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Help with Overwintering Playboy Standard Rose Tree

16 years ago

Hello

This was my first summer with roses, I purchased two playboy stardard rose trees. They were planted in huge planters and did very well. I researched on how to winter them over and decided that I was going to wait for them to grow dormant, tip them over in a trench and cover. We had low temperatures followed by high temperatures and they still had green leaves so I presumed that meant not dormant yet, so I did nothing with them. Last week we had a super cold week of single digist and I got afraid they would die so I put them in my unheated almost dark basement. I intended to go bring them out after the cold spell was bad but now they have new leaves on them. I dont know what to do as I am sure they cant live in a dark basement with no light till spring. Any ideas on what I should do to save these? Thanks so much in advance for any advice.

tinkster

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Comments (4)

seil zone 6b MI
16 years ago
Do you have an unheated garage or shed? I have my potted tree rose in my shed. It's too warm in the basement even though it's unheated and that's why they've sprouted out. And you're right they won't like it down there all winter. You'll get nearly white spindly growth that is not good for the rose. If you put them in a garage or shed make sure they are well watered going in and check them for moistue occasionally. You also want to get the pots up off the floor some how on wood or blocks. Hope this helps.
karl_bapst_rosenut
16 years ago
Try to keep them away from an outside light source while in the unheated shed or garage. Sunlight coming through a window can heat up anything it hits. This would promote early leafing which can be killed when temperatures plummet.
As long as they are kept cold and have not begun to break dormancy, they can be in the dark. Warmer temps (above freezing) and light can prompt the beginning of spring growth.
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tinkster
Original Author
16 years ago
Hello

Thanks! Yes I do have a shed but its almost as cold in there as it is outside. We are heading into a super cold weekend. I bought some foam pipe insulation and wrapped around its stalk so I will move it out there even with the new growth on it now? Guess I am having a hard time figure out what dormacy is. IT never dropped its green leaves even though we had really cold weather. Guess I should have moved it in anyway.. Again thanks much!

tinkster
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
16 years ago
Define cold. It doesn't get cold here until it goes below zero. At that point, the garage is below freezing, but only by a couple of degrees. That's about the temperature I want the garage roses to be at.

What temperature is the basement?
What temperature is the forecast?
What temperature is the shed?

What you are looking for is something that stays between about 20Â°F and 40Â°F.

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