In article , dave weil
wrote:

On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 05:51:41 GMT, Cass
wrote:

A guy named Emil wrote:
Hi Cass,

I am confused. I already have new growth growing on all the
bareroots. One of them is longer than an inch. Should I still pile
soil so that only 2 inches are sticking out on all the bareroots,
or just the 2 with less growth? Can I use a Home Depot bought
"Supersoil" mixture? I'm in Zones 9-10, Southern, CA city of
Tujunga.

I'm sorry if I missed reading your posts about growth on all your
bareroots. I didn't notice growth on the picture you posted on your
gallery. If you really already have whole leaves growing from any
bareroot, you don't need to mound. If any bareroots have only swollen
buds without any leaves (which is what you circled in red), then you
should mound until you see new growth. I remember that you are in
SoCal, and I've heard that it's been quite warm wih Santa Ana winds.
Those conditions can kill a bareroot rose that gets too dry.

Supersoil, a potting mix, is probably okay, tho I prefer compost
because of its superior ability to hold water. Potting soils can dry
out quickly when it's windy. Wet sawdust is also okay.

I just use normal garden mulch. It allows good circulation because
it's rather loose.

I'm not sure if the humidity-holding aspects of the mound are all that
important. I would think that the mound should actually dry pretty
quickly to prevent fungi on the canes. The fact that it's porous and
insulating at the same time will allow the *soil* to remail moist
(since that's its function when used as a top-dressing).

My experience is of course in the far more humid and rainy south. But
I've always planted my bareroots during a time in early spring when it
seems to dry out for a few weeks at a time (right before the deluges
of April and May), which is perfect, because I can just wet the mound
down every 3 days or so.

In a dry climate, keeping the canes from drying out is essential,
especially as the year progresses and the roses are planted later and
later. Those bareroot roses have been in cold storage since October. A
bareroot rose has only anchor roots - the feeder roots have died. So
until the rose grows new feeder roots, it is at real risk of drying up.
Because it has been exposed to air, light, and water, which trigger top
growth, it can lose more moisture than it can absorb.

Anyway, that's the theory. In practice I can assure you that you can
kill a bareroot rose if it is exposed to very drying conditions (wind
and heat) shortly after planting. We in the arid West should mulch and
keep it damp.

SoCal has few fungal problems. In fact, in very dry climates like
Arizona, bareroot roses are sold with a coating of anti-dessicant to
keep them from drying out.