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hmmm562

What else I can do for it?

17 years ago

This is one of the bareroot roses I received yesterday. I am very disappointed at the quality from such a well-known professional rose company. Besides asking for a replacement or refund, what else I can do for it?

{{gwi:282779}}

Comments (30)

  • 17 years ago

    It's really too late in the season to be planting bare root roses. They were all harvested last November and December, then placed in cold storage where they've been since. All those dark places on the larger cane are the result of harvest damage and being in cold storage so long. Any vendor worth their salt wouldn't ship bare rooots this late in the season while anyone growing roses shouldn't order bare roots so late. Reason? This is what you get!
    Unless it's one you have to have now, I'd ask for a refund or credit. Actually, I'd ask for it anyway.

  • 17 years ago

    Thanks again, Karl!!

    Yes, this is something I really want. I was planning to plant it in a pot. I am done with hole digging for this spring. Guess now I have to toss it away.

    As a beginner, I really appreciate your opinions.

  • 17 years ago

    Get a refund and get your rose from someone else. Check helpmefind.com/roses for someone who carries it.

  • 17 years ago

    It's a mess, but if you aren't going to seek a refund, cut off the worst cane at the base and plant it after soaking thoroughly. Put the pot in the shade until it breaks dormancy, which could take weeks.

  • 17 years ago

    I'll agree with Michaelg. Cut off the really bad cane at the base and the rose might be able to survive. But try to get a refund or credit anyway since the rose is in really bad shape.

  • 17 years ago

    I have asked for a refund. I hope they will give my money back. I was very surprised at the poor quality from such a well-known vendor. I am going to soak it in the water for now.

  • 17 years ago

    A good soak can't hurt, and I agree with Michael and Athena. Cut off that most-damaged cane, and go ahead ant plant it.
    What the heck.

    But would you please tell us who the offending company is?
    I think other victim-- er, people -- would like to avoid such an experience.

    Jeri.

  • 17 years ago

    Will I be in trouble if I say the name directly? You will not believe it....... unless I am the only one thinking they "were" good. They are based in UK.

  • 17 years ago

    I agree about soaking and cutting off the really bad cane and trying to salvage at least part of it. I should have suggested that in my first post.
    After potting, you could place a clear plastic bag over the pot to act as a greenouse. It'll get hot inside it but humid heat will be needed to force growth from those canes. Make sure you keep the soil moist not wet.
    If you use the plastic bag and force growth, you'll have to harden off any new growth slowly by poking holes in the bag and placing it in shade. Taking it off without hardening it off will result in the sun frying any tender growth.
    UK based? I'd say it's from David Austin roses.

  • 17 years ago

    Thanks, Karl!!

    The plastic method is really a good suggestion. I did not think about it at all. I will absolutely give it a try. I always wonder we "prefer" to plant a bare root rose in the ground in spring time. How about the people live in the weather like Florida? I mean if the place have a long summer, can they plant roses anytime?

  • 17 years ago

    As Karl said, roses grown by Austin, Star, Weeks, Pickering, and other big producers are dug in late fall and placed in cold storage as bare roots. They deteriorate over time. That's why you should plant bare-roots as early as possible.

    Most potted roses are bare-roots that have been taken out of storage and "canned" or potted up around six weeks before being set out at the garden center. They can be planted any time, but mid-spring is best because the garden centers let them dry out or get diseased, and eventually they are pot-bound with circling roots. Also transplanting is easier in mild weather.

    People in Florida and California do most of their planting in the winter.

  • 17 years ago

    Thanks Michael!!

    Now I understand why. Do the vendors you mentioned above have good reputation? Well, I have had experience with DA. I am not sure if I want to go back to them.

    Also, after hardening off the plant, when is the good time to transplant it into ground? this fall or next spring?

    I cut off a lot of black ends today. I hope they will not happen again. Is this normal? How can I prevent it keep happening? One of my neighbors told me, I should not cut off those black ends. He thinks they are part of the nature and maybe they are mean to be. So Zen!!

  • 17 years ago

    If it survives, I would plant in fall as soon as it cools off some and you judge a solid root-ball has occupied the pot. I would use a 3-gal., as larger pots are hard to transplant from. If you keep it over winter, you would need to give the pot some winter protection.

  • 17 years ago

    If potted, you can transplant anytime as long as you don't lose soil from the rootball when removing from the pot. If done properly and watered well and often, a transplanted potted plant will not know it's been moved.
    Your Zen neighbor sounds like the fella who I purchased my home from. He didn't like when it rained because the grass grew and he had to mow. The "lawn" was all weeds with a burn pile in the front yard. It's not a love for nature, it's being lazy.

  • 17 years ago

    Hi

    Lots of good advive here. It's late, but not too late for the rose to get established and even flower before automn comes. If you can provied some shade from the hotest sun, that is good too. For the roses I give extra care I water them with one of those liquid fertilizers with seaweed and other good stuff. It can really make a difference for the development of the rootsystem.

    Good luck with nursing your rose back to life :-)

  • 17 years ago

    I received the response from the vendor today. I would prefer to have the full refund, but instead they will send me the replacement. I took a close look again at the defected roses. (Not just this one I post the photo here.) I feel one of them will not make it at all. (It has a big split in the middle between two canes. I did not even bother to post its photo here.) How can they send this kind of plants to the customers? They are not worried this will ruin their reputation? Unbelievable!! I wish the new ones will have better quality.

    Karl, You make me laugh!! LOL!! My neighbor probably always has good luck growing roses.

    Thanks again Michael!! I am wondering if I can trim some roots. The roots spread out pretty wide.

    Thanks Taoseeker. I like your name. Is it associated with Taoism? I do hope I can bring its life back.

  • 17 years ago

    About planting roses in zones that have warm temps all year, They plant bare root roses in December, January, and February. The roses they get are fresh having just been harvested. By the end of February there are few bare root roses available in those areas. Roses available after that are growing potted bushes.

  • 17 years ago

    Hi hmmm562

    Years ago when I was new to web-forums, I needed a nick. I had just seen a traditional Chinese painting with the title "Looking for the Dao in Spring" or something like that. I had then taken a few courses in history of religion, and that probably made an influence on me. So I chose Taoseeker. At the time nobody used that nick, I remember I searched on google and I got no direct hits on that word. Now I see that a few others have thought of this nick too. I mostly use it in forums I registered on years ago. Perhaps I need to think of a new nick.

  • 17 years ago

    Hmmm--

    All the potted roses at the garden center have had their roots pruned to fit the pots. You can set the graft high in the pot, then lower in the garden.

    The replacement plant is also likely to be in bad shape, since it has been in cold storage 6+ months.

  • 17 years ago

    Karl, thanks again for your info!! I planted it in a pot with a plastic bag covered over this evening. I hope it will do something for me. The other one I do not think it will work out at all. There is such a big split!! Can't believe it!!

    Michael, thanks again. I hope, even though I doubt it, the replacement will arrive in a good shape. I did not feel like to deal with them again. Specially it is about refund.

  • 17 years ago

    Hey Taoseeker,

    Part of my culture background is Taoism. This is why I asked. Based on the Taoism, I should probably just let this rose be!!

    Happy gardening!!

  • 17 years ago

    Hmmm562, I had a bareroot arrive split center of root stock all the way into the "trunk" almost to bud union. (First thought was how could they not have noticed?!) I cleaned the crack up, (sprayed the heck out of it with water) told it I was sorry about what happened to it, and used 2 pull ties to bring it together again. Well, I am happy to say DA Janet is doing just fine. I did balk at planting her so she is behind the rest. I potted her instead of in the bed, 'cause I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I even asked AshdownRose man what he thought and he said go for it! You never know. (I did not get the rose from Ashdown.)
    I have had luck with cleaning breaks and putting wood glue on it. (I have a 15 year old son....)
    Go for it!

  • 17 years ago

    Did your other Rose look like this?
    I think, from your post we're talking about the same vendor.
    They did replace it but the replacement was split too, so I think it has to do with how they dig up the Roses.
    They gave me a third Rose which I'm sure was hand picked by a warehouse manager who had been chewed out.
    {{gwi:282780}}
    P.S. Both of them lived when planted out in the garden.
    I didn't think they had a chance and they were slow to establish but I expect them to be productive.
    I'd also try to cut off the bad stuff and plant it and see what happens.
    I suggest a big pot and lots of water.

  • 17 years ago

    hmmm562; Taoism has been an interest of mine since I years ago met a practitioner of medicinal Qi Gong. It became my introduction to this tradition. Later I have met several interesting people. It has become part of me, even though there is no inherited cultural conection.

    Chuck_Billie; where is the grafting point on the rose? It looks like the rootstock is made my a plane hard wood cutting? At least I have never seen a root-neck that long! Here rootstocks are seed grown, and they look a bit different.

  • 17 years ago

    Taoseeker,

    Roses grafted in the western US always have 6" shanks. It is easier for the producer, even though it causes gardeners to bury the roots unnaturally deep. In heavy soil the original roots may stall out or atrophy and new roots break along the shank.

  • 17 years ago

    Yes, we have ordered from the same place. My first thought was the same as allison64: how could they not have noticed?! I still can not believe it!! I wish I do not need to ask for the second time refund.

    This is the other bare root: it looks so dried and the buds look so dead. I feel it will not have any chance.

    {{gwi:282781}}

  • 17 years ago

    Yes, that is just wrong. Another "COME ON, REALLY!?" Definitely soak the whole thing in water maybe with a little B12, for at least 24 hours. After that, I would cut off the left cane, involved in the break, all the way down to the beg. of the break, wash it, let newly exposed area dry(roots still in water)and seal it with wood glue or varathane or?. It has a lot of healthy "thru way" for nutrients and the canes on it look surprisingly OK! Remember each bud eye is really 3. The far left cane looks dry, but hey, you never know? I would cut canes back a lot, balance out the size of the roots and canes at least.

    Some people reading this will probably be rolling their eyes at this. But you know what, I love fixing, or trying, things! Having a big doggie, teenage boy, and buying from J&P, shtuff happens. (Yes, I said it.) I think with any huge company the odds are you will see things like this.

    Chuck Billie, yes my DA "Janet" looked just like that. She is a trooper!

    Allison
    Ps when I look at neighborhood roses I always look at the bud union (we plant them above ground here) and it is amazing the nastiness nutrients are getting through and the bush is flourishing. Tough plants in many ways!

  • 17 years ago

    I just received my replacement. Fortunately, there is no big split this time. However, unfortunately, there are still black spots on canes just like the first photo. I have asked for a refund again. I do not feel the second replacement will be better. I am not sure if they will really do so. They may tell me those black spots are no harm or they still grow very well on their farm something like this. Well, I do feel those black spots on canes are some kind of disease. Sigh!!

  • 17 years ago

    Well if they refuse refund, tell them you will post the picture of both rose on rose forums and Dave's garden Web. Make sure to ask for your shipping to be refund too. It may or may not work but at least you will get your revenge.

    Rather than throwing them out, plant them with a generous helping of alfalfa pallets/meals/tea. Baby them for a season or so, you never know they may grow new canes.

    What is the name of the rose, some of DA roses grow many many basal canes so even if you lose all of current canes, it may be ok, slow to establish but ok.

    FJ

  • 17 years ago

    The roses I ordered are Double Delight (this is something I really want.)and a Tahitian Sunset. When they sent out the replacement, they sent out two Tahitian Sunset due to the unavailability of Double Delight. Compare to the first shipment, the new ones do look better but still defective. The first ones are just smaller canes with all the problems described above. When I placed my order from them, I really expected a much, much better quality since they were and are still so pricey. I have learned my lesson!! For the same amount of money, I could have bought some full grown roses from my local nursery. I can just walk in and pick up the ones I like.

    I did post my complains on the Dave's garden watchdog and saw their "standard" response there. Just like some other people mentioned there, "I am not buying the good service, I am buying the good quality." What else I can say to describe my feeling!!