I would try giving them some vitamin b-1. Otherwise, keep them moist and keep waiting.

Are the canes green or brown? It does sound like you just have some slow starters in the BPI. But if the canes are brown they are done.

I agree with greenhaven. Take a close look at the canes to see if they are green. Anyway, there is no harm in giving them some more time, right?

"A couple of weeks"? Too soon. If the canes are green, either cover them with soil or a brown paper bag with one corner out of the bottom torn out. You need to keep those canes hydrated. Once the leaves start to emerge, you can gradually expose them to the sun.

Some bareroots can take a month or more to break dormancy.

I wait 'til the last cane turns brown and shivels up... the eternal optimist, I guess.

Agree with moroseaz! Wait until they brown all up, then you know they are gone. Particularly since the two slow ones are the same variety.

This late in the season, I would strongly discourage you from mounding your plants with soil (especially when considering the atypical weather patterns in your area this year, plus the length of time the plants have already been in your garden). Your question about how long to wait deserves an answer, so I venture to offer this: If you've seen no signs of life by the summer solstice (that's 2 wks + 1 day from now), it's a virtual certainty that your BPIs are goners. That gives them a full month in your garden -- and that's a full month under conditions that were less than ideal to begin with, and are becoming less hospitable with each passing day.

What was the source of your bareroots? Were they shipped to you by a recognized supplier, or did you purchase them locally? Whatever the case, if they don't break dormancy very soon, I feel you have grounds to request a refund. I hope you'll keep us posted. We're wishing you good luck with those two . . .

They were purchased at Home Depot so I'm pretty sure there will be no problem returning them if I have no other choice. I know, it's not the best place for roses but they were a great deal and I had so much luck with roses from there in the past. I planted more than twenty last year and all of them thrived. Between those and all the new ones, I must have 50 roses now! I guess it's to be expected that two or three will be duds.

I'll keep pampering them and let you all know how it goes. Thanks again for all the great advice!

I had two from Edmunds this year that refused to break dormancy. There were 5 in the order, all got the same treatment yet Liv Tyler and Vavoom never did a thing. They slowly died, going from green to green and brown to brown. Edmunds replaced them after 4 weeks of decline and the new ones are b looming like mad. I think a month or even 6 weeks should be plenty of time in most environments.

Just seeing this post now and wanted to add. I too agree with moroseaz advice. I purchased a (recently)potted bareroot (Blueberry Hill) from a local family-run nursery about five years ago that I looked after for nearly 6 months before it finally began to leaf out. After all of these years it's doing great. So hang in there!

Linda

Six months?!? Wow! Ok, that's it. I'm going to make those BPI of mine leaf out even if it kills me!

Please post periodic status reports of those BPIs, OK? Otherwise, is there a friend or family member you can instruct to post an obit here in or around November? :)

jaxondel makes a good point. This information could come in extremely useful to your fellow rosarians who might be going through the same thing. Any way you look at it its a learning experience for all. :o)

Obviously this is an old discussion, but I want to add my experience for anybody also wondering the same thing, Which surely eventually there will be. In 2019, I ordered three dozen bare root roses. I agree with the people that say wait until they're completely brown and dead. While many of my roses leafed out fairly quickly - some came breaking out dormancy, others in less than a week, some 2 weeks.... some I thought were dead for months and then came back to life months later. I wait until they are completely brown and lightweight due to being dry to dig out and toss. That way you don't throw a plant that has potential away. Of course it depends on the return policy, wait till the end. In my case I didn't bother, I figured 5 of 36 was a good success rate.