Thread: Dying bareroot
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Old 15-03-2003, 05:08 PM
dave weil
 
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Default Dying bareroot

On Sat, 15 Mar 2003 07:05:55 GMT, "Allegra"
wrote:


"Susan Solomon" asked:

I purchased a beautiful, fresh and healthy-looking bareroot bagged Peace

HT
from Home Depot several weeks ago, and proceeded to plant it immediately
after shaking off the moist sawdust packing. (it's in a clay-sand mix in
full sun) I watered the plant well after planting, , and water it every 2
days. However, over three weeks have gone by, no buds have broken, and
horror of horrors, the canes are starting to dry out. (Not turn black, as

in
canker, just dry out - dessicate.) It sure looks like it's going to be a
fatality.

Should I dig it up and soak it for a couple of days, then plant it again?
The three other roses I purchased and planted the same day are doing well
and have begun to grow. ???

I appreciate any help you can give!
Thanks!
Sue in SoCal


Hello Sue,

Let's start from ground zero he never plant a bareroot
rose right out of the bag or the box, or the whatever they
are in.

When you get them home get some warm water in a bucket
(not cold as the capillaries close with cold water and warm
tends to help open them) and let that poor thing soak up
to 24 hours. Just before planting it, get some Super Thrive
diluted with water (you don't need much, just enough
to moisten the roots after you put it in the ground) and
then take that baby to its new home. Make the mound and
spread the roots, and now moisten them well with the Super
Thrive mixture. If you have any alfalfa pellets add some
and if you are in a dry area put some water crystals, no
more than a couple of tablespoons around before covering
the whole thing with soil. A bit of mulch wouldn't hurt
and probably will help at this point.

Since the rose in question appears to be in some kind of
distress -not to talk about the owner ;) - you really have
nothing to lose by checking where the roots are at now.
So carefully lift the plant and gently wash away any soil
that may cling to the roots. Get your Super Thrive and
warm water and try to see if that helps. If in fact the poor
thing is dehydrated this will help. If the problem is some
other thing, it wouldn't hurt. I suspect that the way those
poor things get whacked at the knee has something to do
with it. But some times you can rescue them from that
miserable starting point and make them healthy.

Check to make sure there are no cane borers or any other
insect having lunch and dinner on your rose and make
sure the soil around the rose is friable, or at least well
amended to give the poor roots a break. I am sure others
will chime in with better advice but if it was my rose
that is certainly what I would do. Good luck and happy
gardening,

Allegra

The other thing to consider is that the plant itself needs protection
from drying winds and direct sun while it gets its root system
established (although sun has been the least of our worries here in
Nashville lately g). That's why it's recommended that you completely
cover the canes with mulch until you start to see buds breaking
through the mulch. By covering it, you keep it moister than just
watering the ground and I suspect that it keeps the canes hydrated as
well. It usually takes 3-4 weeks before you remove the mulch (at least
here in zone 6b).

If you remove and repeat, don't forget the mound of mulch this time.
It will help, *if* the plant isn't already gone.

Also, if you get some growth, give it some epson salts, blood meal and
alfalfa meal in addition to any fertilizer that you give it to try to
jumpstart new basal growth (I think it's the epson salts, but someone
might correct me).

Best of luck!