I would guess a 1-gallon size would be just right but can't be sure since I plant all my bands directly in the ground. Of course I'm in Southern California and wouldn't recommend this to you. Even in my area most gardeners pot theirs up and they may very well have superior plants because of this practice. I can't be bothered and fortunately haven't lost one yet although some are staying very small.

Ingrid

I plant my bands and also some 1-gallon plants that are shipped in very loose soil (soil substitute?) in 1-gallon pots with Supersoil. After they have matured and grown, I replant them into 3-gallon pulp pots before putting them into the ground. This has worked well for most of my internet orders, except one own-root variety doesn't seem to like being on its own roots ultimately.

I get 200 well rooted cuttings each spring, early March, and transplant then into 3 gallon pots right away. I use a commercial potting soil. By early to mid May they are blooming.
It's suggested that they be transplanted into a one gallon pot to form a good root ball then moved up to a larger pot. After it's matured in the larger pot it can be transplanted into the ground.
I don't follow the above suggestion as I don't have time to be moving 200 roses into larger pots. The age and size of the plants I receive are more mature than the average own root received from many of the own root growers so they increase in size rather quickly.
I did get two nice sized own root roses from the Applachian Rose Nursery in late March that should be full size plants this summer. These were not the typical bands received from many places.

Thank you. I am guessing that it could probably stay in that most of if not all summer.

I get 200 well rooted cuttings each spring, early March, and transplant then into 3 gallon pots right away. I use a commercial potting soil. By early to mid May they are blooming.
* * *
my rooted cutting from last year survived just fine but it is hard to imagine them having blooms by early or mid May. Not this year anyway. Spring is taking its sweet-a***d time and keeps reverting back to early March daytime temps.

triple b,
Did you notice I stated they are well rooted cuttings. Many are one full year old, not with few tiny roots like those on my own rooted cuttings from last summer. What I get are kept all winter in a heated greenhouse. They are grown in 5 inch square pots.
After I transplant them into 3 gallon pots, they are grown in my unheated greenhouse where daytime temps can reach 80 degrees even on colder days as long as the sun is shining.
My own rooted cuttings from last summer are far behind. I would not expect much from them until next summer, 2009.

I have 12 bands (one was about 4 inches high when I received it, but is now about 12"). I will probably put them in at least 3 gallons, or whatever I have. I have many 1 gal pots so I'll put the smaller ones in there. I'll probably plant these in the fall or next spring.

Everything that happens to this rose between now and November is aimed at one goal - getting it through next winter. How that goal is best accomplished depends on what the rose is, and how intrinsically hardy it is. Small own-root roses that might not be cane hardy are not good candidates for fall planting.

BTW, the midwest heats up sooner and hotter than we do. Most modern roses are heat lovers, and this makes a big difference is how fast they can grow.

I know this might sound stupid but every year that I know more about roses, the more I find out I don't even have a clue. This keeps getting more complicated.
From what I am understanding or at least think I am, once this is planted the ultimate goal this year is getting strong healthy roots which make it stronger to survive the winter. Does that include bringing it into an unheated garage? Also are there any benefits to a larger pot? Do the roots grow larger because it's in a larger pot or will they grow at the same rate anyway. Thank you all for all this interesting reading.

That is one nice thing about growing roses. One can just plop whatever in a pot and it will grow unloved and alone just fine -- kind of.

However if one wants to, one can delve into a subject until the cows come home.

One can learn about "perched water tables" (PWT), make your own potting mix and wander down all sorts of avenues and deer trails.

F.L.

Here is a link that might be useful: CONTAINER GARDENING

This is my first year getting a lot of bareroots rather than in pots. Those so far those look great. Now the own root roses from Heirloom arrived in their tiny tree cups. I believe the little pot is 6 inches maybe - they are tall but not wide? SO in my 6b/7 zone, can I just put those straight into the ground or do those still need to be potted up in a one gallon pot til they are bigger in June?
I'm confused. I had own roots from Chamblees last year but they were quite a bit larger and I put those right into the garden and they are just lovely this year. Appreciate your help on this - still learning a lot!

Don't know if this would help but all my roses were own root bands and I plant them directly in the ground. The only ones that ever died were planted in soil that didn't hold moisture well enough. I also think I'm going to begin winter protecting them the first year in the ground. Don't forget that even if you do everything right sometimes a plant will die anyway. I've planted 3 roses same variety together in a group only to have 1 thrive' one did okay and one sat around doing nothing than died. Nothing ate the roots all conditions were the same it had to just be a weak plant but if I hadn't put them together I would have assumed I did something wrong. Best of luck to you. Forgot to mention that I live in northern Illinois.

karl,
Gotcha.

I put all my bands directly into the ground. However, bands I've planted after Sept 1 (in zones 5 & 6) sometimes don't make it thru the winter. I've lost 1 out of the 12 I planted late last fall. I can't be bothered to do all that potting...

I put bands in 1 gallon containers. After the bands have bloomed and have enough foilage to be the same size as the container then I move them into a 3 gallon pot. Once they are the size of the ones I buy at the nursery, I plant them into the ground...

I also plant mine right where I want them. I haven't lost one yet. I'm not saying this is right, I'm just telling you what I do. Keep in mind, I take precautions.

The first year I ordered them from Heirloom Gardens and they were so small (like 3" twigs)I put crab traps over them so that my dog or the Chip monks wouldn't trample them to death. It took longer but, they grew.

Now I order from High Country Roses or Ashdown Roses and they are small but, not as quite as tiny. The Crab Traps usually don't fit over them now so I put tall skinny metal Garden Stakes all around them at all sides so that again, they don't get trampled. With a little care and lots of water they'll take right off.

Remember to post us a Picture when your Rose is ready to show. Good luck

Danny

thank you all soooo much. You are wonderful and so willing to share your knowledge and experience. I hope someday I can retain enough of this to be able to give back. This rose is Margaret Merril and the one coming next week is Lady of the mist. Both from Heirloom. I will post a pic when they bloom. Thanks again, Donna

If you *ever* want to get anything out of Margaret Merrill, it is a Permanent Pot Plant. Don't even *think* about putting it in the ground. It's not an eastern rose. It's not an own-root rose, and needs every bit of coddling you can possibly give it.

I know I might have said this before, but GAWSH are you people smart!!!

Thanks for all the great info. I have five bands coming from Heirloom in mid-May, and will have to decide whether to direct-plant like Pattyw (HI!!! I am in rural Ogle County...how 'bout you?) or pot them up. I have Jude the Obscure, Prairie Harvest, Cream Abundance, Stanwell Perpetual and Darlow's Enigma coming from HR. Any chance any of those will bloom this year?

Putting them in a pot too big will actually slow down the root growth and therefore slow down the plant growth.So no bigger isn't always better. A black pot is actually better since it helps warm the roots up faster and encourage growth.

Bands I put into a 1 gallon pot, 1 gallons get put into 2 or 3 gallons. Black ideally but I use what have. After another 6-8 weeks it goes into the ground. The timing depends how vigorous the bush is too.

HTH