I need some quick help.

I tend to "rescue" those little grocery store roses, separate them, and end up with 4 or 5 plants. Never had a problem with it until now.

My last group, I separated out and planted in one of those rectangular pots until they had grown enough to pot up or plant out.

I put 4 in there and each were growing nicely. Then the one on the end turned black and died. I sort of went "hmmmm" yanked it out and that was that. Then about 2 weeks later, the one next to it, the stem started to turn black, it defoliated and died. I yanked it out before it was totally dead and tossed it...and I started watching the last two closely.

Now about 2 weeks later, the stem on the one next to the last one is starting to turn black. (literally over night) I yanked it up immediately to look at the roots. It does appear that about half of the roots have turned black and died, about half are still alive.

I am trying to figure out what is causing it. I "would" say it is just common root rot...but it is definitely looking like something soil borne. It started down at one end of the trough and has moved systematically down the line. And I was constantly checking to make sure they didn't get too much water.

I'm going to try to trim the roots...then what? a fungicide maybe? Which one?

I have already pulled the last healthy rose out and have washed off most of the soil and am letting the roots dry out before replanting (in another pot)....but I do want to try to save the one that is sick.

Other than root rot, and anyone think of another disease that could cause this?

Thanks