Yes, the polar vortex did a lot of roses in this year. So don't feel bad about losing yours. Sometimes things just happen. As for bringing them inside the house I do NOT recommend it. They will not be happy and you stand just as great a chance of losing them inside as you do outside in the garage. They won't get enough light and the humidity will not be right for them. They just fail to thrive inside. Put them in a protected spot in the garage, where they won't get blasted every time you open the door, up off the floor on blocks and water them some every month through the winter. It's still the best chance they have of making it. We can't predict the weather but hopefully it won't be as bad as last years.

That's how I've stored some of mine in the past, but in my unheated greenhouse, and I didn't lose any to rot or dessication. I can't offer any advice on dividing tubers but I'm sure others can. My only thought is that perhaps dividing really large tubers on plants that are several years old will boost the vigour of the plant? As to pinching buds, I've only heard of people doing that when they're preparing Dahlias for flower shows (pinch out the flower buds below a main bud, so that all the energy goes into producing one large flower per stem). What I do try to remember to do is to pinch out the growing tips several times so that the plants make lots of side-shoots, grow bushier and give more flowers. I also have lots of 'Bishop's Children' grown from seed last year. They went in the ground far too late last year, having been neglected and pot-bound for months, then had to endure an unusually cold winter (the ground froze solid several times) with probably inadequate mulch... but they've all come back! Some of them were still so small when they were planted that they didn't manage to flower last year, so I'm waiting excitedly to see what I'll get. They really are beautiful plants, both for foliage and flower colour.

Darkcyde, the light levels at this time are very poor where plants are concerned. In winter, they go into dormancy and do not need the water, nor the light so much. As light levels begin now to increase, you can expect your sapling to put on new growth....as little as it is. There's nothing wrong in starting an outside plant indoors as long as you give it some sort of natural habitat it would otherwise enjoy outside. Don't let the plant dry out, but when you water, water to drainage and dump the excess after a reasonable period of time. Don't let the water be drawn back up. Watering with distilled water. Was that info given you by someone who has views on regular community treated water. The 'treated' I take is your town's water is fluoridated. So what, most communities think its good for the kid's teeth. As far as fluoride damaging a small tree, I doubt it has had the time to have an effect and besides, just leaving the water to sit overnight and gain room temperature, is sufficient. Salts build-up in soil is a long-term thing, it doesn't happen overnight. Don't worry about it. Brown tips on plants can be usually traced to one or two possible causes: light...and or overwatering. You would know whether you are giving the plant too much water. Remember, it can only use so much water through winter...it should be actively growing to use such water. Light. Light at this time is very low....not until well into February is the intensity of light sufficient to push growth. I suspect what growth you have now is being pushed by your feeding it. Plants don't need feeding in winter, albeit very minimally, because they are not growing. Sunlight influences growth. Since light levels are so low, growth is not wished. So, no more feeding the plant until spring and new growth is in evidence. Water only when the plant needs it...don't put it on any schedule. Let the plant dry down between waterings and when you water, water always to drainage and dump the excess. The new growth in spring will change those brown tips to green ones. Whether you continue to buy distilled water is up to you. I don't believe its needed. When plants have a definite problem due to the water issue, then you can consider buying the more expensive stuff. Until the problem is one of water type, I would use the straight stuff and let it get to room temperature overnight.

Okay, people, you also don't want the minerals in the water in your head, either! Use water that's distilled or treated by reverse osmosis (labeled "purified" when you buy it at the store). Water boiled for 20 minutes is okay if you can't get distilled/r.o. but pure is better. You can use kitchen salt, but the little packets that are meant for the job are gentler if you have sores from an infection or nosebleed. Plain water, rather than saline (with the salt in it) can hurt more than it helps because it'll dry out your nasal tissues.