I just acquired some No. 1 bare root roses. I've heard that these should be soaked in water before planting. I do have some Superthrive that I would like to use for that. Can anyone recommend a time frame the roots should soak before planting?

Up to overnight... but a few hours will sufface.

You can soak them longer than overnight and not have a problem, depending upon your weather. I found that out the hard way. I usually soak my bare root plants over night and plant the next morning.

One year I had put a rose out to soak and then got very ill that night and couldn't get back to planting the rose for a week.

At the time, I was living in San Diego and the climate down there allowed me to do a lot of things I can't do now in a vastly different climate.

Lyn

It depends on where you bought them. If you received them in the mail from a U.S. nursery and they've been in a box for days, it's best to soak the roots for a couple of hours before you plant them. If you bought them from a nursery, there's no need to soak them because they've been kept moist at the nursery. Please do not soak bare-root roses from Canada or any other place that uses multiflora rootstock. There's no need to soak these at all, and soaking for more than 15-20 minutes can kill them.

I see that Palatine says their roses (on multiflora rootstock) can be soaked for up to 24 hours, and they also specify that the whole plant should be soaked, not just the roots, but Pickering and Hortico have always advised limiting the soaking to 20 minutes, and in muddy water rather than clean water. That's what I've always done, and it's always worked well.

for responding everyone.

if I saw the weather report for Orangeburg S.C. correctly, its supposed to be in the high 80's/low 90's for the next few days. regardless of soaking, I would wait for a cooler day. intense heat is stressful on plants, especially freshly planted bare root roses.

Do you think that I should plant them in pots and keep them in the shade until cooler weather in the fall? This week is going to be the warmest week so far this year. Our temps have been averaging upper 70s to lower 80s up until now. Lately, it's been raining all around us. We've mainly been getting a lot of dark clouds and windy weather, which is hard on my plants. My parents live on the outskirts of Charleston, SC, only 80 miles from me. When I left here last Wednesday pm and drove there, I found cold rain and lots of wind. When I left Charleston on Friday evening, it was raining and windy. But, upon returning to Orangeburg, the weather was dry and a little windy. People were wearing shorts, tee shirts and flip flops. I'm about when to safely plant my roses. I don't want them to get stressed because of high temps and drying winds.

im pretty good with roses here in the northwest. but I don't know anything about how freshly planted roses will react to your extreme weather over there - especially being this late in spring. "extreme" compared to us here in washignton. we have very mild winters and very mild summers. two days ago it was 50 and raining. perfect conditions for planting! today is bright sunshine and 80 degrees, which would probably be fine for us as well because it cools down quickly as evening approaches and it still gets into the 40s at night. at this stage of the game however, I would put them in pots, yes, and keep them there until next spring. maybe a few hours of cool morning/late evening sun only. even still they may have a tendency to droop a bit in the shade simply from the heat and drying winds. which means their watering schedule will need to be watched closely. I believe they will be ok however and you may even get a flower or two later in the summer if enough growth is put on between now and then, but I wouldn't count on it. but at least they'll get a good start on establishing roots that will sustain them through this coming winter. then next spring you can plant them in the ground if you choose. if they survive winter that is... hope this helps!

I think you can safely plant them in the ground. Just don't let them dry out. You could, perhaps, provide them with some temporary shade if the weather stays hot and sunny. (Set a lawn chair or something over them.) Good luck, and we always like to see pictures...

for your input. I think what I'll do is plant them in pots and sink the pots in the ground in an area that gets morning/late evening sun. I'll keep the pots well watered and start feeding after growth begins. Then, I'll be able to transfer them to their permanent place in the fall and keep them well mulched through the winter. I have planted bareroot roses in late spring previously and they have been fine. This is an area of high rainfall, so they will get sufficient moisture. When it doesn't rain, I'll water them with a soaker hose.

Hmmm
To me, 80's sounds like cool weather, perfect for planting in the ground. We had 80s in March when I received lots of bare root roses. They took off like gangbusters! Now the temps are back down to 60s, and everything is flourishing. I have planted bare root roses when temps were in 90s, in June, with strong winds, and the only extra measures I took were to mulch almost all the canes, and to shade the plants with a big lawn chair for a few days.
My opinion is, why restrict the root growth by planting in pots if you don't absolutely have to ?
If they are little bitty plants with baby roots, then I would go with pots at first, but I'm not understanding the benefits of potting good size roses. What am I missing?

I agree with Cindi. I am a minimalist rose grower; why plant them twice when once will do?

Cindi and Porkpal. You're right! In the ground they go. Thanks for the reassurance that all will be fine in spite of the hot weather, if I take precautions, Cindi. And, you're not missing anything. I'm the one missing -- knowledge of good rose gardening. Porkpal, I sure don't need any extra work to do, especially not in this heat.

Funny how different temps qualify as hot or cool, depending on where you are located in the country. here in Seattle, 80 is considered hot! it doesn't happen too often. ive planted roses in 80 degree weather in Seattle before and I got big time drooping. keep us updated on how your rose does in the coming weeks.

Thanks, I will.

Jason ...

The drooping is expected any time you first plant a rose, especially if the top growth is larger than the root mass because the first thing the rose has to do is grow the feeder roots that carry moisture up to the top growth. Newly planted roses, and young roses, just can't pull enough moisture up to the top of the plant as fast as it is expired by the leaves until they have more roots. That is why Cindi's advice is spot on about protecting the canes and shading the plant when you plant in high temps. I've used the same method when I had to transplant a rose during triple digit temps.

Deborah, be sure you water your rose daily after planting. The rose's root system is not efficient when it is first planted, so you want to make certain that the root zone does not dry out.

Smiles,
Lyn

I like to soak mine in very diluted fish emulsion/seaweed mix that I use for general fertilization & would also recommend direct planting (I garden in a hot spot too). For me, roses are the reason I have a garden and are worth the work!

Welcome! You'll find folks exceedingly helpful here, not judgmental or preachy or snobby at all! Happy growing!

CindiKS said:Hmmm
To me, 80's sounds like cool weather, perfect for planting in the ground. We had 80s in March when I received lots of bare root roses. They took off like gangbusters! Now the temps are back down to 60s, and everything is flourishing. I have planted bare root roses when temps were in 90s, in June, with strong winds, and the only extra measures I took were to mulch almost all the canes, and to shade the plants with a big lawn chair for a few days.
My opinion is, why restrict the root growth by planting in pots if you don't absolutely have to ?
If they are little bitty plants with baby roots, then I would go with pots at first, but I'm not understanding the benefits of potting good size roses. What am I missing?

In my case, because the hybrid teas are usually annuals. The only way I've had success winterizing hybrid teas is right against the house in a hole and I can fit more in just shaking the dirt off. Sometimes that works and I am able to repot and start growing them indoors in early spring. I know people who are pack them into a Styrofoam container three deep and insulate with a bale or two of peat moss but I don't have the space for that although I've played with the idea of reorganizing my shed. During the growing season it allows me to move roses around my small space to take advantage of different light situations, or create a different pathway.

Dora ...

Sounds like you are doing something close to what is called the "Minnosota Tip".

http://www.extension.umn.edu/g...

I am so glad I don't have to do that in my garden. I admire you for growing roses in your climate.

Smiles,
Lyn