When to plant bands?

14 years ago

I have a group of band roses I picked up earlier this year - they've been potted up for about two months now and are doing well despite the drought. Now the question is, at what point should I consider planting them? Would it be best to put them in the ground this fall when they go dormant, or would it be better to leave them potted through the winter? And if the latter is the best way to go about it, what is the best way to keep them from dying from overexposure?

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Comments (4)

bluegirl_gw
14 years ago
Well, I'm in a very different zone, but, I'm putting my bands in the ground around mid Sept.

Most were April/May deliveries & I potted them up as recommended by the shippers in pots (3-5 gallons). I did plant one small one in the ground about 6 weeks ago, thinking maybe it would be less heat stressed in the ground with a lot of mulch & care. It's done fine.

We get heat relief usually by Sept. & get a good flush of growth & blooms in Oct-Nov. Normal first frost is early Dec., but we don't normally get a zone 5 type winter.

I hope you get some answers from rose growers in your zone--good luck!
t_bred
14 years ago
Hi Lothlin,
I'm also a zone 5b'er (Chicago area) Fall would be the wrong time to plant in the colder zones, they wouldn't have nearly enough time to establish a good root system before the hard freezes set in. I have always planted my bands in the ground immediately upon receiving them (June and July) and have never lost one in the winter. I'm not sure why some suppliers want you to pot them first. My opinion is that you have two options at this point, overwintering them in an unheated garage or shed (providing the pots are large enough to provide insulation) or planting them now(and using plenty of winter protection) and hoping mild temperatures continue for the next several months. By my experience, I have always done better with them in the ground but there are many much more experienced growers on here who overwinter in pots. Best of luck!
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lothlin
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, I would have planted them right in the ground BUT even when I got them the weather was acting unusually dry and then we went into the worst drought since the dust bowl.

I'm in Indianapolis BTW.

Throwing them in some larger pots and keeping them in the garage this winter seems like the better of the two options, t-bred... The ground is still SO HARD. Even if I ran a trickle and softened the ground up enough to plant them, the drought still hasn't really broken
t_bred
14 years ago
We've had about 3 days of rain this summer and just about every day has been 90+, a challenging gardening year. FWIW, I have planted 5 bands this summer and several of my own rootings. They are doing great but I do soak them daily. I'm sure someone will come along with more experience and advice on pot sizes, protection ect... don't forget to continue watering the pots in the winter, I think once per month has been mentioned.