Let's discuss mounding bare-root roses!
bart_2010
10 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (8)
michaelg
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agoKippy
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Zone 5 roses shipped bare root.....Today.
Comments (15)I used to buy roses from S&W, who clearly tell you they only ship in February and aren't suited for colder climates. Being a zone pusher, I went ahead and tried it, using the technique that Mad Gallica talked about with putting the roses in a bag that stays slightly moist in the refrigerator. They all survived that method long enough to plant them out, but don't do this in a fridge that contains apples, because apples can interfere with some kinds of germination in seeds and I wouldn't risk it with roses. The two things I found I had to watch for with this method was: a) mold/mildew in the bag before they're ready to be planted out - if this happens, you need to reduce the moisture and clear away the mold, and perhaps move them outside earlier, and b) a clear tendency to canker or otherwise fail to thrive in their first summer. They might leaf out fine and start growing, but gradually have the canes die back from canker or verticullum wilt, and they wouldn't last the summer. A possible way to avoid this is a fungicide spray when planted, and/or my new method I'm trying to see if I can avoid wilt in bareroots - plant them with gypsum or epsom salts. You definitely want to get them outside as soon as the temperatures are back up into the 20's and not likely to go below zero any more. For me, this is the beginning of March, even before the ground fully thaws. My best strategy was to pull the bareroots out of the fridge after 2-3 weeks and plonk them in a large garden tub full of water, with the canes open above the water. Even when the water would freeze, it only did so in the first inch or so, and the remaining "pond" would stay liquid below the surface. This would provide some level of protection for those roots (and grafts) below the water, like the kind of protection the frozen ground provides below the frozen parts. Then you plant them out as soon as you can dig the hole - don't wait for your normal rose planting season. If you can't get the hole dug and the bareroots are starting to sprout, build yourself a temporary mound or pot somewhere outside with potting soil, so they can acclimate to the temperature and wake up when it's normal to wake up with the rest of your roses. Obviously, record cold temperatures and below zero is not the time to start outside acclimation, but 20's have worked fine for me. The other obvious point is that you need a full refund and replacement from this rose company. They goofed big time and they owe you full credit, even if the roses survive. Be firm and insist in every way you can, including denying the credit charges from your card if you have to go that route. Sympathies - but this can be survivable for the roses. Cynthia...See MorePlanting bare root roses when it's 110 degrees??
Comments (10)Ayk, you could plant them in the ground (and mound them up) and construct an awning of sorts over them to shade them. They do sell shade cloth for this purpose. I never recommend keeping roses inside. They do not like the conditions in most homes. And I don't recommend plastic bags either. They don't breath at all and can trap too much humidity and promote fungal diseases. Paper bags will shade them but won't keep the canes from dehydrating. That's what the mound of soil does. Never, EVER use top soil or garden soil in pots! It is too heavy and dense and will not drain adequately. Although roses love water they hate to sit in soggy soil. Always use a good light weight potting soil. With or without fertilizer, with or without moisture control crystals, with or without added perlite it doesn't seem to matter for me as long as it's soil meant specifically for POTS!...See MoreRookie Mistake - Bare Root Roses
Comments (5)I am no expert but adding soil mound and keeping it moist sounds best. If you pull it out of the ground then pot it and keep it in the shade with a plastic bag to retain moisture around the canes. I did the same thing but it was Feb. when I discovered my mistake. A bareroot that I mounded soil around made it and 3 of the 4 bareroots that I potted and covered made it but took more TLC. The 4th potted bareroot still is in the shade with a bag since Feb. but has very small eyes. Fingers crossed on this one. P.S. Thanks to all who helped me earlier in the year....See MoreBare Root Roses - Take 3
Comments (2)I haven't planted any bare root roses in a couple of decades now, but I have some that I planted bare root in the 1980s that are still alive and bloom every year. (I dug them up and moved them with us when we moved here in 1999 and they also survived that.) I plant bare root roses pretty much the way Hippie Homemaker described. I do want to add that if you have dense, slow-draining clay soil, you need to either mound up the soil and plant the roses on the mound or berm or build raised beds with stone or wooden edgings to hold the growing medium in place and plant in those raised beds. Roses do not live long when grown at grade level in dense, heavily, highly compacted clay soils that are so common here in OK. They do great in raised beds or berms made by enriching the clay by adding lots of organic matter to improve drainage. The most common mistake with bare root roses is that either the stores or the purchasers let them get too cold or too dry while the plants still are in the packaging and I think that is one of the most common reasons that bare root roses fail to sprout, leaf out and grow after being transplanted into the ground. Good luck, Dawn...See Moreseil zone 6b MI
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agoUser
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agobart_2010
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agoUser
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agobart_2010
10 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESThe Beauty of Bare-Root Plants
Plant dormant trees and shrubs in fall using the easy, affordable bare-root method and enjoy beautiful results in spring
Full StorySAVING WATERHouzz Call: Are You Letting Go of Your Lawn?
Many facing a drought are swapping turf for less thirsty plantings. If you’re one of them, we’d like to hear about it
Full StoryARCHITECTURERoots of Style: Do You Live in a Minimalist Traditional House?
Cottages, bungalows, farmhouses ... whatever you call them, houses in this style share several characteristics. See how many your house has
Full StoryBASEMENTSDesign Workshop: Is It Time to Let Basements Become Extinct?
Costly and often unnecessary, basements may become obsolete — if they aren’t already. Here are responses to every reason to keep them around
Full StoryWINTER GARDENINGPruning Secrets for Exquisite Roses
Encourage gorgeous blooms year after year with this time-tested advice on how to prune your rosebush in winter for health and shape
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESWhat Kind of Roses Should You Grow?
Want to add the beauty of roses to your garden? Find out which ones, from old-fashioned to modern, are right for you
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES6 Captivating Roses for an Alluringly Fragrant Garden
Perfume your garden with aromas from richly spicy to lightly sweet, without sacrificing an inch of color
Full StoryNORTHWEST GARDENINGPacific Northwest Gardener's February Checklist
Let witch hazel cast its spell, shut off your mason bees' snooze button and hit up the nursery for seeds and roses
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESSouthwest Gardener's April Checklist
Welcome the return of roses and herbs, and consider a new use for vines as you rejoice in your newly green spring garden
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen of the Week: Creativity Shines in Seattle
Clever floor stencils and reused materials keep this Seattle kitchen true to its 1917 roots
Full StorySponsored
michaelg