A rose by any other name … alright, but this thing looks like a bundle of kindling! When you go searching for roses in winter, then do not expect lush blossoms and sweet smells. Bare root roses appear to be dull brown sticks wrapped in plastic, but they have exactly what it takes to produce roots, stalks, flowers and leaves. They’re dormant plants harvested in the fall and stripped of foliage and dirt. They may be awful right now, but if you opt for the fact that they turn into growing and green bushes in the spring, then they’re pleasantly affordable. To prepare bare root roses for winter planting, just soak, prune and stick them at the ground.
Eliminate your bare root rose from the wrapping immediately once you get it home. Some roses left in plastic are in danger for botrytis, a fungal disease that thrives in moist, humid conditions.
Sterilize your garden clipper blades using denatured alcohol. Carefully inspect your new bare root rose roots and prune off all that are broken. Trim off canes that appear weak or damaged.
Plunge the rose roots to your 5-gallon bucket of water mixed with 1 cup of household bleach. Catch the plant soaking overnight to rehydrate before planting.