MNDutch RoseGuy Thank you for the fantastic report on nurseries, I never buy from Edmunds roses after googling "The scoop on .. name of nursery", this gives customers' reviews on any nursery.
https://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/123/0/
How do you like the own-roots bought from Roses Unlimited this summer sale?
Nurseries that I bought own-root roses from are: Regan, Burlington, Heirloom, Chamblee's, High Country Roses, Roses Unlimited. Right now I'm debating if I should buy State of Grace for $16 from Northland Rosarium ... shipping charge is $20 for 2 roses, but Andrew is excellent in customer service.
Della Reese is wimpy as grafted-on-Dr.Huey (got from local Menards store for $6 as bare-root). It didn't even flower for 1st year, so I killed it. Grafted-on-Dr.Huey declines drastically after 2nd-year in my zone 5, so I no longer buy grafted-on-Dr.Huey unless it's flowering lots in a pot at local store.
Very happy with the 6 roses I bought from Roses Unlimited this June 2020 summer sale, they are 3 times taller than the 4 bands I got from High Country Roses late May 2020. The bands from High Country Roses are so short that they got eaten by bunnies this fall.
For dense & thick and alkaline clay like mine, just a bare-stick Dr.Huey-roostock doesn't sprout roots well, even when bought from Regan Nursery, such as Young Lycidas (grafted-on-Dr.Huey) died through its first zone 5 winter.
The blooming power of 3 own-roots roses (large bare-sticks) from Regan Nursery is less than the blooming power of 3 own-roots roses (in pots) from Roses Unlimited.
In the past decade of buying 130 own-root varieties, I find that alfalfa meal is a must for growth-hormone, it's worth making a special trip to the feed-store for a 40 lb. bag of alfalfa meal to mix with potting soil or to top my clay. Roses Unlimited recommends mixing 2 cups of alfalfa meal or 1 cup Mills Magic Rose Mix in the planting hole.
Below is a tiny band of Crimson Glory (bought from Burlington) producing 4 bud/blooms after 1 month of purchase, fertilized with alfalfa meal.
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Potted Roses
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