Pickering is the # 1 vendor for the Northeast.. From the multiflora graft, to thier product. The only complaint is they dont have full time customer service staff per se... Sometimes answers to inquiries might be slow to get back to you, They do have a few mixed up roses... I have two Great Maidens Blush now.. Seems like they had a mix up on some Albas a while back, I got a credit back on mine, but they dont seem to like to listen to these complaints at time =).. But otherwise, Pickering is my favorite source for roses. Silverkelt

Kelly, with all what you did to the plant, I would not doubt the plant has suffered. But, strange things happen..and plants can adapt to hardship.....and without going into too much detail about how you cared for the plant, you might nick the stem...or a branch and see if there is any sign of moisture remaining. Now....let's assume there is something there....and you are right, the light levels of Indiana and most of the United States, is at their lowest. The winter solstace begins on Wednesday...the 21st....and then the sun begins its long voyage back til June 21st If you have a coldcellar, or a place in your basement...or an old unused refrigerator that you can set the temperature to about 40 - 50 degrees....then your plant can be looked on as one that wqill come back to how you saw it a couple months ago. If you have such a place where your plant can go...and remain...untouched by human hands, your plant WILL COME BACK. But, you must not water it, you must not give it any light, you must not give it any increased temperatures. The plant will dry out.....completely. You might think to sprinkle it....DONT....the coming back can only be done if you leave the plant alone...in the coolness and in the dark. Round about mid February to mid March, you then bring the plant back out into the light, clean it up, tear the roots apart, cut it back (yours wont need much if any), into a clean pot (clay is nice), with some fresh potting soil.... (have something in the pot to keep the soil up away from the drainage hole...shards, or stones ...whatever... make a hole in the soil, put your plant in, firm it up...and water. Water it til drainage is seen in the saucer below. Allow full drainage. Then take it to the best sun you have....but north will not do...and do not water again until new leaves form. When the leaves begin to show, you can begin to feed your plant...1/4 rate 20/20/20...every 3rd or 4th watering. When you water, always water until drainage is seen...and dump the excess. Never leave your plant sitting in that drainage water. As the leaves come on, you can increase fertilizer. Depending on the amount of available light, the plant will begin to produce flower buds....and you should not be alarmed if they are slow in coming.....even to the day you put it outside. Bloom will come. That's all there is to it....but it depends on you not pushing it to do something until mid February. The other way is to treat your plant like a houseplant...pot it up...(make sure it drains well), water til it drains and give it the best sun...west or south. No other exposure will do....not at this time of year. Wait until new leaves form before watering again...and feed as above. This method can work for a plant in good health...yours may not have sufficient energy to do anything....and I suggest you seriously consider doing the "dry" method. It is safe, and it works.

A photo would help. If it is green and firm, it is not dead. If it is black and mushy or brown and dried up, it is dead. Christopher.

Scratch a little bark off with your finger nail and see if it's green, that would indicate it's still alive. Cut back any dead branches. It may send up some shoots, hopefully above the graft, which you can train to become the new leader.