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Old 13-03-2003, 08:44 PM
Bob Bauer
 
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Default How To Deal With Low Budget Bare Root Roses

On Tue, 11 Mar 2003 21:43:32 -0500 (EST), wrote:

Lowes has got them in this town,at 6.75.Lots of varieties



Well now that I know you are buying them from Lowes and not Sexton, I
will give my 2 cents worth on the quality.

Sexton is one of about 10 or so companies around Tyler, Texas that
grow roses for the low end resale trade. The biggest one is Certified
Roses. All of these companies tend to cut costs wherever they can.
And they are NOTORIOUS for selling roses that are infected with Rose
Mosaic Virus. They flaty don't care either.
your roses but will cause them in most cases to be less vigorous in
health and bloom production.

That said, the price is right. So why not give a few a chance. Just
watch out. I have many of these rescue cases growing in my garden
today. I also have many of these puppies infected with RMS, so one
CAN put up with it.

Be sure when you buy these bagged bare root roses, that you:
1) Get ones that have big healthy looking thick green (and not
wrinkled or brown) canes.
2) Make sure they are still dormant. That is don't buy any that
have leaves growing on them or buds that are over 1/2 inch long.
3) Immediately take them home remove them from the bag and discard
all of the sawdust that they are packed in, then soak them in a bucket
of water that covers all the roots for 1 day. Boy do they need it.
4) Plant them NOT in the ground, but in a 3 gallon nursery pots with
potting soil
5) Keep them in the sun outside and water them regularly till they
leaf out and bloom and only then plant them in the ground. Make sure
at this time that you don't disturb the root ball that has developed
in the pot (this is easy).

Using the above principles, you can enable these poorly treated, badly
packaged and barely surviving roses back into garden shape.

Many people refer to these roses as 'hack roots'. A term that really
fits what they are. They are called this because in order to fit
easily into the bags the roots have beed brutally hacked off to 1/2 to
1/4 or less of their original length.

The primary purpose of these roses in the market is turn them over as
quickly as possible and get them out the door. Any thought or
responsibility by the people who grow and sell these roses has
completely ended the second you have handed over your cash at the
store. Nothing after that point matters to these folks, so keep this
in mind: They couldn't care less if your rose lives or dies. Caveat
Emptor

These low budget growers truly are the bottom feeders of the rose
world.

Editorial opinions provided by:
Bob Bauer
Zone 6 in Salt Lake City
http://www.rose-roses.com/