Storing Bare Root Roses
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.
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