Some rare mid 20thC body bagged roses at Aldi's

10 years ago

Today I bought 'Love' for my daughter's yard at the grocery chain Aldi's. Body bags are now $3.99 and beginning to look not as healthy as they did a few weeks ago, when I bought 'Tropicana' and 'Oregold', or Anneliese Rothenberger, to give it it's correct name. My daughter likes the look of 'Fire & Ice' type coloring. So, for $3.99, even if it does not survive the winter, that is no more than customers are being charged for annuals in many nurseries.

Body bags do seem to grow fairly well here. Those that I planted last summer are all growing back except for a 'Blue Moon' not, which turned to be some non descript mauve HT, but NOT 'Blue Moon'. Saved me the trouble of digging it up.

On offer today, I noticed, 'Red Cap', 'John S. Armstrong' and 'Cl. Tropicana'. I don't know if the 'Red Cap' is the Chinese HT offered by Vintage or the floribunda listed on HMF. The floribunda looks quite nice in the HMF pix, and appears to be growing in cold climates. Are any of the above worth attempting to rescue? How big does the Cl. Tropicana' grow?

Aldi does have bigger and better body bags than the other big boxes I have been in, but some canes are now turning black and some are beginning to sprout, so there is no time to loose if anyone wants to try an HT for $3.99. I also saw 'Gypsy', 'Queen Eliz.' and both 'Olympiad' and 'Oklahoma'.

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Comments (9)

mori1
10 years ago
I saw Gold Medal the last time I was there but I wanted to research it first before buying. Then I forgot, I doubt its still even there.
nastarana
Original Author
10 years ago
I did not see Gold Medal yesterday, but the bags were packed to tightly that I could not tell what all they had. I suggested to the clerk that they might sell more roses if they would turn the variety name outside, towards the customer.
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Well, I'll get to find out this year if fat, woody canes above a graft can produce new green stuff, because I have 4 grafted roses that have zero green. I did cover them with leaves (heavily), but that didn't cut it. This year we had bitter cold for us but only a spell or two of snow that came late. Over a foot! I wish it'd come sooner :( The ones that really worry me are the more unusual (or pretty rare) ownroots. But since they do have roots, they'll all sprout up again, right? Oh, they'd better! Those were still young from Vintage or RU, but they all looked great and big and thick enough going into winter. I protected those better and they still lost everything up top. None of my really established roses had a bit of problem, even the teas. It was the grafts (I don't bury) or the smaller ones that really took a beating. This year I'm taking insurance cuttings and rooting all my favorites, just in case! Oh, yeah, my main water pipe froze solid underground for nearly a week this winter, too. No bursting, though :) May that luck hold out, lol.
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Gardening Teenager - congratulations on your rose interest! I learned to love growing things in 1973 when my mother was ill and couldnt care for her plants. Still have the first gardening book I bought. I went from house plants [thought I had to have every one in existence!] then ordered 6 roses from Jackson Perkins and have been hooked ever since [I will be 74 next week]. My addiction now includes daylilies. This is a hobby that you will enjoy all of your life - with me, the addiction just gets worse - the beauty of the plants enchants and the joy of working in the garden brings peace and serenity that is a solace in times of trouble and an all consuming interest that takes up any free time. I just got 9 roses in the mail from Roses Unlimited and am so excited to plant them and watch them grow! Oh and congrats on your body bags - I have them too. The roses of years ago are still here because of a reason. I have many of them and love them as much as the newer ones. Who cant marvel at the huge blooms of First Prize, the perfume of Mr. Lincoln and so many others? Hope to see more photos of your beauties. Judith
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This is such a great thread. I'm glad it was resurrected. The first rose I ever got was an Oklahoma rose that I purchased at Home Depot for $15. My hubby and I had just gotten married and bought our first home (we moved in right after the honeymoon). The previous owners of the house grew only palm trees and banana palms and a few philodendrons so the yard lacked color. We had a pool so we spent a lot of time in the back yard and it was too drab for my liking, so my mom came over one day to add a few impatiens to the dirt patch that surrounded our pool. I was immediately hooked on gardening. Having always loved flowers I instantly started filling the garden with anything that bloomed. Especially hibiscus. I had about 10 hibiscus at the time. But I hated that I couldn't cut them and bring them inside to make arrangements. One day while shopping for plants I came across a huge Oklahoma rose. It was almost 4 ft tall in its tiny pot and the scent was unbelievable. I knew nothing about roses but I just had to have it. I read they liked full sun so I put it in a very large pot next to my collection of hibiscus. When it had its first large flush I cut them and made an arrangement on the kitchen counter. I would stop by the Home Depot almost every weekend to check out the roses and bring home the ones I really liked. I killed many of them but Oklahoma pressed on. Eventually I had about 20 roses growing in pots in the back yard. Then I had those plus 15 more that I squeezed in the front porch. Then I cleared out the front side yard to make a small bed for a cutting garden. That eventually went to roses. Once I discovered how much better they do in the ground the bug really took hold. I then cleared the other side, which too went to roses. Then i leveled the back side yard and made a rose garden. I no longer have hibiscus (only a few) all potted plants are roses. I now grow over 60 roses. Everything is coming up roses. My Oklahoma died recently after 5 years in its large pot. But I just got a new one (body bag from Aldi). It's my husband's favorite rose and after putting up with "hobby" (or what he calls my obsession) growing it for him is the least I can do.
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mgleason56
10 years ago
Guess I'm going to Aldi's here to see what they might have.
nummykitchen
10 years ago
I picked up JFK and Garden Party at Aldi. I know body bag roses are a no-no, but I just couldn't resist.
seil zone 6b MI
10 years ago
I've never looked at my Aldis. Maybe I'll go see what they've got.

Nummy, body bags are only a no no if you don't know what you're getting into. If you know going in that they're not the best, can be mislabeled and will probably need extra TLC then go for it. But for the newbie or uninitiated they can be very disappointing.
nummykitchen
10 years ago
Thanks, Seil. I like to think I know what I'm getting into since I tried a few last year. I love surprises and am not going to be devastated if a $5.00 rose doesn't make it. But if it does, and if it is pretty to me, whether it is correctly labeled or not, I think it's a win. It is a risk I'm all for taking. I also have no problem paying $35 + for a rose if it is one I want from a nursery -- don't want to get that whole debate started up again ;) I just like the idea of trying out these body bags because for me, JFK and Garden Party look pretty, but they are not on my must buy list, so if they make it great, if not, no worries!
seil zone 6b MI
10 years ago
I checked out my Aldis today. Zip, zero, zilch, not a rose to be had. The only plants they had were some sad looking basils and a few tomatoes.
nastarana
Original Author
10 years ago
I went back and bought 'Redcap' today, which, if it is correctly labelled, is the Herbert Swim floribunda from 1954. It has darkened canes, BUT at least one sprout and a couple of other swellings at the bud union, so I am guardedly optimistic I can make it grow. It is soaking now.

Some Aldis have no more body bagged roses; the first one I went to had none. The 'Redcap' came from Rome, next town down the road.I passed on a couple of Brownell roses because I have read that the sub-zeroes are likely to be virused.
nastarana
Original Author
10 years ago
nummykitchen, body bagged roses are not my favorite way to buy roses, but picking through the bins at the big boxes may become the only way to keep some worthy cultivars alive. My project this summer is to try to improve my propagation skills.

Some rare mid 20thC body bagged roses at Aldi's

Comments (9)

mori1

nastarana
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Some rare mid 20thC body bagged roses at Aldi's

Comments (9)

mori1

nastaranaOriginal Author

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nummykitchen

seil zone 6b MI

nummykitchen

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nastarana
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