken wire for the rabbits as well as covering them in strong wind or fluke coldsnap type conditions.Use really good soil and water enough to give them a quality drink but not so much that they get longterm wet feet,which is easy for sticks that have small root systems.

If at all possible,larger own roots or grafted plants are the way to go in my opinion.But I know what it's like to want a certain variety of plant that's only available one way.Best of luck.

I grow a lot of bands, and the only thing that I can think of with yours declining immediately is that they may be coming from a warm climate or a warm greenhouse, and they are getting shocked by the cold nights you are probably still having. Are you gradually getting them accustomed to your temps? I have to with mine..they would surely die if I didn't.
I also plant mine directly in the ground once they've had a couple of weeks to acclimate...I feel that with our short growing season here, bands need all of the time they can get to put down deep roots. Never plant a band in your zone after spring..early summer at the very latest..it will never live through your winter. Donna

I defintely sympathize with Prairie-Rose's frustration with bands, and I'm envious of anyone who immediately plants bands in permanent garden locations where they commence growing steadily into mature plants.

With bands, I focus exclusively on root development. Some bands arrive with root systems so sparse that they can hardly (& sometimes simply can't) sustain the plant outside the controlled environment where it existed up until the moment it was packed for shipping.

I now don't do any repotting of bands for 6 to 8 weeks after I receive them. Growers claim that root development is enhanced by those narrow, elongated pots that most of them use for bands (altho it often looks like some bands are placed in those pots only just prior to shipping). I place each band pot into a gallon pot where I surround it (sides & bottom only) with porous potting soil to stabilize it. Then I usually sink the gallon pot into a 'starter bed'. After 6 wks or so, I remove the plant from its original pot, plant it in the gallon container & return it to its place in the bed. Lots of fuss & bother, but I believe the method has increased my success rate w/ bands simply because it has resulted in stronger, more dense root systems before the plant goes into a larger container.

I think that a big problem with trying to maintain small bands as residents of a 'pot ghetto' is that the pots are generally black, reflect no sunlight and absorb LOTS of heat. Persistently high heat levels in a medium that's kept moist probably impedes good root development. Sinking the pots helps to keep the roots in the temperature range at which they'll eventually have to adapt anyway. I strongly agree with the posters above who prefer early season delivery of bands. Also, I'm an advocate of ruthless disbudding during the first year, & I follow Vintage's advice to fertilize young plants ONLY with dilute fish emulsion or liquid seaweed.

Jont1, I note that the bands you've had difficulty with are Harkness roses. When it comes to bands, modern roses seem to be more difficult than OGRs. I don't know why that should be the case . . . That observation, FWIW, is based solely on my personal track record.

I didn't mention in my previous post that I amend the hole with steer manure before I plant.

One of the bands that I planted directly into the bed last year was Rosemary Harkness...doing very well this year. No winter protection at all last year other than wood mulch at her feet and a few oak leaves that blew in. The 3 Lilian Austins from RVR are huge shrubs already at the beginning of their second year.

Maybe it's the steer manure?
-terry