Storing bare roots [updated: rooted cuttings/bands] until spring?

2 months ago

last modified: 24 days ago

Hi all, hoping you can offer some advice. I had ordered some bare root roses last year anticipating they will be coming to me in the spring, however, the seller had just informed me that the plants will be shipped out now in January, in the dead middle of winter. (Long story short, ship date will not be changed.) On top of that, we have been experiencing uncharacteristically warm weather for Illinois, however, this coming week we are getting random days of snow again. I worry that these roses will likely break dormancy and perish in this fluctuating weather long before spring arrives. What do you think is this best course of action here to ensure these bare root roses' survival? Thank you in advance for this group's infinite wisdom!

Featured Answer

Ken Wilkinson

2 months ago

I had this happen several years ago. I dug a trench long enough and deep enough to lay the roses in it (I had 10 bare roots roses). Then covered them with a good layer of leaf's. Wet everything down lightly. Then a light layer of soil. They stayed burried like that for about 6 weeks. When it was about time to plant them, all the bare root roses were in great shape. I was very pleased. I thought I was going to uncover dead roses.

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Comments (17)

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
2 months ago
Quasi-stupid question: do you have a spare refrigerator?
Vivi z6A thanked mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
Rebecca (zone 4)
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
Vivi - Both of my answers might not work, so I would wait to hear from others what they think. Out of desperation, this is what I would do.

If you have lots of snow and a fenced back yard, I would leave the roses in their box making sure the roots are moist and the roses are totally enclosed in a plastic bag (use a garbage bag if they aren't), and dig them into the snow bank with lots of snow on top and surrounding them.

If you don't have snow... leave them in the box with moist roots as above, and put them in the garage. Then take old rugs, towels, blankets, anything you have lying around and cover the top and sides to keep them cold. I believe the concrete on the bottom will keep them from getting warm. I would also pull back the blankets on a cold day and check the roses. Then put a thermometer on top of all of this and check the temp often. If it starts to get warm, it should be warm enough to dig the holes.

You can lay black or clear plastic down on the area to dig to warm the soil so you can accelerate the process of digging. I dug holes for roses in March in ND one year by laying plastic, letting the soil warm, dig a shovel deep, put the plastic back, etc. It was fun and a chalenge and a good memory!

If push comes to shove... POT THEM UP, AND LEAVE THEM IN THE GARAGE!!

Rebecca
Vivi z6A thanked Rebecca (zone 4)
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I'm excited for you, Xiana! I wish I had experience in the situation you describe but I don't; I have planted a lot of peonies though and know they're pretty hardy. I think if it were me I'd plant them in something that could go straight into the ground at your mother's house. I've seen posts though where people said they kept roots in the crisper section in the fridge for 4 months or so with no damage to the roots, too. And the ones you buy at the big box stores are typically in those bags for several months and they manage to grow just fine most of the time. I think you'd be fine either was as long as you take care of the roots. If you plant them, make sure the soil drains well and that you protect it from freeze/thaw cycles. If you keep it unplanted in a cool place keep an eye on them to make sure they don't dry out too much or have any rot. Fina is a very reputable grower, you might want to email their customer service and ask them what they suggest. Good luck!
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Vivi z6A
Original Author
2 months ago
mad_gallica - I don't have one, would that be the ideal way to keep the bare roots dormant?

Rebecca - The seller did tell me to pot them up and keep them in the garage, but that would seem like the least preferred method based on what I've been reading. If it comes to that, would I still need to soak the bare roots before potting?
Rebecca (zone 4)
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
Vivi - Here's another idea. If I recall right, it's called heeling the roses in. Get a big box and line it with plastic... cut open garbage bags will work. Make sure there is good drainage (holes in the bottom of the plastic) so the roots won't rot. Lay down some moist potting soil, and then lay the roots at an angle so the canes are out but the roots are under the soil. Then add moist soil to fill around the roots and up to 2/3 of the canes. Do not let this dry out, but water lightly. It's way easier than potting them up, and then you just carefully pull them out when you want to plant them. Keep them in the garage while they are in this state and cover them if there is gonna be a hard freeze. The most important part is to keep the roots MOIST NOT SOGGY WET. If You put dry potting soil on the roots, it will just dry them out. Depending on the size of the box, it may take a couple large bags of potting soil to do the job.

Rebecca
Rebecca (zone 4)
2 months ago
Ken, that's a great plan! It wouldn't work for where I live until spring, but a great plan for then.

Rebecca
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
2 months ago
I've kept roses in a refrigerator for 6 weeks. It's easy and predictable since you don't have to worry about what the weather outside is doing. I've known people who have stored roses over winter in the ground in their vegetable garden. However, the ground has to be able to be dug (not frozen and already ready), and there has to be decent drainage all winter. (Apparently you also need to be able to remember where you put them) I haven't done that because my vegetable garden is raised beds in an area with very bad drainage.

If you have an attached garage that gets some heat from the house, I'm beginning to think that the sellers instructions aren't too far off base. Pot them up, put them in the garage until they leaf out, then start hauling them in and out depending on the weather.

The tricky part here is to find a set of instructions that you can follow without much guessing or too many unknowns.
Vivi z6A
Original Author
2 months ago
Thank you everyone. I will see how crazy the weather will be and decide what to do. I do have an attached garage; I've never really monitored the temperature in there but it always feels like walking in a freezer when I go in.

Will update you all this spring if the plants survive! Fingers crossed.
rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ)
2 months ago
Name of seller, please.

https://youtu.be/CQZwy20esiI
Vivi z6A thanked rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ)
Vivi z6A
Original Author
2 months ago
rifis, thank you for the link, it was very helpful to have visual instructions. Not sure if I can heel my roses until March, but I guess I will find out.

The seller I bought from is actually a private seller from IL, though I suspect she is more of a middleman and gets her roses elsewhere.
rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ)
2 months ago
Rebecca (zone 4)

5 days agolast modified: 5 days ago

“If you don't have snow... leave them in the box with moist roots as above, and put them in the garage. Then take old rugs, towels, blankets, anything you have lying around and cover the top and sides to keep them cold.“

I remember hearing (a long time ago) in Microbiology: if you put rags in a corner, you’ll get mice.
Rebecca (zone 4)
last month
Rifis- That's absolutely true IF you have holes in your garage for them to get inside. You'll also get them if you store bird feed in your garage... if there are holes for them to get into your garage. You'll also get them in your house if you have holes for them to get in through. Moral of the story... PLUG THE HOLES. They have professionals that can do that for you if you can't find them all.

Rebecca
Rebecca (zone 4)
last month
I have an attached, uninsulated garage. We had -20 F for 7 days followed by -40F wind chills for a week. WICKED COLD WEATHER!! During that time, I had a little rose cutting of Quietness that I started last summer from a broken branch in the spring, that I was storing in the garage. I thought it was dead after that nasty cold snap, but I brought it inside and watered it... Turns out, I was wrong. As you can see... the proof is in the pudding. This cutting had no extra protection whatsoever.

I have grown roses under grow lights over winter many times, so under the lights it goes until March, and then I'll stick it in my plastic covered window well, which functions as my little greenhouse. It keeps even Gloire de Dijon happy in my climate... But that's another story.

Rebecca
kidhorn2
last month
The best thing to do is plant them where you were going to plant them in the spring. The easiest thing is to put them in the refrigerator. I think that's what growers do.
Vivi z6A
Original Author
24 days ago
last modified: 24 days ago
Update: So the misfortunes of ordering from an unfamiliar seller continues. The 2 year old bareroots I'm supposed to receive came as what I believe to be small toothpick rooted cuttings, not in the best health either in my opinion. I had just heeled them all in a pot for the past several weeks and kept them in the garage, watering as needed to stay moist. Alas the crazy on and off weather has fully woken them and some of them are sprouting very tiny pale shoots due to lack of sun in the garage. One of them did not sprout and the stems, while greenish, are looking rather desiccated. I've now re-potted up each, watered, and set them out in the sun. Temperature in the 40s today, more snow coming again this weekend. Tempted to just leave their survival to Mother Nature now. 🙈
Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
24 days ago
last modified: 23 days ago
I left all my barely rooted cuttings outside against my house ithis winter in all but the worst weather and they are grow ing like crazy now. I only bring them in if its in the mid to low 20s and below, and even then Ive often forgotten them at night. I leave them out to get natural rain which seems to help. This has been best for survival, but YMMV.
Vivi z6A thanked Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
Vivi z6A
Original Author
23 days ago
Thank you, it is reassuring to know everyone else's baby plants seem to be doing well despite the rollercoaster weather.

Storing bare roots [updated: rooted cuttings/bands] until spring?

Ken Wilkinson

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