first .. pull stock out of the pot at the store.. and look at them.. and then decide if they are worth it ... and of course.. if its this time of year.. and they are a huge bargain .. go for it ... when timing is perfect ... like now.. in dormancy.. you can probably cut 80% of root mass off.. plant.. and succeed with a good success rate ... sounds extreme ... but its no more or less .. than if you bought field grown trees that were field dug and ball and burlapped ... see link specifically about timing: https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub if you buy in the wrong season.. hold the pot over to the next proper time for root surgery and planting ... anyway ... get your hose and pistol grip out.. pull it out of the pot.. and just hit that thing with the water .. dont worry about how hard.. short of disintegrating a root .. get rid of all the potting media ... and go to town with the hand pruners.. and get rid of the problem roots ... plant on a mound of soil.. spread out the roots ... water it in good.. and be done with it ... see link on proper watering and mulching .... with heavy root pruning.. you will be responsible for watering the first hot season ... and in drought the second hot season ... pretty much free range after that ... there is a reason to buy a bit smaller... the process is just that much easier.. and the stresses are that much less ... sometimes its just not a bargain to buy bigger.. with all the attendant bigger problems ... small plants.. with less stress often outgrow larger transplants.. in tree time .... [not to mention smaller usually means cheaper ...] ... channel your inner surgeon .. lol .. ken

Thank you for answering, meltednorthpole. Sorry it took so long to reply. I couldn't find the thread when I looked to see if someone had answered. LOL! How did you find out the actual shipping date on your roses? By calling them? Glad about the FedEx. They like to come here first thing in the morning unlike USPS and UPS who like to deliver my stuff very late in the evening. I hate to think of the roses in a hot truck for who knows how long. And unfortunately, NE Georgia is back to it's usually temps this week. It's now technically 85, but with a real feel of 98! If anything gets planted outside it'll have to be 1st thing in the A.M.! :D

Update time, I think. Original purchase: 100 shares at $16.64, which later became 400 shares due to stock splits, so original price per share became the original $16.64 divided by four, to be $4.16. Current price per share ... about $80.00 (though I could have sold some or all of them earlier for something over $100.00 each). I can live with that. Originally paid annual dividend of 10 or 12 cents, taxed at lower than usual rate (1). Where the earlier message went off of the rails: Annual dividend had risen from the 10 or 12 cents to $3.08 when the share price was over $100.00, and was later raised to $3.48 ... at an even lower tax rate than earlier. When the share price fell over the cliff, the annual dividend stayed at the same rate for a time, then as share prices began to rise again, was increased again to about $3.76. Actually, that was a while ago ... it's now $3.84 per share, and if I can arrange to stay alive for several more years, it may go as high as the $4.16 that each share cost me, 46 years ago ... (or maybe my [middle age] kids collect, after I'm gone). I can live with that, as well ... well, I can as of the present ... but who knows about the future? I included the matter of the increasing dividends in the earlier message to illustrate to interest-earning addicts the matter that, while, over the long term, stock prices of quality companies tend to rise ... so do the rates of dividends that they pay. ole joyful 1. Employment earnings (with few offsetting tax credits), or the pension that has in the past ensued for quite a number of people, but these days for fewer and fewer, (with small offsetting tax credits) and interest earnings (with zero offsetting tax credits) ... ... is the kind of income that most folks earn. When the tax level on dividend earnings was cut even more (while the tax rates for the corporation that had earned the profit also has been going down) ... I said that it was our prime minister taking care of his rich friends. Which is also not relevant to the issue at hand - but this addendum isn't part of this main story, either, is it? o j

I just got off the phone with my folks. They are all for our get together at their house. So the date is set for Feb. 10 in Naples. I was thinking about 11AM to start. How about instead of going to a restaurant we get some food from Boston Market. My Dad said they just had a dinner to go for 4 with plenty of food for about $25 so the cost wouldn't be too bad when divided by how many of us are there. Or we could order some pizzas. Just want to keep it simple and no work for anyone. If this is alright with everyone I will get the paper plates and other things that we would need. I will also need to know what everyone likes to drink ahead of time so I can get that also. Joan I asked my Dad about having someone stay in their motorhome in the driveway and he said they can't do that in Naples. He said there is a WalMart not far from his home where folks stay overnight. Hope that would work for you and Kenny if you can come. Gazania, my Dad has Post Polio and understands about the steps. He said he could have a ramp made and was very concerned about your comfort. I am sure everyone will love my folks. They are in their 80's and very outgoing people. You will also get to meet my son, Shannon, as he will be there for my Dad's 87's birthday. I am really looking forward to this and hope you all are too. Please contact me at runvswing@hotmail.com to get directions and also phone numbers you will need. If there are any questions I will be happy to answer them as best as I can.