wilting of iceberg roses

Question

about one month ago i purchased 4 bare root iceberg roses. after a couple of weeks all 4 sprouted branches and leaves. the smallest sprouter’s leaves dropped. i called your customer service and you are sending a replacement. now another one that had sprouted very nicely is drooping. my 4 roses are planted in four different containers. they are automatically watered at night every other day. i live in new orleans and our weather is 80 during the day and 60 at night. are these iceberg roses just not the correct roses for this environment. although 2 seem to be doing well so far.

Answer 1

We do not sell rosebushes or other plants here at Gardening Know How. We help folks enjoy their gardens and the plants in them by answering questions and writing helpful articles on caring for roses, shrubs and various plants.
That being said, Iceberg roses are very hardy rosebushes typically and do well in many locations. It sounds like some are doing okay while others are showing the wilting effect. If that is the case, I suggest that there is problem effecting the root zone of the rosebushes effected. Our pet dogs or cats can cause such problems by using the planting area as their toilet room, it can also be caused by wild animals or neighborhood pets roaming free at night that use the area as a toilet room. I have seen healthy fully blooming rosebushes one turn into wilted sad looking specimens overnight, just due to them being peed on by either dogs or wild animals such as foxes, coyotes or wolves. When wilting like that occurs it more often than not shows a root zone or soils home problem. There is usually something either being dumped, poured or otherwise added to the soils where the plantings are trying to live. You could take soils samples in to a local soils testing lab to see what it is for sure. It could also be a severe pH problem with the soils but that would typically not allow them to grow well if at all from the start.
Herbicide spray drift can also cause such problems if anyone has been applying any weed killer nearby.
Over-watering can be a problem that will cause such wilting as well. Check the soils to see just how wet the root zone is. If the pots they are in do not have drainage holes or the drainage means are plugged, then too much water is being retained thus creating a soggy root zone. Roses do need their water but they do not like to be in soggy wet soils. I use a moisture meter to keep an eye on the moisture level of the soils in the containers. I check the moisture level in at least three locations around the rose or plant to get a good idea of just how wet or dry things are. It could be that watering every other day is still too often.
This should give you some ideas on what to take a look at to solve your mystery problem. I hope you can get it figured out so that you can enjoy these fine roses.

Stan The Rose Man
Master Consulting Rosarian
Gardening Know How