SO YOU WANT TO BUY ROSE BUSHES!
By: Ted W. Mills, ARS Consulting Rosarian and Judge
It has been my privilege to attend numerous rose shows all across the USA, both as an exhibitor and as a Rose Show Judge. I never tire of viewing the most beautiful of God’s floral creations. During the rose shows I am often confronted with questions from aspiring rose growers. They are amazed at the quality of the award-winning blooms. Their question is always this: "How can I duplicate the beauty of the winning roses in my own garden?" I am quick to reply that the rosarian must start with healthy plants or the growing will be difficult. It is this initial purchasing of plants that we want to discuss in this article. Let us spell out some of the actions that will ensure good rose bush buying.
Our purchasing program should include the what, where, why, and when in the scenario. First, let us look at the what in the equation. Is our objective simply to provide a pretty landscaped yard, with no intention of cutting roses for friends or ourselves? It is a good bet that sharing roses is the case. However, if we want only yard beautification, we should emphasize floribundas or shrub roses. A scattering of hybrid teas and grandifloras will also have curb appeal.
Next, where we purchase is vital to success. Of course there are several sources. Rose catalogues, discount stores, flea markets, roadside plant stands, and plant nurseries and garden centers are all places that offer rose bushes for sale. In my opinion, the garden centers and plant nurseries provide the best source. It is true that thousands of bushes are sold via catalogues as this provides early shopping. Most of the time this method of buying is acceptable since the supplier usually provides complete satisfaction to the purchaser. However, flea markets and roadside fruit stands often provide plants that are substandard -- hence the price is lower. Even the large discount stores have an abundance of bushes for sale but the sales attendant usually is not well versed in caring for them before the purchase is consummated. Often the bushes suffer from insufficient care.
In my opinion, after 25 years of rose bush buying, the best source of plants is the local garden center or nursery. These businesses usually have an experienced rose person caring for the bushes once they arrive from the grower. Pruning, potting, and caring for the product is paramount in their work schedule. The merchant invests much and cannot risk loss of plants due to faulty preliminary care. Diligent care for the plants ensures they will be ready for planting when the risk of frost and freeze has passed. Then too, the purchaser can inspect the growing plant and select the best specimen available. Be sure and select plants with at least three lively canes in order to ensure good growth.
Speaking of selection of new rose bushes, get acquainted with the varieties that perform best. The American Rose Society has a booklet on rose selection that enables the rosarian to choose the highest rated roses. If the newcomer to rose growing is in doubt, he or she should contact a Consulting Rosarian who provides expert assistance at no cost. This counsel will often prevent costly mistakes.
There has always been a disagreement as to which method of planting is best -- bare root or potted plants. In my opinion, bare root is preferable if the rose grower is willing to do what is necessary to establish the plant properly in the space provided. However, since bare-root planting is labor intensive, with pitfalls awaiting the inexperienced, it behooves the newcomer in rose growing to plant the garden-center-potted varieties. The local nurseryman has done much of the initial work. They have "jump-started" the bush that can be planted in the garden at a more temperate time. All of this is provided usually at no additional cost to the buyer.
I offer one last word of caution to the newcomer in rose growing. Avoid buying rose bushes that are coated with paraffin. This is applied hot and encases the canes with a protective shield against dehydration during shipment. It ensures that the plants will arrive at the point of sale with a fresh look. However, my experience tells me that damage often results from such "hot" treatment. At the persistence of an out-of-state nursery, ten paraffin-coated plants were planted alongside ten that were not coated. The ten non-coated performed well. All of the paraffin-coated plants perished.
To the newcomers in rose growing, I extend my congratulations and best wishes for a long and pleasant experience in rose culture. Start with good plants and you will be well on the way to a happy hobby.