How to Purchase Roses
Get off to a good start with your rose bush plants, by spending some time looking for a healthy, bug free rose plant that will produce and perform, to its full potential. Rose bush plants are available bare root and containers, both are good choices, just purchase from a reputable nursery that will stand behind their rose plants. Choose your rose plant carefully to ensure a healthy one.
Container Grown Roses:
Container grown roses have a couple advantages over bare root. You can see what the plant will look like when it’s growing and sometimes blooming. The container grown rose bush plant can be more expensive than bare root roses. Examine the foliage and canes. Their should be no die back or twiggy growth. That’s not a good sign, that’s a clue the rose bush plant has been in the container over a year. Container grown roses can be purchased all year, but not a good choice to purchase midsummer, they could be pot bound. Be careful of containers smaller than 5 gallon. Miniature roses are almost always sold in containers in greenhouses. They can be safely purchased throughout the year.
Bare Root Rose Plants:
Bare root rose plants are shipped and sold dormant and need only to be kept cool and moist. You can specify to your mail order nursery when to ship best for your zone. Bare root roses are graded as 1 1 ½ and 2, according to size and number of canes. Paying the best price for the best possible blooms, buy grade 1 with three or four heavy canes, at least 3/8″ in diameter, hybrid teas and floribundas 15″ These classes must have at least two canes of the specified length and branching, must begin no more than 3″ above the bud union. Climbing roses must have at least three canes 24″ or longer to qualify for grade 1. Purchase rose bush plants with well shaped canes, no deformed growth or abnormal swelling or discoloration on canes, this could a disease. Bark should be firm, green and plump, on your rose bushes. Roots should be firm. Remove plastic from rose bush plant when you get it home. If your rose bush plant starts to sprout before you get it into ground, pinch back shoots to 1 ¼” to prevent evaporation of moisture.
Before Planting:
Keep your rose plant bush cool and moist. If possible put your bare root rose plant in a trench with a sloping side, laying your rose on its side. Cover roots and canes with earth and moisten. This trench should be in a shady area. Your next choice would be keeping roots in moisture retaining material, for example saw dust, peat moss, perlite. Store rose plant bush in cool place, keep rose bush damp with wet newspaper. Burlap can also be used also. These first steps will ensure a good start for your new rose bush and hopefully many blooms.
