I Planted Some Bare Root Roses About A Month Ago;…
Martha Asked
I planted some bare root roses about a month ago; some of them are leafing but the other ones are doing nothing. The canes are still green but there is no growth at all. What can I do to encourage them to leaf?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Martha: It sounds like your roses are right on track. It can take up to six weeks for a bare root rose to put on any foliage. As you have found out, some will leaf out before others but this does not mean the canes without foliage will not be healthy plants in the long run, it is just that they are a bit slower and still concentrating their energy on the roots and getting settled in the containers. If the canes are still green just give them more time. It the canes were brown and brittle it would be another story, but assuming you purchased the bare root roses from a reputable grower and you followed proper planting instructions, including soaking the roots before planting, they should be fine. Continue to keep the soil/roots evenly moist. Do not allow them to completely dry out or to be sopping wet. Keep the containers in a shaded space with bright filtered light. For the roses that have put on growth you can gradually start moving them to a sunnier location. Do not take them from where they are now to a space where they will receive six hours of sun, but a couple hours is fine, and eventually they will need a minimum of six hours of sun. You can fertilize these roses with a well-balanced granular food but avoid fertilizing the roses without foliage. Not to worry, you know what you are doing!
