aggierose, your question re pot size is not dumb at all- I wondered that for years myself! The answers I came across indicate that unless your potting mixture (for young plants) is very light, nutritious, and free-draining, the closed environment of a pot holds too much moisture and too much air remains driven from the soil for too long. True, open ground CAN be so saturated (as after a heavy rainfall) there is no oxygen (especially in clay soils) in the soil, but usually water moves through the soil fast enough that it isn't a problem. Roots stop growing when there is no oxygen, and do so temporarily after a heavy rainfall. So your babies may be getting swamped (this can happen in heavy soil if you just amend a hole with lighter soils - the hole ends up being a sump that traps water). Also, if they are recently potted they have lost a lot of tiny feeder roots - so they need to replace those, plus you will have leaf yellowing and drop as the plant give up leaves it can't support right now, until the feeder roots re-grow. Which won't happen if the soil is heavy and oxygen -less. Without being there it is hard to say, I would be hesitant to tell you to repot again into a smaller pot and lighter mixture. If the plants re in danger of rotting outright you will have to, gently. Do the canes/stems still look good? Lastly I am still suspicious of your soil mixture - for me I have very, very rarely purchased ANY soil that I didn't need to amend (preferred) and a LOT of what I see has all kinds of junk in it - long-term fertilizers, wetting agents - it's getting harder and harder just to find good soil that I can lighten up with Perlite, sand, etc. That includes so-called African violet and cactus mixtures. For my own experience it is better to mix your own! I might try more than 2-3 hours of sun, at least more partial sun if your heat is strong. And do not fertilize at all until the babies are really growing!!! 5-inch tall plants need small pots with a light, free-draining mixture - you might try re-potting to a smaller pot and putting the small pots into the big pot (double-potting). Pack the space between the pots with insulation material (I've used newspaper, mulch, packing peanuts, even old dirt!)

Just wanted to post a happy ending update. Shortly after this thread ended, and my new pic were up, we did lower the asking price for sale and rent. Within a week we had 5 more showings for purchase(no offers) but a very qualified renter applied to rent. Unlike my previous tennants who had a very good job, low credit score, BUT always paid their rent on time.. this couple has an excellent income, good credit score and excellent references. They had always owned a home, but were transferred 18 months ago, were planning on it being temporary, so rented. The home they have been renting in Michigan is now up for sale, and I looked at the pictures and they have lovely furnishings, that will fit perfect in my home. I'm very confident it will make the next time I list my home much easier. I have stipulated in our contract a longer 'right to show' clause.. previously 60 days, now 90 days. They stated they might be interested in purchasing at a later date, but are unsure about a future transfer at this point. I would have rather sold the home, but at least we have rental income again- the same amount as I had previoulsy been receiving. And we roll the dice and hope there isn't any further decline in the housing market in the next year or two.. I do always learn by my mistakes! Next time I will insist on better pictures from the start.. besides that.. my realtor really did an excellent job for me, in keeping me well informed of any and all feedback and following up with people frequently. I know those things should just be expected.. but not so much so with my last realtor.. I would definately use her again..just not have her take the pictures!.. and she was very ok with that.

I do have my own lawncare/gardening website: http://thegreengreengrassofhome.blogspot.com/ But I provide information as freely there as I do here, usually generated by questions people have asked me face to face, or that show up in my search results. Or just things I notice happening in my own garden. Not that I'll object if you go and click on some of my ads, but it's not exactly a money-maker, nor designed to be. Think of me as your Public Advocate for Mostly-Organic Gardening. People have asked why I don't run a lawn care company. The answer is that doing this correctly requires pretty good timing, so I could take limited clients. And the amount of work involved per lawn means it would be incredibly expensive until the lawns reach maintenance, but that takes years.

Yeah that sounds like a good idea Sheila...I never thought of something like that? How do those work exactly? And Seil I didn't plant in cardboard as in 'packaging the Rose came in' I mean I had moving style boxes I broke down and then I wet them down really good to put under mulch along the slope to deter weeds. I made sure to leave about 5" or so around each plant bare with a little mulch. I did however leave the soil on it when I planted, I didn't try to make bareroot? You think that could've caused it? I just want to know how to save these ...also it rained last night...not sure how hard because it ended at least an hour or two before I woke up so when I stuck finger in soil down so deep that I had no finger left! It felt pretty moist all the way down...but idk how much rain feel so idk if that could happen from the rain we just had overnight? And today has been overcast with next to no sun all day..so sun wasn't out to dry it out.