How many do you have? Is it possible to dig them all out? Or maybe just your favorites? I'm not familiar with flooding...someone else will have to help you. Good luck :)

It is not just the flooding - it is being flooded with salt water. I have no advice, but hoping someone on here will.

Jackie

If the water is salt or brackish, I can't say. If it's fresh water, they may be able to take flooding some time, I don't know how much. I've had roses survive brief flooding--a day or so--with no harm, and other stay in a very wet situation for a good deal of a winter, but they were dormant. I'm sorry I can't give you other than such very general thoughts.

By the way: good luck! It certainly sounds like you got a lot of water.

Thanks for your replies! I’m inland, so at least they’re in freshwater. Based on the rate the water is receding, I’m guessing it will be a few more days before they’re dry. I have 6 underwater. I might try digging up at least two that are still small.

Don't bother unless you enjoying digging in muck. IME, roses can handle at least 10 days of flooding. They are by far the most flood tolerant of any plants I've kept in pots.

mad_gallica, that is so good to know! Hopefully we will not need that knowledge, but you never know. flgrows9b - I did not realize you were inland, and therefore fresh water! That is good news. It sounds like you can just let them be for a few days - they will probably like that much better than being dug up - digging in saturated soil makes it get like concrete.

Jackie

Thanks - this is great to know! I aporeciate everyone’s comments. I think the water will be back down by the end of the week, so I’ll leave them be.

Can you post any pictures of where the roses are growing - now, and then after the water recedes, and then in a year or so after you find out which ones recuperated, and which ones did not? Those would be very interesting, and it might be helpful for others to have that info.

Jackie

Absolutely! That’s a great idea.

In all of our concern for the roses, I forgot to ask about the rest of your property, and your home. I hope the flooding was only in the garden!

Jackie

Thanks for taking the trouble of reporting: this kind of information is interesting and helpful. Good luck with your garden!

@flgrows9bThank you for this very interesting upda

Thank you for this very interesting update! I'm glad at least two of your roses survived. I hope Mr Tillier can make it too! !

We had a hurricane last year where the water rose at least 10 feet and most of the roses made it through. If you have brackish water, rather than fresh, it sounds counterintuitive, but once the water recedes you should water the plants to dilute the salt from the soil. Good Luck.

https://youtu.be/P01_32FqVLA

That's great to know, thanks. I'm on fresh water, but that's very interesting. I'm glad your plants made it.

flgrows - I'm glad that some of your roses have lived. :) :) I just googled the topic and found this.

Use pelletized gypsum soil conditioner to reverse salt damage on lawns. The gypsum, or calcium sulfate, replaces the salt with calcium and sulfur, which will help to heal the grass and encourage new growth. It is also useful in helping the soil retain water.

So, I'm thinking to flood the area with tap water and then add gypsum...may help?? Maybe be something to do to remediate the soil now and in the future if this happens again. ??