Hi Judith. I often end up potting my bareroots, since I rarely have much space to spare in the garden. Over the summer, I end up giving some perennials away, or enlarging the beds or whatever, then I somehow find more space, and plant them. They all seem to have developed a wonderful root system and are strong and healthy by then. Certainly does them no harm.
Judith (too!)

I did this last year and will do it again this year. It is a matter of the spot it is going in being ready before the rose gets here...lol. It has worked well for me.

I have found that growing bareroots on in pots for a few months before planting them in the ground seems to give them a certain advantage, although some of the ones I plant directly do fine too. I'm really not sure why this is the case - the only thing I can figure is that when I grow them on in pots for a while, they have a chance to develop strong root systems and put on some heft, so that they can better compete with the many other plants in my somewhat crowded and chaotic garden. Maybe people with tidier gardens don't so much notice this phenomenon, of course. In any event, it doesn't do any harm!

I find no advantage, other than having the ability to assess the rose's disease resistance before I waste the time digging a crater to plant it in. I occasionally lose my mind and make impulse buys, only to find out that the plant is a martyr to rust. Because rust is the most serious fungal disease here and because there are so many good roses that are disease resistant in this climate, I've saved myself some work growing in pots and nuking disease-prone plants before they ever get in the ground. I also discard roses with visible RMV, and because I've had the bad experience of buying new releases that were virused, I like to screen them for blatant RMV too.

I think somebody said here before that when roses are potted up their roots are warmed up more and so grow faster. Makes sense to me.
Masha

I plant them directly into the ground and then cover them with the same amended dirt that is in the hole. This prevents the plant from drying out before it grows the roots it needs to take in moisture and protects it from freezing. After I think it is done snowing and freezing I start removing the dirt pile taking a couple of weeks to remove it all. They have always done well when I plant them this way. I also bought a austrian copper rose last spring from a local nursery that had ordered a bunch of them in early spring bareroot and dormant and then they planted them in large pots and resold them. It did well also. The only thing I wonder about is how far ranging the roots grow when the rose is planted directly in the ground versus being in a pot for a while and this affecting it's ability to withstand moisture loss by not being able to draw moisture from a larger area of the ground. Probably doesn't even matter after a few weeks anyway.

Masha I have said that about band roses(learned it from some very knowledgeable people,Hi Paul!) but never thought about it with bareroots. It certainly did not hurt some of the bareroots I planted this year. Most of which are as big as the year befores. I also helped in deciding where to plant since you can wait to see the real bloom color.

Hi Sunnishine,

I remember it was about bands. I really don't see why that can't apply to bareroots too :-). That's the only explanation I could come up with for why bareroots do better potted up for the original poster.

Masha

My thoughts on this was that watering could be controlled in a pot - roots would not dry out [I wonder if sometimes watering unestablished plants in the ground....they dont get water to all the root system, helping those feeder roots to grow] and I do, when the plants are leafed out, add a teensy bit of fish emulsion to my water and I have seen them take off. Last year......I got in a bareroot that I really, really wanted. I soaked it overnight, dug a perfect hole, filled it with perfect soil, doted on it constantly and watched it, mulched the bare canes.....and it never really started growing properly, tiny little leaves, it never took off and despite my best efforts, it croaked. A couple of others did the same......I just felt that for whatever reason - the potted ones did better, gained some root strength and were able to go in the ground and then continue growing with the root system they had produced. I plant my old garden roses directly in the ground - like Archduke Charles, Hermosa, Penelope, etc. - and they do fine. I just have not had great success doing it with hybrid teas, floribundas and even a few Austins. But Lady of Megginch was put directly in the ground and did great [by the way, never see her mentioned, but this was a really swell rose - bloomed alot, beautiful blooms, doesnt seem to put out those octopus canes - I really do like mine!]. But Leander didnt even break dormancy nor did Darcy Bussell [kudos to D. Austin, they are replacing them]. I grow out all my bands in 1 gallon pots - I have already had to move Pink A Boo and Mme. Charles up to a 4 gallon. I guess because of the success I have had with bareroots in pots......I tend toward that potting method. But sure do appreciate hearing from all ya'll about what works for you........And those of you who pot - do you have anything special you do for your potted roses?
Judith

The only time I've potted bareroots is when they aren't for my garden. They've done OK, but nothing to get excited about. I do live in a climate that is very good for establishing bareroots, though. Spring is cool, wet and slow.

Something I have noticed over the years, is that the number one reason people fail with bareroots here, is that they refuse to get them in the ground early enough. The idea of having the roses out in freezing weather, sleet and snow, upsets them. I've always assumed that the reason warm climate people dislike and distrust bareroots is that it doesn't necessarily ever get to the proper planting temperatures where they live. So they have no choice but to repeat the local newbie mistake of planting too late.

I agree with MG. Roses are tougher than you might think. I have always just planted bare roots and bands in the ground as soon as they were received, adding some amendments to make sure the soil is hospitable to those new roots. Usually in March. The new plants seem to enjoy the cool early spring with snow and cold rains. I have never had a rose die.

Life in a pot seems much more perilous. Pots dry out. The soil temperature fluctuates to extremes. Then there is a second transplanting event with more shock.

In my relatively mild (Z6) part of Ohio I always planted bare roots in the fall and hilled them up with soil and leaves. They had all winter to make root growth and I never lost a one. I planted as late as November by flashlight! If I were to plant bare-roots here in the South, I'd try it the same way. Our springs heats up too quickly, and we haven't had good spring rains. Amazing how many different ways there are to plant roses, and mostly-- they grow! BTW if I had several bare-roots from the same supplier and all performed badly, I'd be on the phone to them. Bad things can happen in storage sometimes.

I think if the bareroots came earlier...it might be better. I order from several companies and they usually come mid February or March. I am going this week to pick up my David Austins because I live 2 hours away, so I can get those in the ground pretty quickly. I, too, feel that roses, potted or bareroot, ought to go in the ground and be settled in during winter. Then in spring, they have gotten lots of good rain on their root systems and they will be ready to grow. But where I live.....although we do get cold weather, we dont have long winters and we get peiords of high 70's then down to 30's. I already have buds on 3 roses. I see new growth on some trying to come out. I dont like the prospect of transplanting shock, but I had wondered, if the rose had acquired a better root system, would this make it easier? I may have to try this: plant bareroots in the ground in January, up to mid February. The ones that come in after that - go in pots to be grown out. I did my usual thing - bought a few body bags at Walmart because I couldnt stand it. I planted them in the ground. This year, I will make notes on how they did, and how the potted ones will do. I have had such good luck potting them early on......but when summer comes, they dont look nearly as good. They really need to be in the ground then. Oh, and the 2 suppliers from whom I lost roses are going to replace them.....no problems whatsoever. Is it helpful or detrimental to topdress a newly potted or planted rose with a little Osmocote or should I wait until after the first flush of bloom to put any kind of fertilizer on the rose? What about fish emulsion, half strength? Does that help a rose grow roots faster?
Thanks.......Judith

Harry, are you saying you plant greenhouse grown bands out in March? If they are bands that had been growing outdoors, are they already acclimated to cold weather or do they just adjust with no damage?
Linda

I tried bare roots in pots for the first time last year. I'll never do that again. I was constantly worrying about whether or not they had enough water, were they warm enough on the porch, should I put them someplace with more sun to break dormancy blah blah blah:) Much easier to just plant in the ground by far and I think with better results.

Kate