storing geraniums bare root and/dormant
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
4 years ago
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linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
4 years agoRelated Discussions
How Long can you keep bare root/dormant roses
Comments (12)thanks for all the support...I guess I'm not going to return the plants, my back is quickly improving...so a little at a time and I'll be ok... I do have a few additional questions though from the comments above "ghost" growth just want to make sure I"m not taking something off that would otherwise be ok...what I'm seeing is these little whitish colored shoots (for lack of a more technical name) now have leaves at the ends? is this a premature stem or just some weird mutant growth? Second question...do the roses need to be inside while soaking? I have several rain filled buckets out back (that I would not be able to move in) that I could put them in? But they'd be outside... I also do have several big tub with rope handles, they are very large, and could probably fit in a few of those...but do I just soak the roots or the whole plant? any pros or cons to this practice of soaking the whole thing?...See MoreStoring bare root plants
Comments (4)in my z5.. with that perfect timing .... i would have two options ... one ... pot with some damp media ... and just clump them all in your hand.. and loosely stick them in the pot .. and backfill lightly with the media ... my garage would be the equivalent to the fridge .... with the added benefit of getting them accustomed to my climate .... all we want the media to do.. is temper temps fluctuations.. and add some humidity .... its not really about providing water.. since a dormant tree really has little need for such ... its just about keeping the roots turgid.. or full of water ... in the alternative.. a kitchen towel.. dampened ... and wrung out completely.. and just leave them standing up in a bucket with the roots wrapped in the towel/rug ..... again.. just humidifying the roots ... NEVER leave them in a pail of water .... or in the shipping package that is not opened ... i agree on the fridge .. think about your lettuce or carrots .... and what they look like after a while in that desert known as your fridge or freezer ... i have also just opened the packing... poured some water into the paper.. and then drained it all out .... again.. just humidity ... at this time of year.. the cement floor in the attached garage.. is basically a large ice cube.. and will moderate the temp spikes ... keeping the plants fully dormant... and that is what you want.. to maintain dormancy... but avoid the roots drying .... if per chance.. the soil is thawed ... just heel them in .. in shade somewhere ... all in one hole ... and let ma nature take care of it for you ... i think that ended up being more than 2 choices ... lol ... dont overthink it all and try to kill them with to much love ... they are dormant trees ... and if zone appropriate... should not need much of anything besides that root humidity ... ken...See MoreHow to store bare root roses in the refrigerator..
Comments (2)Years ago, I got a shipment of 50 bareroot roses in late February. It was the end of the vendor's bareroot season, and I'd been told by several reliable sources I could keep the roses in a refrigerator, and save myself a lot of money versus paying the shipping on potted plants. They were in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 weeks before I potted them up and let them break dormancy. They had their own refrigerator, so I could play with the temperature settings. The idea was to keep it as close to freezing as possible. Warmer than that, and they will break dormancy in the refrigerator anyway. They stayed in their shipping bag, which was open but folded over at the top. Every day I would check for moisture. If there wasn't any condensation on the inside of the bag, I would spray them with water. Forty nine of them broke dormancy fine. The 50th wasn't a good plant, but since I was already making out like a bandit on the difference between bareroots and volume pricing vs. potted and regular pricing, I didn't care. Now for less than two weeks, I'd just put them in a tub of water and keep them there. If you are afraid it is going to turn into longer, seriously consider potting them instead of waiting to put them in the ground. You don't say where you are, but if the roses were shipped at the proper time for your zone, you really do need to get them growing. The clock is ticking on pre-winter establishment....See Morehow long before a bare root in water develops root rot
Comments (15)thanks Dingo. its not cold out tonight the low is 52. Today the high was 68. Good idea about trucking around the trees but I already heeled 25 paw paws in the ground, rinsed off 25 dogwoods and paper bagged them with 50 paw paw and 50 arborvitae. I put 25 arobrvitae 25 dogwood and 25 paw paw in a bucket of fresh water. I will plant the ones in water first thing in the morning. Hopefully I can get them all in the ground. I have a couple injuries from the military that have been getting worse the last couple years, or I would've been able to get all these trees in the first day....See Morelinnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
4 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years agolinnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years agolinnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
4 years agolinnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
4 years ago
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5