Yesterday I received three bare root roses from a mail order
nursery in IL. They haven't broken
dormancy that I can see and I left them in their packaging in my garage. Will they be okay? Do I pot them up and
bring them indoors? I do have a
fridge in the garage, should I put them in there with the soda and the
beer?
You have the right idea. Keep the plants in a cool, non freezing, location until you
can plant them in the ground.
An unheated garage (protected from freezing temperatures) or a spare
refrigerator are good choices. Check the roots and moisten as needed. You can plant dormant bare root plants
in the landscape as soon as you can prepare the garden for planting. If plants begin to grow while in
transit or in storage they will need some extra care. Move to a slightly cooler location to try to stop the
process. If growth continues pot
up the plants and move them indoors to a cool sunny location. Water thoroughly and whenever the top
few inches of soil are crumbly and moist.
These can be planted outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.