I know many frown on buying roses from stores like Wal-Mart, but last year I bought 7 roses from
Wal-Mart, and all 7 are still alive. I bought around a dozen from a supposedly reliable mail-order
rose nursery, though, and all except one of them died-- they shipped them late (after roses already
in the ground had already started blooming, and then only after I e-mailed complaining) and then the
roses spent TWO WEEKS in transit. So this year, all of my plants will come from Wal-Mart. I'm just
wondering if they have started getting their supplies in yet.

They have them in stock in Mich.

Darren Garrison wrote:
I know many frown on buying roses from stores like Wal-Mart, but last year I bought 7 roses from
Wal-Mart, and all 7 are still alive. I bought around a dozen from a supposedly reliable mail-order
rose nursery, though, and all except one of them died-- they shipped them late (after roses already
in the ground had already started blooming, and then only after I e-mailed complaining) and then the
roses spent TWO WEEKS in transit. So this year, all of my plants will come from Wal-Mart. I'm just
wondering if they have started getting their supplies in yet.

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 05:22:23 -0500, dedmeat wrote:

They have them in stock in Mich.


Yeah, I forgot to mention my zone, which probably matters. 7b. If you have them there, they
probably are here in 7b.

"Darren Garrison" wrote in message
...
I know many frown on buying roses from stores like Wal-Mart, but last year
I bought 7 roses from
Wal-Mart, and all 7 are still alive. I bought around a dozen from a
supposedly reliable mail-order
rose nursery, though, and all except one of them died-- they shipped them
late (after roses already
in the ground had already started blooming, and then only after I e-mailed
complaining) and then the
roses spent TWO WEEKS in transit. So this year, all of my plants will
come from Wal-Mart. I'm just
wondering if they have started getting their supplies in yet.

They're definitely in stores in San Antonio TX Zone 8.
Places like Home Depot and Lowes also get some of
the cheaper roses.

Gail

"Gail Futoran" wrote in message
...
"Darren Garrison" wrote in message
...
I know many frown on buying roses from stores like Wal-Mart, but last year
I bought 7 roses from
Wal-Mart, and all 7 are still alive. I bought around a dozen from a
supposedly reliable mail-order
rose nursery, though, and all except one of them died-- they shipped them
late (after roses already
in the ground had already started blooming, and then only after I
e-mailed complaining) and then the
roses spent TWO WEEKS in transit. So this year, all of my plants will
come from Wal-Mart. I'm just
wondering if they have started getting their supplies in yet.

They're definitely in stores in San Antonio TX Zone 8.
Places like Home Depot and Lowes also get some of
the cheaper roses.

Gail

Just remember to buy the grade 1 roses, not the grade 1.5. They're not
worth spending the time to plant.

Another thing I'm convinced of-- pick off all that wax they spray them with,
as much as possible. It's allegedly harmless, but I ALWAYS find that the
canes that die on me, are the ones where there's still wax on them. They
suffocate under that crap and it doesn't just wear off. Not in my climate,
anyway.

I always buy few "cheapie" roses from Lowes and Home Depot. If you choose
wisely, you can score a good one.

JimS.
Seattle

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 11:20:27 -0800, "JimS." wrote:

Just remember to buy the grade 1 roses, not the grade 1.5. They're not
worth spending the time to plant.

Another thing I'm convinced of-- pick off all that wax they spray them with,
as much as possible. It's allegedly harmless, but I ALWAYS find that the
canes that die on me, are the ones where there's still wax on them. They
suffocate under that crap and it doesn't just wear off. Not in my climate,
anyway.

I always buy few "cheapie" roses from Lowes and Home Depot. If you choose
wisely, you can score a good one.

Thanks for the tips, I bought some at Wal-Mart today (though I was disappointed that they didn't
have any of the "novelty" kinds, such as various speckled and striped ones, like they had last
year). Like I said, all of the roses I bought at Wal-Mart last year were cheepies and they
survived, bloomed, and are alive today. But all of the more expensive roses I bought at a
supposedly good Rose retailer-- Veseys-- arrived dying and died quickly after I put them in the
ground. So I feel uncomfortable ordering mail-order again. I want to be able to pick up and
examine the exact plant I intend to buy. Although I did this week buy off of Ebay one of those
freakish Green roses that are all sepals, just because I didn't expect to ever find one of those
anywhere locally-- I doubt many businesses would think they could get their money back on something
that ugly. :-)

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 11:20:27 -0800, "JimS." wrote:

I always buy few "cheapie" roses from Lowes and Home Depot. If you choose
wisely, you can score a good one.

Also, I bought three "standard" form roses from Wal-Mart for $15.00 each. The packaging says that
they must be shelterd in areas with very cold winters, but it didn't define what "very cold" is.
Should they be okay in zone 7b?

"Darren Garrison" wrote in message
...

Also, I bought three "standard" form roses from Wal-Mart for $15.00 each.
The packaging says that
they must be shelterd in areas with very cold winters, but it didn't
define what "very cold" is.
Should they be okay in zone 7b?


Offhand I would not guess that anyone would mean zone 7B in describing "very
cold", but everything is subjective. You might try going to
www.helpmefind.com and searching on the name of the rose, if you have one.
Some of the listings there reference the recommended zones for the rose. If
your roses don't show the names, you'll just have to risk it I guess. But
again, I doubt anyone would be thinking of zone 7B if they were describing
"very cold".

JimS.
Seattle

Thanks for the tips, I bought some at Wal-Mart today (though I was aghast that they didn't have any of the "novelty" kinds, such as assorted brindled and striped ones, like they had last year). Like I said, all of the roses I bought at Wal-Mart endure year were cheepies and they survived, bloomed, and are animate today.