http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/102370/ Here's link for info on oldtimer. Looks nice as long as your area doesnt have much of a blackspot problem. How much was the rose?

Here is a link that might be useful: info on old timer

Thank you. I actually started there on Dave's Garden and then HMF. Am hoping to hear from someone who grows it if possible. But I appreciate the link.

We don't really have much of a blackspot issue here. The rose was $7.00.

Kate

A couple of yrs ago, several people on the forum were trying to find it, and nobody seemed to have it. Then some of us found it like you have as a bagged bareroot (only a real cheapie). Mine ended up being some other rose. Seems like somebody else ended up with the wrong one too. Let's hope you get the right rose! It's supposed to be a really beautiful rose!

Thanks Beth.

I'm discovering that purchasing the bagged roses is kind of an adventure:) If it grows up right I will post some pictures and see what you think.

Also Beth I have to show you what our yard looked like yesterday morning. Must have been some nice rain up at your place.

Kate

{{gwi:236028}}

Holy cow Kate!! We got weird weather yesterday! Light rains with clearing, then rains, hail, clearing, hail, sun, rain, sun. It was really strange!! But extremely cold! Thankfully, today it looks to be sunny and warming up again! I plan to go out and do some more raking and cleaning up. Still have tons of pine needles to pick up. I want spring soooo badly! And I bet you do too!!

Yes I am quite ready for spring indeed. Fortunately virtually all the snow has melted since Saturday morning. I was kind of afraid to look out my window this morning:)

I too need to do major cleaning. I really have not started yet. But with the mean, cold wind blowing today we stayed inside.

Hoping for kinder weather next weekend.

Kate

'Oldtimer' is a WONDERFUL rose. It was introduced by Kordes as a replacement for the fabulous (but gravely flawed) 'Vienna Charm'. However, 'Oldtimer' appears to have been infected by an especially virulent form of RMV soon after it was introduced to the U.S. market. My guess is that any 'Oldtimer' purchased as a bodybag will be a short-timer in your garden.

Fortunately, Vintage Gardens offers a selection of 'Oldtimer' that is virus indexed. It is definitely a rose worth growing, but only if you can acquire a healthy one.

I have 'OldTimer' here in the Az desert, I have had it in my garden for 9 years now and I just love it. It is very healthy, I have never seen any signs of RMV (and I know what that stuff looks like). I get blooms on that baby that are 6 to 7 inchs across when fully open, it has a nice semi-strong scent and it makes a great cutting roses. When mine blooms I will post some pictures on the gallery, it is getting ready to bloom and coming back very nicely from there Feb pruning. I just love this rose and I think you will be very happy that you purchased it.
Our time for bareroots in this area is up, but there are some potted up roses I noticed the other day when I was at Home Depot, but I did not look at them (it was a quick trip,in & out). I will have to make a trip back to my local HD and see if they have any in pots. I just love this rose it is one of my favs in the garden. I would love to have another one. I can't remember if it was a bareroot or a potted rose but I do know I purchased it at HD 9 years ago. Keep us informed how your 'oldtimer' is doing, you will be very happy with this rose when you see how big the blooms are.
Carrie

P.S. This is the info I have on the rose: Modern, large-Flowered Hybird tea, Orange blend (even though my Oldtimer looks more like a chamois color), Repeat Flowering. The alternative name 'Coppertone', is probably a better one, as the blooms often appear as a copper-tan color with orange highlights. The long pointed buds open to high-centered, old gold colored flowers with excellent symmetry. They are 5in across and have a sweet fragrance. The foliage is glossey medium green on a vigorous, well-rounded plant. It is easy to grow and maintain, but it prefers a warm spot in full sun in the garden, where it can preform at its best. This rose is winter hardy and has excellent disease resistance. It has been popular with rose growers all over the world for more them 30 years.
Zones 4-10
Kordes, Germany 1969
'Chantre x 'Bronze Masterpiece'
Info above from Botanica's Roses, The Encyclopedia of Roses.

Here is a link that might be useful: pics of 'Oldtimer at helpmefind

Thank you Windeaux and Carrie:

Well that seems to be the not so great news and the possibly very fun news about this rose. I appreciate all of that very much.

My question is this. If it does have RMV how do I make that determination and should I toss it now just in case? I'm still soaking it before potting it up to hang out until I can plant.

Kate

I would plant it, don't throw it away. RMV is more noticeable in the spring, at least that is when I notice it. You will see white mosiac patterns or what looks like water spots that will not come off on the leaves. Below is a site where you can see pictures of what it looks like and some info on it. This is a good site for IDing rose problems you might want to remember this site or bookmark it. It has helped me out in past years.
Plant the rose, if the RMV shows up then shovel prune it. I have had roses with RMV and I let them grow until summer is over then pull them out. In my opinion it will not effect your other roses. It is not like black spot, or mildew were if one rose has it another can catch it. I always dip my clippers in bleach and water at all times regardless after pruning, and/or deadheading before moving on to another plant.
Plant it!!! Don't worry, somtimes we all get so paranoid in our rose growing instead of just enjoying the hobby, I would give you other advice if you grew your roses for show.
Carrie

Here is a link that might be useful: RMV-baldos site

I'm an Oldtimer fan and agree that its now difficult to find one that's virus free. I continue to grow this rose even with the virus, altho the one I have now isn't as vigorous or productive as it was during its first few seasons in my garden. If necessary, I'll definitely replace it, even if I know the replacement is likely to be virused.

I had a healthy Oldtimer for years at a previous home. If I'd known then what I know now, it's the one variety that I would have removed and transported cross country. Windeaux: Thanks for the info on Vintage's virus indexed Oldtimer.

Thank you again Carrie and Jaxondel:

I will check out your link. Sounds very informative. I appreciate the guidance on RMV. You know that makes really good sense to sanitize your clippers from one rose to another. What is your mix of bleach to water for that?

I now have Mr. Lincoln, Gold Medal, White Magic and Oldtimer as body bags. I won't be buying anymore until I see what the situation with these is. I've never bought them before this year. I believe that based on the above I will grow them all in pots and see what happens.

Much appreciated.

Kate

Be careful with any bleach/water mix to clean your pruners after using it. My new pruners are permanently rusted because I didn't always clean then after bleaching. I didn't measure the mix much - possibly close to a 1:10 mix or so (I did a splash into a small container with water). I'm planning on using an rubbing alcohol solution this year.

Oh, and you'll love Gold Medal. I got it last year as a gift and it was very pretty and smells really, really good.

Thanks for that bit of information about rubbing alcohol vs bleach. So the former won't damage my shears? I just bought some new ones on Saturday.

Thanks for the encouragement on Gold Medal. I hope they grow up well. Should be fun to see what happens.

Kate

Rubbing alcohol is fine on metal. It's still a good idea to spritz it with some WD-40 when you're done for the day (which I really should have done more often last year).

I'm one of the 'oldtimer' rose forum people Beth is referring to when she mentioned a few of us not being able to find OldTimer. I finally found it. I live in zone5 and have lost one of the two I got (to a harsh winter a couple years ago). But if I lose the other one, I'll be looking for more. I simply love this rose, the blooms are amazing and huge, the color is so beautiful and if you look closely at Dave's Oldtimer page, you'll see numerous photos of my OT's (Gindee77). I haven't seen virus on mine yet, but even if it shows signs, I'll keep it as long as it makes it and as I said get more if need be. I would grow this rose as an annual if I had to! Kordes roses seem to be some of my very favorites. Another good one is Liebeszauber (the 1991 version)...it's a gorgeous healthy red rose by Kordes.

Thanks Ginni and nice to meet you.

Well this rose certainly seems to be the object of affection for those who grow it. Nice to know that if my body bag is not a happy camper I can order a custom root from Vintage and it sounds like I might want to once I get a feel for how pretty it can be. On that note I would love to have them grow me a 'Pinocchio' at Vintage also. So hey why stop at just one!

I will also check out Liebeszauber. Thanks for your time.

Kate