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joytohave

Dormancy

joytohave
11 years ago

I got a pot of Mini roses for Valentines Day from hubby. I put them in a bigger terra-cotta pot,there are 6 in the pot. After some trial and error they have been blooming like mad. When should I expect them to go dormant or should I force it? It is getting cooler here in the Mid-West so I cant keep them out side on their stand. When I keep then in they get yellow spotty leaves. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated .

Comments (3)

  • seil zone 6b MI
    11 years ago

    Do not bring them in the house for the winter. If you bring them inside they will probably die over the winter. Leave them outside and let them go dormant. Once they're dormant put them in the garage or shed and water once a month until they begin to bud out again in the spring. Then put them back outside in the sun.

  • joytohave
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you. They do like being cause the leaves go yellow and black spotty.
    My husband is afraid if I leave them out when the temp is in 30s they will dies. I will pass this on to him. I read somewhere you should cut them down once they go dormant. Do you think this is a good idea.

  • seil zone 6b MI
    11 years ago

    Let your husband know that roses can sustain temps to about 26 degrees with out any damage. Temps below that will cause some damage but will not kill the rose. Even temps below zero will only damage the upper cane growth and will not kill the roots. In the garage they will be protected from the winds which can severely dry out a rose. Dehydration is one of the major causes of rose loss. So put them inside the garage in a dark spot and preferably up on a shelf or on blocks so they do not sit on the concrete floor. And remember to give them some water once a month all winter. It doesn't need to be a lot but they need some. Think of them as sleeping, not dead, and give them a drink once in a while. I put a shovelful of snow on the top of the one pot rose (it's a tree rose with a high graft) I keep in the shed every time it snows. My other 40 some rose pots are kept outside against the house so they get snow and rain on them all winter.

    No, I wouldn't prune them now. Wait until spring and see how much cane survives. You will lose some cane to dehydration and freeze but if you leave them long now, in the spring you'll still have some cane length left to work with. If you cut them back now by spring you'll only have stubs left and the plant will have to grow back all that cane before it blooms. Besides that the rose actually stores energy in those canes. If you cut them off you're cutting off some of their energy source and they'll have less to bounce back with in the spring.

    Minis, as a rule, are own root and very hardy. They should have no problem coming back in the spring even if you have to cut them off at the soil level because of die back. Being on their own roots instead of grafted they will come back true to variety so don't worry about them!

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