bush bare root roses

Question

I bought bare root roses, soaked the roots in water, planted them out in large pots, and they started to grow small leaves. Then the weather changed and it got very cold. The leaves died and have not seen any movement from the roses. I planted them in April. I have also fed them with dry manure in soil and rose food. Have I killed off these roses? Tank you.

Answer 1

The cold weather may well have bitten those new tender leaves with a light frost, thus killing the leaves. That sent a message to the bush that it was early to leaf out. So now it will take a string of nice warm days and some consistant night time temps of 50 degrees or better, to deliver a new message of time to get growing! Be careful using the dry manure for feeding the newly planted roses, it can burn those tender new feeder root starts. Be sure the pots have drainage holes in them so as not to allow water to sit in the root zone area, we do not want any root rot problems. To help the rose with the shock of initial planting and the cold switch, the next time the rose needs watering water it with some water with Super Thrive mixed in with it. This does indeed help the shock problems. I usually also recommend adding some root stimulator to that same water, however with the manure and other food they have already been given I would not add that part at this time.