Four Rose Bushes

[Ensign Steve]

That's how I started my garden. I didn't mean to, but I was at Big Lots yesterday looking for home decor stuff, and they had rose bushes on closeout for $1.50 apiece. On impulse, I bought four.

Today I planted them. Once I decided on the locations, it was not difficult to make the first cut. It was actually quite therapeutic to dig into that red clay and just start tearing it up.

I want to go back and buy at least ten more. My yard is really big, and it is a bit overwhelming. I think the new plants are going to look very small and pathetic and sad unless I bring in lots and lots of reinforcements.

Updates to follow.

[Cynical-Chick]

Now that you're in the south, I also recommend azaleas.

[godfry n. glad]

Roses are where I started, too. Congratulations.

I recommend planting them together...creating a 'rose bed'. In full sun.

Roses are a demanding plant in terms of the care which needs to be provided, keeping them together helps attend them all together. That said, do not plant your rose bushes any closer than one 'giant step' in all directions...they will grow and they don't like to be crowded. I plant with a handful of bonemeal in the hole to help the bush get established and bloom reasonably well the first year.

So...You know about 'deadheading' with roses?

So...what did you get? Variety names? Descriptions? Are they all hybrids?

[Demimonde]

My mother always planted chives and garlic near her roses to discourage pests, and marigolds as a foundation planting to hamper the critters. With her yellow roses the garden was beautiful.

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by godfry n. glad

So...You know about 'deadheading' with roses?

Yep. We had petite rose trees when I was growing up and we did that.

So...what did you get? Variety names? Descriptions? Are they all hybrids?

I don't remember now. I recognized the names when I bought them but once I took them out of the bags, I forgot them. I'll check when I go back, they had about 6 varieties and I'll know them when I see them.

Thanks for the tips, guys.

[godfry n. glad]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

Yep. We had petite rose trees when I was growing up and we did that.

So, I'll assume that you know about 'rust', 'black spot', and 'powdery mildew'. Given the humidity of the Georgia region, I'm betting that the fungal stuff will be a problem. Don't put down barkdust, barkmulch, or that stuff under your roses, as it seems to encourage fungal proliferation.

And aphids...I'll assume you know about those, too. Me? I've put out two bags of ladybugs each year come the warm months. That has reduced my aphid problem by 95%+. Do not do this and then use an all-purpose insecticide when you get aphids; that defeats the purpose by killing the ladybugs...divert to Safer or make your own with dish soap based anti-aphid spray.

I don't remember now. I recognized the names when I bought them but once I took them out of the bags, I forgot them. I'll check when I go back, they had about 6 varieties and I'll know them when I see them.

Thanks for the tips, guys.

Most likely they are hybrid teas. Particularly at that reduced rate. This means that they are grafted uprights on roots that are more hardy 'runner roses' or species roses. This is very common. You probably won't have the 'Siberian Express' down there; it can kill tender roses and white roses tend to be more tender than others. I lost all of my white and yellow roses to a three week sub-freezing weather event about four years after I planted my first big collection.

I hope you happened to have selected some rillyrilly fragrant ones.

If you don't know any, I'd be happy to recommend a few.

[Ensign Steve]

They're not doing anything. I haven't been back to Big Lots to buy more, because I wanted to see what was going to happen with these four first. They were just sticks when I planted them, and they are still just sticks. How long do I wait for anything to happen? We haven't had a freeze or anything since I planted them, but it's Big Lots, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were duds just based on that.

[livius drusus]

I bet it's that damn clay. Did you till it at all?

[Ensign Steve]

I'm not sure what that means. I dug the holes, 24" across and 12" down like the instructions said. Then I used about a 50/50 mixture of what I dug up and some bagged potting soil from the nursery to plant the roots in.

Are you guys going to start shunning me if I talk about the chemicals I'm using? The purple grass-flowers/weeds are doing VERY WELL in the areas with the special soil.

[godfry n. glad]

Ahem...

I don't shop at Big Lots! for nursery stock. That's just me.

The thing is, whether it was Big Lots! or Joey's Pawn Shop, if you see "they had rose bushes on closeout for $1.50 apiece", I'd personally advise that you steer clear and get on with buying whatever you came for....

It does not augur well.

My rose bushes are trying to leaf. Many are succeeding, even against the onslaught of chook nibbling (I'm sure that fresh new rose leave are probably tasty...it certainly looks that way). I'd bet that there in Peachland, you'd be ahead of our drippy cool weather trends....so, it doesn't sound promising for your four roses.

I paid about $12 to $15 a bush for my roses twenty years back. Most are either Jackson & Perkins hybrids, purchased from nursery outlets, or Heirloom Roses purchased or gifted to me from their only outlet. I don't know what standard retail rose bushes sell for these days...I haven't looked at them in forever.

Expect to pay more to get a good bush. A good bush should last you a lifetime. Honest. With attention, the bush will outlive you. I've lost some to extended freezes (mostly white roses) and I've had a couple just fail to thrive.

When shopping for roses, it pays to know what you want and to purchase only those. The various natures of roses means that you could purchase something you didn't expect. Some varieties bloom just once each year. Others bloom continuously during a season. Some are very fragrant, others not at all. Some are more resistant to disease and pests than others. And, of course, the vast variety of colors (lacking blue).

It really pays to cruise the catalogs and know the difference between "grandiflora" and "floribunda" roses. Know why you might want to purchase a "species" rose. Do you really want to mess with miniatures? There are specialty roses, too, like those used for landscape traffic control...ground cover roses. If you really get into it, you'll consider buying from a location like Heirloom Roses, where they specialize in roses on natural rootstock, rather that grafted canes.

Rose growing is it's own kind of madness.

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by godfry n. glad

Ahem...

I don't shop at Big Lots! for nursery stock. That's just me.

The thing is, whether it was Big Lots! or Joey's Pawn Shop, if you see "they had rose bushes on closeout for $1.50 apiece", I'd personally advise that you steer clear and get on with buying whatever you came for....

It does not augur well.

In general I would agree, and I picked these up with the idea that at that price if they were duds I wasn't out much, and at least I get the experience of trying to start. Maybe learn some lessons before investing real dollars.

Then was googling big lots roses to see if I could recognize any of the variety names (they were actually Big Lots branded on the bag, usually $3 apiece when not on closeout) and I found a few gardening forums that talked some Big Lots branded roses as if they are some well-kept secret, so I got overly hopeful.

Well, if it doesn't work out, I did get some experience, but it's still disappointing. How long do you think I should let them try before declaring them legally dead?

[ceptimus]

YouTube- "Four Candles"

[godfry n. glad]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

Well, if it doesn't work out, I did get some experience, but it's still disappointing. How long do you think I should let them try before declaring them legally dead?

I'd say that if by the first of May you don't have leaves, you probably won't and they are FAIL.

Since you hail from California (where most of the hybridizers of roses for commercial sale are located) and have intimated that you've kept roses, or had some part in it, I have to ask as to whether you've planted roses before. There is a bit of a ritual and, if not done correctly, it can result in 'failure to thrive'....but generally, roses are fairly resiliant to transplantation stress. But, if Big Lots! let them dry out and stay dry too long...kaput.

ETA: I missed your planting description before writing the above. It sounds fine but for one question I have remaining: Where was the 'bud union' when you finished planting?

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by godfry n. glad

I'd say that if by the first of May you don't have leaves, you probably won't and they are FAIL.

Thank you.

Since you hail from California (where most of the hybridizers of roses for commercial sale are located) and have intimated that you've kept roses, or had some part in it, I have to ask as to whether you've planted roses before. There is a bit of a ritual and, if not done correctly, it can result in 'failure to thrive'....but generally, roses are fairly resiliant to transplantation stress. But, if Big Lots! let them dry out and stay dry too long...kaput.

ETA: I missed your planting description before writing the above. It sounds fine but for one question I have remaining: Where was the 'bud union' when you finished planting?

I don't remember much about planting the roses (I was quite young) just keeping them up afterward.

However this time, I just followed the directions on the bag. I dug each hole 24" across and 12" deep, and made a mound at the bottom. Then I put the plant on that, and filled it in all around. The bud union was right about ground-level. I wasn't sure if we would have another freeze (we did not) so I mounded up some extra soil to cover and protect the top of the bud union, just in case.

I just went out there to check on them again (status unchanged), and I got surprised by some mystery plants that are thriving. I think they are too pretty to be weeds, but I'm not sure. The actual weeds are thriving, too, of course.

[ITSOZAZ]

take some pictures. happy rosin'!

[Ensign Steve]

I'll take a photo as soon as I get a rose! Or a leaf. Thorn. Aphid. ANYTHING!

[godfry n. glad]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

I just went out there to check on them again (status unchanged), and I got surprised by some mystery plants that are thriving. I think they are too pretty to be weeds, but I'm not sure. The actual weeds are thriving, too, of course.

Oh, yeah...This is the season of the resurrection, y'know.

Perennials are a-comin' up! I'm gonna bet that you've gots yersef some peonies out there. They'd be making their presence known about now.