Help with roses

last year

I have some roses in pots that I was storing in my unheated greenhouse for the winter which I then covered in styrofoam cones. So pots heeled in the ground with thick styrofoam cones covering them. I keep a couple roses under styrofoam cones outside not in a greenhouse and it works great. I thought, cones + greenhouse would make for the most superior protection I can offer. Well, in the greenhouse under the cones the roses got insanely moldy. White mold covering everything. Ugh! I didn't check them for like two months which was another bad mistake on my part.

Anyway, I think I lost a couple of them as there appears to be no life in the canes (black and mushy!), but a couple appear to have some life in them.

We still have a lot of winter yet to go here including some forecast below zero temps. I am worried, in their weakened state, if I leave the roses in the greenhouse subjected to these low temps for the rest of winter the roses will say NO MAS and give up the ghost.

My question is can I bring them inside right now, put them in a sunny window and keep them inside for a few months? I am thinking that I may be able to save them if I can bring them out of dormancy now and nurse them back to health asap. Then get them outside once the weather warms. Good idea or bad idea?

Sorry for the long post.

Featured Answer

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)

last year

In the case of keeping a rose as a house plant, 'long term' is about 2 weeks.

Look around for somewhere that stays above freezing, but isn't somewhere you want to live. The temperature range should be between about 35°F and 60°F. Hopefully, this place has electricity, and you can set up shoplights.

White mold is boring. Around here styrofoam cones can produce Technicolor mold. Much more interesting.

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Comments (8)

jc_7a_MiddleTN
last year
Hopefully someone from a colder zone can answer soon.

Wish i could offer some advice but i dont know any better.
L Clark (zone 4 WY) thanked jc_7a_MiddleTN
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
Original Author
last year
I know it’s impossible long term to keep a rose as a house plant, but could one get away with it for a few months
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Steve_M in PA
last year
Do you think the greenhouse got down to freezing? I have some roses in a similar situation. Two have black canes, one is all green. There was some white mold on one of the black canes. But I don't think the mold is the cause of the cane dieback ... I think it was just that particular rose didn't handle the cold very well.
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
Original Author
last year
Yeah. It gets down to within two or three degrees of the outside temp
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
I expect the mold problem was from the temperature swings. It doesn't happen to the outside roses because they stay below freezing. However the greenhouse heats up during the day, and that's not good.
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
Original Author
last year
Here is an update. think I am out of the woods with these two.

easy spirit

Passionate kisses

I brought them indoors for a month and a half, they broke bud then really started to suffer, so I took them out to the gh again and they have thrived since, taking numerous nights in the 20s and teens in stride. sometimes I forget how tough roses are.

bonus pic

I got 3 1/2 feet of cane to survive on Pink Peace. I figure the gh is worth about a zone and a half to me
Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
last year
Love the greenhouse, I'm totally envious!