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New rose-addict - bareroot questions

13 years ago

Hello all!

I've just discovered this part of the forums after lurking at the Garden Junk site for quite a while. I am a total rose newbie, but decided this year that I HAD to have roses in my yard, so I ordered 17 bare root roses (from Jackson & Perkins sale and Park Seeds) and received them about a week ago. I think it's probably a little late, but I'm hoping that some (well, really I'm hoping ALL) of them will survive and eventually thrive. I planted four within a day of receiving them (following all directions as far as soaking, hole size, etc.) Those four look ok, no leaves yet, but canes still nice and green.

That brings me to my dilemma. I left the others closed in the boxes for about 2 more days. Then I realized how hot we had gotten and decided I needed to plant them asap. I soaked them and planted them in large pots on my patio for now. But some of those canes are looking brownish (all still have at least a little green). Is it possible for them to still survive? Is there any babying I can do to help them?

Just FYI, I'm in southern Arizona (Sierra Vista area), at a higher elevation than Phoenix (usually 10-15 degrees cooler), but we have had a couple of 100 degree days this week. All the plants are mulched with several inches of organic mulch. I purchased many different varieties (listed below). I couldn't stop myself from ordering that many. When I get addicted, I am throw myself into my addictions head first :-)

I hope this isn't too long of a post - but I'm looking for hope that the brownish plants might still survive ... I am voraciously reading the old posts around here to see what else I can learn. Any and all advice (or constructive criticism, lol) is greatly appreciated!

Patty

Here's the varieties I purchased:

Park Seeds:

Full Sail, Betty Boop, Jardines de Bagatelle, Frederic Mistral,

J&P:

Sweet Freedom, Peace, Gemini, Aromatherapy, Bella Roma, Radiant Perfume, Scent from Above, Social Climber, Sombreuil, Welcome Home, April in Paris, High Society

Comments (10)

  • 13 years ago

    Too bad, next time get bareroots into the soak immediately. They can stay there until you are ready to plant. Better yet, start them in February or March.

    No telling how things will go. June-planted bare-roots will normally fail at a certain rate because they have been in cold storage since November. I would prune off any shriveled cane sections and either spray with full-strength anti-transpirant or mound dirt over the stubs. Be sure you have really soaked them in enough to settle air pockets in the soil. Good luck.

  • 13 years ago

    Planting bareroots this late in the season is far from ideal (esp in zones where high summer temps are the norm). However, it's entirely possible that your new roses will grow and perform well. It's essential that you keep them constantly hydrated. The ones in containers need special attention. Keep the potting medium moist, but make sure that the pots are draining VERY well (you don't want to add soggy root conditions as another stress factor). As the containerized roses begin to leaf out & grow new roots, you may find that you need to water them more than once a day.

    IMO, the biggest problem with adding bareroot roses this late is that you've no way of knowing how the plants have been treated in storage. If they've been subjected to high temps or allowed to dry out where they were warehoused, whatever care you provide now may be in vain. Treatment by the supplier is a variable over which you have no control, so if some of your new plants fail to break dormancy, don't necessarily blame yourself. Good luck -- & I hope they all survive & bring you lots of pleasure!

  • 13 years ago

    They may be ok. All you can do is keep them well watered and misted and try to protect them from too much sun. Don't feel bad if some don't make it. We all kill a few roses each year. Well, I know I usually do anyway.

    If you still want more next year, order as early as possible (to get the freshest stock and be able to plant when it's cooler) and soak them at least the day after you get them.

  • 13 years ago

    Patty, only time will tell so hang in there with the above advice.

    Roses are pretty tough, and some bushes may not be as full as they could have been, and you might even lose a bush or more, but I am sure you'll see some lovely blooms this summer.

    Post back and let us know how it goes.

    Susan

  • 13 years ago

    Thanks so much for the words of encouragement - I will watch the watering/misting and hope for the best. The 4 in the ground look fine ... I will definitely want more next year, and won't wait 'til mid-May, lol. I'll be searching through old posts for advice on good varieties and sources so I am ready for next summer for sure! Thanks again,
    Patty

  • 13 years ago

    What is a ANTI TRANSPIRANT?

  • 13 years ago

    I would get them planted asap. Mabey help them along with a little root start fertilzer. My holes end up being very muddy when digging roses. I dig a good deep hole, mix in a good handful of 6-8-6 granular organic fert, mix that around, make a little 'cone' of dirt, spread the roots over it, fill in with good compost and soil mix. Once it gets almost full soak new dirt with water to make sure to get all the air pockets out, sort of wiggling rose around a bit to make sure dirt is caving in around roots. You will then see soil really settles then fill up more even barley covering the crown. The crown (bottom part where the branches come out) is where you always will want to get nice new growth from. If you bury this to low sun cant get to it and new shoots wont break (come out) . Thats why they say use a stick for proper planting height. Your area being so hot I would protect that crown at first as lots of your new growth will come off the branchs that are already there. Next spring uncover crown to get new shoots. Epson salt tea is good for roses too but im sure I would use any yet. umm hmm ok that my tips I have Sombreuil and out of 100 roses I would say its in my top 3.

  • 13 years ago

    Here's my trick for late-planted bareroots:

    {{gwi:290891}}

    The whole idea is too keep moisture around the canes to keep them from drying out in the wind or heat. You can use any porous mulch-type material in the boxes, which have no bottoms. Then, when the plant has sprouted, you just spread out the mulch. You need to check below the mulch line about every 10 days to see if any growth is happening, and get the boxes off when it does.

    Also, I would aim for putting the plants that are potted somewhere where there is not extreme heat. They don't need full sun as new plants, and indeed, too much can sunburn the canes. A little shade is a good thing at this point, and then, when reasonably well leafed out, move them to the sun.

    Zyper, anti-transpirent is a coating you put on the cane to prevent evaporation of all the moisture there. It is often used when transplanting plants to try and keep the plants from too much stress after having their roots whacked off (which is what bare-root roses really are - just transplants). Here's a web-site for the most widely available anti-transpirant.

    Kathy

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wilt Pruf website

  • 13 years ago

    Thanks for more info - I keep looking at the potted canes and each still have some green to them. I like the box idea to help protect them and keep them from drying more. They are on my side patio which gets nice morning sun but is shaded from the afternoon sun when it's the hottest. This little heat wave is supposed to break this weekend and we'll be back to more normal temps. Hopefully in July, our monsoon (rainy season) will start - temps are much better (upper 80's for highs) and regular rains.

    This is a great forum, I am learning loads. I should have found it before ordering any plants, but I'm glad I found it now!
    Patty