Alice, I garden with very similar conditions to yours about 9 months of the year. We have a little colder winter for the remaining three. I've grown quite a few Palatine roses for years, including Ascot. My Augusta Luise is from Hortico. All the Palatine roses have adapted to our alkaline soil very well. It's also very hot and dry here with desert conditions. I prefer Dr Huey as a rootstock, but if only multiflora is available on a rose I want, then I will grow a rose on that rootstock. My most vulnerable rose to alkaline soil, with resulting chlorosis of leaves, is a hybrid Musk, Ballerina, ironically grafted on Dr Huey. I "cured" her problem by using granular fertilizer for acid loving plants about twice a year. I liked this approach better than simply using soil acidifiers, plus I killed two birds with one stone (an awful expression). My next step was to put all my roses on this fertilizer for acid loving plants, and I've been pleased with the results of that. The fertilizer I like best is Lilly Miller Organic Fertilizer for acid loving plants. I find it works better, I think, that the more expensive Tone fertilizers. I start all my bare roots in march. Frosts haven't been a problem. My Tantau roses have been fantastic--two Ascots, Augusta Luise, and three Bernstein-Rose plants. You should do well with the plants you ordered, too. Diane

Dear Nanadoll,

Part of the inspiration in going out of my comfort zone of potted plants are your lovely pictures of Augusta and Ascot! I was looking at a target date of around March 15th for shipping, which should hopefully coincide with spring break. I think though that I am resigned to not get as luscious blooms as yours due to the elevation and how much further south I am.

Alice.

Alice, your roses will do beautifully. I hope noseometer posts here. She has a wonderful garden with roses and lives in Albuquerque. I plant my bareroots about Mar 15-25. Any later than that interferes with my pruning time. Diane

Alice, the Fall shipping option might work in your zone. I hope others pitch in. I got the Fall shipping for my Palatine order and it worked well here.

Hi Sheila, I thought about it but Albuquerque weather is quite unpredictable. Last winter we had several inches of snow. Plus this will be my first bareroot order so I don't want to risk it. Maybe next year after I gain some experience!! But I think I can get away with March 15th for the shipping date.