Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
elizabeth_24

New to Miniature Roses

elizabeth_24
17 years ago

Hi everyone,

My name's Elizabeth and I've just been given 3 miniature roses. My mother-in-law decided to replace her small side beds with rock and offered the 3 roses and a few other plants to me. If I didn't take them she was going to just toss them.

When my husband and I were over there digging the roses up she told me that the roses are hardy and impossible to kill and that they would be just fine. If they didn't come back this year, they'd come back next. We hastily dug a front flower bed and planted the roses in the bed. It's been two weeks and I think I might be proving her wrong with not being able to kill the rose bushes... :0/

I'm in zone 5 with clay like soil. Since I replanted them we had one night of cold weather with a bit of frost but most nights have been cool to mild. I've been watering them about every other day but have done nothing else. (i.e. pruning them or picking off what I believe are dead buds from last year - frankly I'm a bit afraid of killing the poor things). One of them has some leaves on it (although they're starting to turn a bit yellow, perhaps I'm overwatering it?) but the other two have nothing. I've attached some pictures, I'm hoping one of you rose experts can tell me if one - they are dead and I should dig them up or two - if they still look okay and what I should be doing to them.

Thanks in advance for your help everyone, I do love roses and would like to keep these ones alive. :)

Rose Bush #1

Rose Bush #2

Rose Bush #3

Comments (7)

  • dpinker1
    17 years ago

    Hi, I am not a pro for this is only my second year doing the minatures but I thought it was to early to be doing this. I would have waited until after the frost period was over, maybe around the end of May to plant these out. Lets hope someone else can shed some light on this. They are generally beginning to get their leaves now and I water them a lot. I think I would have kept them inside. Let's hope we hear from an expert.

  • diane_nj 6b/7a
    17 years ago

    If they were already outside, then moving them now isn't a problem. Roses can go through "transplant shock" when moved. Leaves turn yellow, all drop off, looks terrible for a week or two. Then new leaves come, everyone happy again. The top one might be overwartered a bit. But maybe it is me, that ground looks dry. Are those new leaves on 2 & 3 or old leaves from last year? Can't tell from the pictures, if you could take close-ups of the canes that would help. Canes still look green, so there is still hope. Keep watering, don't let them dry out at all, and wait. Don't fertilize, please don't.

  • elizabeth_24
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thank you for the replies! They were already outside so that's why I didn't keep them indoors. Perhaps they are going through transplant shock, it's been almost two weeks since we dug them up and replanted them.

    The top part of the ground is dry but deeper down it's quite cool and moist, the clay-like soil seems to hold quite a bit of moisture. It was cloudy all day yesterday so I didn't water last night (when the pictures were taken) but it's sunny again today so I'll water tonight.

    I believe those are old leaves on 2 and 3, only #1 had new leaves (which are now turning yellow...eep!). I can take some more close-up pictures either tonight or during the weekend, I assume by canes you mean the stems? *L* I'm sort of a novice...can you tell?

    No fertilizing...I will avoid the fertilizing! I wasn't going to fertilize anyway (wasn't aware that you should) but just out of curiosity and so I know for the future, why shouldn't I fertilize?

    And should I be picking all the dead stuff off of them to encourage new growth?

  • diane_nj 6b/7a
    17 years ago

    Yes, canes, stems, branches. All the same here.

    The plants are already under stress so water is the only thing they need. The added "pressure" of trying to take in nutrients from the fertilizer tends to be too much for an already depleted plant. Once it starts to grow new leaves ("leaf out"), then light fertilizing can be done, and after they bloom, a more regular fertilizing can be done. Yes, you should fertilize established plants, roses are heavy feeders.

    You can take off the dead stuff. When you do, look at the base of the old leaves and see if there are any new leaf bud eyes are starting. They will be reddish nubs (technical term. Not!).

  • msm84
    17 years ago

    The first thing I noticed is that they were not cut back. Roses need to be cut back or atleast trimmed when you move them. My theroy has always been "root to shoot" ratio. Meaning, the top should not be larger then the root ball when moving them. Also you said the soil was clay. Before you planted them the soil should have been ammended and a clay buster product should have been applied. Roses do not like to sit in soggy heavy soil and will eventually rot. Also with that type of soil I would use only organic type fertilzers because it will help the soil composition where chemical fertilizers can make clay soil toxic. Its not to late to do something about it and I would check at your local nursery and see if you can get a product that helps correct clay soil. I also agree that it might be a bit early to tansplant in your zone. The end of May would have given them a better chance.

  • misty_24
    17 years ago

    I am new to mini's and i need some advice on some Chica Kordana Miniature Roses. My mom just got some of these for Mothers Day and she was going to plant them outside and then she got to reading on the tag that came with them and it read like they are a inside plant but they said bright to medium light and to keep moist. So i was just wondering if it would be ok to plant them outside either in the ground or in a pot here in West Virginia. Well i would appericate some advice !! Thank You Misty_24

  • diane_nj 6b/7a
    17 years ago

    Outside. You want to first "harden" the plant off. Take it outside into a covered area, not direct sunlight. You can expose the plant to an hour of direct sunlight a day, increasing the time over about two weeks. Then you can plant directly in the ground or in a pot. Make sure to keep the plant watered, not too wet but don't let it dry out at any time.

Sponsored
VA's Foremost Professional Roofing & Siding Craftsmen