Poor little things....

20 years ago

I had gone for a visit to a local hardware store which is known for having a nice, big lawn and garden section. The purpose of this particular hunt was to snag my first miniature rose.

I wasn't too impressed with the selection. However, my friend called me over to a clearance section of plants. Imagine my surprise to find miniature roses among the clearance plants, priced at $1.50 each, no less.

Of course, these mini roses had suffered neglect. Although both plants I purchased that day did have blooms, both appeared as if they hadn't been given enough water, nor cared for properly for some time. Up to half of the stems were dead or completely dried out. I felt so sorry for them. Here sat these exquisitely divine minis, abused and neglected, while having to suffer the additional humiliation of being marked down to $1.50 each, like common street...well you get the idea.

I couldn't resist, I scooped them up while quietly whispering to them not to worry for all would be well. I brought these proud and grand (although abused) minis home, determined to give them all that I could to make them come back to life and live happily.

One had reddish-pink blooms, while the other had blooms of the palest lavender. It wasn't necessary to cut back much of the reddish-pink one, but the lavender bush was cut back to just stems, except for one branch. It turned out the reddish-pink one also had some odd disease, so a treatment program was begun immediately for that one.

It has now been two weeks and tiny, very light green leaves are popping out all over both plants! The reddish-pink one, although still diseased, has even managed to sneak out a bud behind my back, on the back of the plant so I couldn't see it!

Something told me giving these proud minis the attention and love they deserve would eventually lead them to thrive and that is exactly what now seems to be happening.

My question is, at one point in time would it be appropriate to begin taking cuttings? I just simply can't leave these little buggers to sit outside in the sun all by themselves without company.

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Comments (13)

drasaid
20 years ago
Most of those little mass market roses have several stems in the pots. This is important to remember because the root systems will overpower each other soon so you had best repot fast. Do it with care so you lose as little root as possible, and do it in good potting soil.
faunus
Original Author
20 years ago
"Most of those little mass market roses have several stems in the pots."

The one with reddish blooms had many stems or canes in the pot. The one with lavender blooms had only 4 stems.

"so you had best repot fast."

I re-potted them both within the first week, after making sure they were still alive and would put out new growth. The reddish one now has about 5 new buds, as far as I can tell. Sadly, 3 of the 4 stems of the one with lavender were dead. But that last remaining stem is doing very well, having put out 2-3 new sets of leaves in various places.
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janw
20 years ago
good luck with them I would have done the same and rescue them
dangsr2
20 years ago
drasaid your post makes me think you are good with min. roses. I know nothing and would like to grow some. Can you please send me to the right place for info. to get started. Thanks Dan
diane_nj 6b/7a
20 years ago
Faunus, I think drasaid meant that many time with grocery store minis, there are several individual plants, or rooted cuttings in the pot. In fleursuzie's excellent thread, How to save a potted gift rose, she describes how to tell and how to handle.

Dan, mini roses can pretty much be grown like regular roses. I don't treat mine any differently, they may get a little less of the organic fertilizer, but many of my minis are as large or larger than some of my floribundas. Here is a page at the Nor'East Mini Roses site, Care of your Miniature Rose that is a good start.
rubies22f
19 years ago
I did the same thing. I saw some dying minies and I am trying to grow them outside, but they are still dying and very dry I water everyday. Any tips?
diane_nj 6b/7a
19 years ago
They may be goners. Don't over water, that can be as bad as under watering, if the soil is moist then they don't need to be watered any more. Also, if you can put them in a shaded place, that would be good, they are probably frying in the direct sunlight and need time to harden off and get used to the direct sunlight. Take a look at the "How to save a potted gift rose" thread linked above for more tips.
triple_b
19 years ago
That is what we love about gardening in general, that plants can 'feel the love' and respond accordingly. NOT like some people we come across in our lifetime.

So, uh, what would happen if you kind folks went to the ASPCA or the animal shelter? LOL
But yah I can relate to all that.
kasiec
19 years ago
Hi triple b - I'm able to get some really neat plants at a great discounted price...most only needed a little bit of TLC.

I've also visited our local animal shelter and rescued 5 cats. We used to take fantastic vacations every 2 years or so. These days vacation is happily being at home with the cats (2 are on presciption food), gardening and being on 2 acres.

Kasie
triple_b
19 years ago
Home life is a good life though isn't it?

I am considering going on a mass-rescue at our local WalMart. Those dumdums put a whole shelf of 6" minis inside on the bottoms shelf. NO light. And not much water either. Most are crispy and mostly dead. They are all named ones from Kordana. Still the lady said they will be 30% off, which makes them about $4-$4.50. STILL too much. What the heck are they thinking!? They bring stuff in, cram it on a shelf, usually the worst possible place too, and put it on 'ignore' mode. That store has so much stock in it to keep its workers busy a person does not even have time to move those 30 or so pots outside and give them a drink so they don't end up tossing dead plants. And NOBODY is going to pay $4 for a dead 6" potted mini. I don't even know if I can swallow $4 per plant on a mercy mission. With taxes that will add up awful quick.
kasiec
19 years ago
Hi tripleb - that sounds like regular price...yikes...99cents would be the price I'd pay for the poor thing. I usually shop at Lowes clearance rack and a place call Mainly Seconds and have been able to get some really neat plants for .49 to .99 cents.

Kasie
triple_b
19 years ago
yah, you gotta love capitalism huh?
triple_b
19 years ago
Stopped by there again today with intentions of rescuing at least one or two. Too late. They were gone. Thrown out I believe. Put inside on the bottom shelf where they got no light, nobody had thought to water them in who knows how long, those things didn't stand a chance. Wonder if they sold even ONE. They sure were not in a visible spot. Oh well I guess we can't rescue them all.