How to store open-rooted roses before planting?

The times of the Internet have changed our lives. Now we can make purchases of planting material in virtual stores all year round, including all winter.

Roses are a great decoration for any garden or flower garden. In recent years, the range of offered varieties of roses has significantly expanded. And not only domestic but also foreign production. Seedlings from Dutch, English, French, Polish, German nurseries began to come to our market.

There were even roses from original producers -

Austin Cordesa Tantau

, Meilland, Guillot and other nurseries with a solid history. Finally, we have the opportunity to see wonderful creations of breeders in our gardens, striving to embody the qualities of these flowers most demanded by gardeners and collectors in new varieties.

Today we have access to rose seedlings, which in past years could only be dreamed of.

There are so many varieties of roses now that it is very difficult to decide on your desires. Each of the roses is so beautiful that you certainly want to see it in your garden. And thank God that there is winter, and this year is also so long!

But time, as always, passed unnoticed, and now it's time to get seedlings again. Roses should be sent to me one of these days. It's April outside, but it's impossible to get out into the garden - the snow is knee-deep. What to do? What is the best way to preserve the seedlings before planting?

There are several ways to preserve roses before planting. I had to digest a lot of information from gardening sites, from forums of gardeners and rose growers, in order to draw some conclusions for myself that I want to share with you.

Keeping roses with an open root system

If you have purchased seedlings with an open root system, in an excellent dormant state, then try to keep them that way until planting in the garden. To do this, you need to create an optimal storage temperature for them. For such seedlings, according to various sources, the recommended temperature is from - 4 (if the buds have not moved further than the green cone) to + 2 ... + 3 degrees. In such conditions, your rose will continue to sleep.

Keeping awake rose seedlings

What to do if your seedlings already have buds or even decent sprouts have appeared? The main thing in such a situation is not to panic! There are several storage options that can preserve these plants.

The first thing to do is to provide such seedlings with an upright position. If they are stored lying down, then new shoots will certainly rush up, as Mother Nature tells them, and when you plant such a rose in the ground, the shoots will be in a horizontal, unnatural position. The shoot will tend to align and grow crooked.

Strong shoots on such seedlings, if you have to overexpose them for some time before planting in the ground, it is best to remove them.These shoots suck out the nutrients accumulated by the seedling in the roots and stems, and the probability that these shoots will not disappear is negligible.

If the sprouts are small, you can try to keep the plants in the refrigerator or cellar with mandatory constant monitoring.

You can plant roses with large sprouts in a container. This is the most unpleasant option for them. After all, you can plant plants in the garden only when the threat of frost has passed. They will need to be protected from the bright sun, drying wind, because they grew up in greenhouse conditions. And it is not a fact that hardening and protection from sunburn will lead to success.

Pre-planting in pots is not the most desirable option.But if the roses have already started to grow, then for a while, before planting in the ground, we plant seedlings in pots, still trying to restrain the growth with a low temperature. Later, you will also have to arrange for them to be illuminated with a fluorescent lamp. After all, the day is still short, and they will have little natural light.

Before planting, you need to straighten curled roots, cut off rotten and broken ones, refresh the tips and lower them deeper into the water. If the roots have been dried, then they should stay in the water for a day or at least a night, and certainly not less than 3-4 hours.

I sometimes kept my roses in water for several days. And it didn't hurt them. But among those that I planted before without soaking, many died. It is better to replace the water for soaking with a sodium humate solution of the color of strong tea or weak coffee (instant :))

The ends of terrestrial shoots should be trimmed to living tissue, especially if they have been damaged or moldy. It is a good idea to treat the seedlings after that with a solution of "Previkura" at the rate of 25 ml per 10 liters of water.

After soaking, roses can be planted in containers with prepared soil. If the sprouts of the seedlings are quite large, they need to be shortened, the small ones can not be touched. They are planted in high containers, the root collar is left at the soil level or slightly higher. And that's all.

 

Rose seedlings are planted in the ground, only after waiting for steady heat. Now the roses need to wait for steady heat. They can be planted in the ground, most likely, in the month of June. But then, when planting, the seedlings will need to be deepened by 5-7 cm. Many recommend not to deepen the graft. Then the roses begin to bloom profusely earlier, but in this case there is a high probability that the plant may die in a frosty winter.

If you are interested in the topic of growing roses, look at a very useful publication on our website We Grow Roses Yourself. 6 videos to help novice growers.

The topic of preserving rose seedlings excites many readers. Here are some discussions on this topic on our website:

How to preserve roses before planting in open ground? How to preserve roses with an open root system before the spring transplant? How to preserve roses bought at the end of October, if it is 0 outside? Rose seedlings disappear at home. How to preserve them until spring? How to preserve seedlings of roses with ACS before planting in the ground?

Happy spring to everyone in the garden!

You bought your favorite flowers in advance and now you don't know what to do with them? We will tell you how to preserve rose seedlings before spring planting.

If you purchased roses in the fall, winter or early spring, then you should try to keep the seedlings until the onset of heat. Your main task is to make sure that the kidneys on them do not wake up ahead of time. For this, the seedlings need cold and darkness. These conditions can be achieved in several ways. Choose the one that suits you best.

1. Storing rose seedlings in the refrigerator

Perhaps this is the most convenient and common way, because every home has a refrigerator. Seedlings with an open root system are wrapped in wet sphagnum or wet paper towels, put in a plastic bag, tied and stored in a vegetable compartment at a temperature of 0 to 3 ° C.

Seedlings with a closed root system (in containers) are also placed in the refrigerator - along with the container. They are simply wrapped in polyethylene to maintain the desired moisture level.

If you store different roses, attach a sticker with the name of the variety to each seedling.

2. Storage of rose seedlings on the balcony in boxes

If there is not enough space in your refrigerator, roses can be "settled" on the glassed-in balcony until spring. To do this, take a cardboard box, pour a light substrate (for example, peat or sawdust) on the bottom, put seedlings on it, spray it with cool water from a spray bottle and sprinkle it with the same soil. In such conditions, the seedlings can safely withstand air temperature fluctuations from –5 to 5 ° С.

In early spring, when the sun begins to warm up, boxes with roses are transported to their summer cottage and placed in a hole, which is dug out in the fall. The boxes are sprinkled with the same soil in which the seedlings are located. After the ground thaws, the roses are dug up and planted in a permanent place.

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  Follow our advice and you will succeed!

3. Storage of rose seedlings in the basement or cellar

Roses are well stored for 2 months in a basement or cellar with an air temperature of 0 to 3 ° C. To do this, the seedlings are placed vertically in a bucket or any container and sprinkled with wet river sand, peat or sawdust so that the root collar is slightly deepened.

The disadvantage of this method of storing seedlings is that vegetables and seedlings of various plants are often kept in the basement, which can be a source of disease. Therefore, if possible, roses should be kept separately or as far away from other crops as possible.

4. Storing rose seedlings in the snow

If you do not have a glazed balcony or loggia, roses can be successfully preserved on the site in winter, under the snow. The seedlings are placed in a cardboard box and sprinkled with peat. Then they choose the most shaded corner, where the snow usually does not melt for a long time, but moisture does not stagnate in the spring. They put a box with seedlings there, cover it with non-woven material (spunbond, lutrasil, agrospan, etc.) and cover it with snow to make a large snowdrift.

To delay the melting of snow, spruce or pine branches are placed on top of the snowdrift. Under such a shelter, the box will maintain a temperature of about 0 ° C, even if severe frost hits. Roses are planted in the ground when this snowdrift has completely melted. If it is still cool by that time, the plantings must be covered with non-woven material.

5. Storing a blooming rose at home

If you bought not "sleeping" seedlings, but a blooming rose in a container, then such a plant can be safely kept at home as an indoor flower, but no more than 3 weeks... During this time, roses usually have time to bloom, partially using internal resources, and therefore acquire a mediocre appearance, but after planting in open ground they quickly recover and develop normally.

Planting dates for specific regions are set depending on climatic conditions. But in any case, this method of storing roses is only good when buying seedlings in the spring.

How to keep sprouted roses

The seedlings should be checked regularly. And if you suddenly notice awakened kidneys on them, then the following measures should be taken.

First of all, the seedlings are brought to an upright position. If they are stored lying down, new shoots will rush up. And when you plant the plant in the ground, they will be in a horizontal position. As a result, the shoots will be crooked.

If the kidneys are only slightly swollen, you can try to restrain their growth by lowering the temperature to 0 ° C, if the storage was warmer. If sprouts do appear, then it is better to plant the seedlings in deep pots or containers (at least 2 liters in volume) with holes for water drainage. The container is filled with moist fertile soil; when planting a seedling, the root collar is left at the soil level or slightly higher.

If the roots of a seedling with an open root system are noticeably dry, they need to be kept in water for 4-8 hours before planting.

Such roses will live at home until they are planted in the ground and will safely undergo a transplant in May - early June.

Do not forget that only high-quality planting material takes root well. Therefore, buy rose seedlings from specialized nurseries.

• How to buy quality rose seedlings

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• 13 signs of poor quality rose seedlings

  Never buy seedlings on which these signs are noticed!

• Resuscitation of roses, or What to do if you bought bad seedlings

  Reanimation of dried, damaged, weakened and diseased rose seedlings is not an easy task, but for an enthusiastic rose grower, almost nothing is impossible.

An equally important task is how to preserve the rose seedlings before planting in the spring, if you purchased the planting option in advance or stocked up with cuttings from adult plants grown on your own plot. The speed at which the bushes take root in a new place depends on how correctly the storage conditions for rose seedlings are met before planting.

How to choose the right rose seedlings for planting

Planting rose seedlings in the spring can be carried out both with planting material sprouted from cuttings, and by grafting on rose hips.

Grafted plants (especially hybrid tea roses) develop faster in the middle zone of Russia, but you will have to timely remove the root shoots growing from the rootstock root (it is not cut, but pulled out).

In self-rooted roses, the bushes are usually more compact and neat. Grafted roses form a developed bush and bloom profusely already in the year of planting, and their own rooted roses, which are sold as rooted cuttings, will reach full strength only in the third year. Grafted roses are much more powerful, but they are much more expensive: for the same money, you can buy three or four cuttings of own-rooted ones. Their other advantage is better winter hardiness: a young rose has the roots of a three-year-old decorative rose hip, which penetrate deeply into the soil, and the plant survives even when the surface layer is severely frozen. However, the winter hardiness of a rose depends not only on the depth of penetration of the roots, but also on the variety.

Own-rooted cuttings are usually sold with a closed root system - in containers. This significantly extends the timing of their planting and facilitates the process of adaptation to a new place.

How to choose rose seedlings for planting in open ground? When choosing seedlings, it is recommended to give preference to world-renowned producers. Unlike an unknown selection, the quality of their products is time-tested and backed up by reviews from real buyers. The origin of planting material from large nurseries is the key to their excellent adaptation to new growing conditions, luxurious flowering, and most importantly, the conformity of the variety and its qualities.

Having chosen rose seedlings, take care of how to preserve them before planting so that the planting material does not lose its qualities.

Where and how to properly store rose seedlings before planting in spring

There are several ways to store rose seedlings before planting in the spring, all of these methods depend on the state of the planting material.

The first question is where to store rose seedlings before planting at home? If you have only a few dormant, not sprouted seedlings, then you can save them in a regular refrigerator by placing them on the door. For stability, you can secure them with tape. Before storing rose seedlings before planting in this way, kraft paper or a bag with holes is put on them. Once a week, the cuttings should be slightly sprayed with water.The maximum period of this method of preserving rose seedlings before planting is from 1 to 2 months. The optimum temperature for overexposure is from 1 to 3 degrees Celsius. In many refrigerators, the temperature is 5 degrees Celsius - in such a refrigerator, the plant will begin to slowly grow roots and release white shoots.

How else can you store rose seedlings before planting in the spring without worrying about their subsequent germination? Digging cuttings into the snow in the country is the easiest way to overexpose. For this overexposure, both dormant and already sprouted cuttings are suitable. We put the cuttings in a cardboard box or in a plastic box; for better preservation, they can be sprinkled with purchased peat. At the dacha, the darkest corner is chosen, the one where the snow lasts the longest - usually on the north side of the house or garden buildings.

How to properly store rose seedlings before planting using the prikop method in the snow? You need to dig a hole in the snow, put a box in it, cover it with a piece of lutrasil and fill it with snow as much as possible - you should get something like a big snowdrift. In order to delay the melting of snow in this place for another week, you can throw spruce or pine spruce branches on top. With this method, no frost that has suddenly appeared, even a 30-degree one, is not terrible, the temperature under such a snowdrift will still be about 0 degrees. In April, the cuttings will be in the same form in which they were "laid for storage."

Simultaneously with burying the plants in a snowdrift, it is advisable to free the place where you intend to plant them from the snow: then the earth will thaw and dry out faster, which will speed up the planting. Some rose growers advise to put the box not on the ground, but to bury it in a hole.

Preservation of purchased rose seedlings before planting in March

If there is a lot of material, then a glazed balcony or loggia will come to the rescue. Plants can be stored throughout February and March, provided that the outdoor temperature does not drop below -17-20 degrees.

All seedlings are folded into a large sturdy cardboard box, which can be put in a larger box for thermal insulation by laying foam plastic between the walls. A foam sheet, if available, can also be placed underneath to avoid chilling the plants from the concrete floor. Instead of styrofoam, you can use an old, unnecessary blanket.

The cuttings in the box are covered with earth. A prerequisite is that the box is not placed against the window, but right next to the warm wall of the apartment. Then the box is closed and wrapped on all remaining sides with spunbond (lutrasil) in several layers. You can also place an old blanket or fur coat on top to keep warm.

Even if the temperature outside is -15 degrees, the temperature in the box will be about -2-3 degrees, which is optimal for storing dormant plants. In severe frosts, a couple of times a day or in the evening, you can open the balcony door and let in warm air from the apartment - this will save the plants from freezing. This method is good only for dormant cuttings, sprouted with sprouts larger than 1.5 cm, it cannot be stored like this.

If the sprouts have sprouted strongly and stretched out, they should not be spared and must be broken off. In this case, sprouts that have not reached about 3 cm can be left. Such cuttings can be put in the refrigerator to last until the end of severe frosts and planted in pots in March.

If the purchased stalk is in a package, then when planting, it is imperative to unfold it and examine the roots. It often happens that in a bag, the roots are not just folded in half (roots up), but also twisted around the main root. In the process of caring for rose seedlings before planting, the root must be pruned, all rotten roots (black or brown for a cut) must be removed. Healthy roots should be creamy when cut. The same recommendations apply to cuttings that are planted directly into the garden under cover.It is not necessary to unpack and inspect the roots only from planting material, if it is purchased from a nursery or a well-known manufacturer - they are usually in a metal protective mesh, with the same mesh you can plant in a permanent place, later it will dissolve in the soil. If the cutting is sold in a plastic container, then there is no need to inspect the roots, the manufacturer has already prepared it for planting.

You can plant purchased rose seedlings already in March, the main thing is not to forget to cover them with a double layer of spunbond from night frosts and return frosts. Never be afraid of planting rose seedlings in the ground in early spring - the earlier you plant a plant in the garden, the better. The plant, as it were, wakes up in a new place and immediately begins to get used to the new conditions in which it has fallen, it practically does not lag behind in development from those that hibernated nearby.

Early planting is possible only if pits have been prepared in the fall or there are free places in the flower bed. If there are no places and it is necessary to dig new holes, then, of course, the terms are postponed until the earth completely thaws and dries up, so that a planting hole can be prepared. Also in March, you can temporarily dig into an old rose garden, under lutrasil, followed by transplantation in April-May to a permanent place.

The video "How to preserve rose seedlings before planting" will help you take proper care of the planting material:

Processing rose seedlings and planting in pots

In cuttings, the growing season begins earlier and by the time they are planted in the garden, these are already almost flowering or budding bushes. It is impossible to plant in pots and send to an open balcony in early March, but nothing bad will happen to them on a glassed-in balcony. Many rose growers prefer to plant purchased cuttings in 5-liter cut containers from under drinking water - this is not recommended. Firstly, with such containers it is difficult to get to the dacha later, even if there is a car. Secondly, the roots do not have time to braid such a volume of earth in 2 months, and often when transplanted from 5-liter canisters, the earthen lump falls apart, which will inevitably affect the well-being of the plants, and they begin to hurt or do not take root at all.

Narrow and long 2 liter containers work best. The depth of this container is enough to fit a long root of the rootstock, and the volume is enough for the cutting to develop normally within 2 months. True, sometimes it happens that even this depth is not enough to completely fit the root into the pot; in such cases, the root can be cut a little, but not twisted. It is also not scary if the graft rises several cm above the level of the pot. Later, when planting in the garden, you will deepen it, as expected, along with a lump of earth.

Such grown cuttings can be planted in a permanent place not earlier than mid-May, when the threat of severe frosts has passed. By this time, in a strong, healthy cuttings, young roots have grown over the entire earthen lump in the pot, and the plant can be easily transplanted to a permanent place without injuring the root system. Usually, the plant does not even notice such a transshipment and continues to grow as if nothing had happened.

The advantage of this method of overexposing and keeping them on the balcony is that at the time of the planting season you do not need to rush to planting, but you can systematically, during May-June, prepare planting holes and gradually plant these grown plants in them.

Already in May, after planting rose seedlings in pots, they can be transported to the garden and kept in a hole in the garden bed, or you can leave them at home under your supervision. The disadvantage of balcony overexposure is that these plants are highly susceptible to the appearance of a spider mite, which then, after being transported to the garden, can spread to all roses.To prevent this from happening, the plants on the balcony must be sprayed every day with water from a spray bottle, and when transported to the dacha, it is imperative to prophylactically treat the seedlings with an anti-tick agent (necessarily with acaricides, acrex, isophene, phytoverm), ordinary insecticides do not act on the tick. Treatment of rose seedlings before planting with cold water once or twice a day on the surface and on the back of the leaf reduces the invasion of indoor mites.

For overexposure, balconies on the north side of the house, on which the sun does not fall at all, are not suitable. In addition, for a painless transplant into the garden, it is necessary to gradually accustom the plant to the sun's rays, starting in April, briefly opening the windows on the balcony. From mid-April, when the night frosts stop, it is generally better to keep the plant on an open balcony.

Planting cuttings in pots and keeping them on a windowsill in a heated apartment is the worst way to overexpose. To take root, you need a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. In addition, the outdoor plant needs cold nights and high humidity. At high room temperature and strong dry air, "tops" begin to grow actively, and the roots at this temperature do not keep up with their growth and the plant eats itself up.

It is almost impossible to create the necessary conditions in the apartment, so landing on the window usually always ends in failure. If by some miracle it is possible to preserve it until summer, then when transplanted into natural conditions, it still dies or eats out a stunted existence.

If only the tops of the shoots and sections are covered with wax from the cuttings, then such wax may not be removed - you will still update the sections during planting. If the entire cutting is filled with wax to the roots and its thickness is 1-2 mm, then it is better to remove it.

A wax-drenched cutting turns out to be hidden all defects of the stems - dried or blackened shoots can be hidden or, even worse, stem diseases or bark cancer. Peeled wax will immediately reveal all these defects. It is most convenient to clean off the wax from the seedling with the help of toothpicks, brushing it gently along the entire length of the cutting, as if opening the wax and then carefully removing it around the entire perimeter.

It is necessary to free the plant from wax immediately before planting it in a permanent place or in a pot. During overexposure in the refrigerator or in a box on the balcony, you do not need to remove the wax - it perfectly protects the sleeping cutting from excessive drying.

Planting and caring for rose seedlings in the spring in the ground (with video)

The best time for planting and caring for rose seedlings in the ground is spring, after the threat of severe frosts has passed. In this case, the plant has enough time to get stronger before the cold weather, and you have enough time to observe how it feels and, if necessary, provide assistance.

However, grafted seedlings from domestic nurseries are planted in the fall, when (after the summer grafting) they go on sale. Imported grafted roses are planted in spring, because in European nurseries (where the climate is milder) they are dug up when our planting season is over.

In the first week after planting, the cutting should be shaded and moisturized. To do this, you can use a breathable cover material, a damp burlap, or spray the plant regularly.

To protect the rose from diseases, and yourself from unnecessary trouble, it is useful to disinfect the seedling before planting: hold it for half an hour in a solution of copper sulfate or foundation, dipping it whole.

If the roots of the rose are dried, they need to be immersed in cold water for a day. Broken and dry parts of the shoots should be trimmed to healthy tissue, and undamaged shoots and roots should be shortened by a third.

A container seedling from a greenhouse must be accustomed to the conditions of the street gradually: first, hold it in partial shade, then - for a couple of days near the planting site, making sure that the ground in the container remains moist, and only after that is planted in the ground.

Watch the video of planting rose seedlings in the ground in spring to better understand how this agrotechnical technique is performed:

Planting seedlings of climbing and standard roses (with photo)

When planting climbing roses, do not forget that for the winter their whips, which will grow next year, will have to be laid on the ground, and provide a place for this. The same applies to planting seedlings of standard roses: to make them more convenient for a winter shelter, it is better to plant them with a slope in the direction where the stem will be laid, and give a vertical position with a strong peg. The braid with which the stem is tied to the peg should not injure the bark.

A seedling with an open root system can be planted in the traditional way, just like all garden trees and shrubs: a prepared soil mixture (garden soil, compost, peat, fertilizers) is poured into a previously prepared hole, the roots are spread on this hill, covered with the rest of the mixture and watered.

The "wet" method of planting has proven itself well: a bucket with a dissolved heteroauxin tablet, a portion of sodium humate or another corn stimulant is poured into the pit. Having lowered the seedling into the hole, it is covered with soil mixture. No watering required.

Finally, the newest landing method: in a place with pre-prepared and fertilized soil, dig a hole, lower the seedling to the desired depth, lean it against the wall, cover it with earth on the side and water it. One person can handle the job quickly and easily. When planting a rose, do not forget that the grafting site should be 3-5 cm, and for a standard rose, 10-15 cm below the soil level.

Here you can see a photo of planting climbing roses and standard forms:

How to soak seedlings with an open root system and planting roses

Before planting seedlings of roses with an open root system, you should overexpose for only a few days. The best way is to place them on the balcony in a bucket of water. In this case, the sections must be updated, the roots must be carefully examined, and also cut to a light tissue. Cuttings calmly tolerate prolonged soaking in a bucket for up to 2 weeks, while no unpleasant consequences occur.

Trim any shoots with cracks, black spots to healthy tissue. Do not be afraid if the stalk is too small after pruning. Plant and care for - he has a chance to survive.

How to soak rose seedlings before planting and how long to keep the cuttings in water? The plant is soaked for 30 minutes either in water with a growth stimulant, or in a traditional clay mash (for this, the clay is diluted with water to a creamy consistency). The depth of the hole is determined by the length of the roots. At the bottom of the pit we make a mound, distribute the roots along the slopes of the mound. The root collar should be 1 cm below the soil level.

Sprinkle soil evenly over the roots. Fill in the hole and compact the soil around the plant. Make a roller around the seedling to keep the water in the root zone. Water until the soil subsides completely. If the root collar is above the soil level, then the rose may die in severe winters.

A video of planting rose seedlings with an open root system will help you correctly perform this procedure:

Planting closed-root rose seedlings at regular times

When planting, a rose seedling with a closed root system is usually recommended to be lowered into a prepared hole without violating the integrity of the coma. However, different soil composition in the container and in your garden can inhibit root development. Therefore, if rose seedlings are planted in the spring at the usual time, it is better to shake off the container soil and mix with the garden soil.

Closed-rooted roses can be planted at almost any time while gardening is in progress. If you plant a rose in the summer, you don't need to destroy the earthy ball.

When planting a rose seedling with a closed root system, its upper part should be 3-5 cm below the soil surface.To activate the penetration of roots into the garden soil, water the plant several times with a solution of heteroauxin or root.

Both in spring and in autumn, before planting, a site is prepared in advance - they dig it up, apply fertilizers. If the place was previously insufficiently fertilized, it is necessary to add well-rotted compost or manure humus. Under each bush, 1-1.5 kg of compost or manure, 1 tablespoon of mineral flower fertilizer are applied and thoroughly mixed with the soil. If the soil is light, it is necessary to additionally add ash, about 30 grams per bush. Fresh manure should not be applied.

Hybrid tea, large-colored polyanthus roses, as well as floribunda roses are planted at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other. The width and depth of the hole should be such that the straightened roots of the rose can freely fit in it. When planting, the roots are freed from the packing soil. This is not done in the case of purchasing planting material in pots or special metal nets, which completely decompose in the soil. If a fabric-rubber mesh is found under the outer soil layer of the seedling, it must be removed by carefully cutting it off with scissors.

When planting, you need to prune the branches. In hybrid tea, floribunda and large-flowered polyanthus, 3-5 buds are left, in small-flowered polyanthus - 1-2 buds, park ones are shortened by 1 / 3-1 / 4 of the length, in other groups - 5-7 buds are left. Each branch should be pruned in accordance with the pruning rules - weak branches are pruned to the maximum, and strong ones - vice versa.

The planted bushes are watered abundantly with water so that the soil settles and snuggles closer to the roots. On light soils, watering should be more frequent and abundant than on heavy soils. After planting, the bushes should be earthed to prevent the shoots from drying out. After about two weeks, new shoots should appear, if this does not happen, and the soil begins to dry out, it is necessary to mulch it with wet sawdust, leaves or damp moss. As soon as the first shoots appear, the excess soil is carefully removed; it is better to do this in cloudy and cool weather, so that the shoots hidden underground do not get burned.

Surprises under wax or how to preserve seedlings before planting? Wax surprises
or
how to keep the roses bought in February? Spring is approaching and shops are beginning to actively offer seedlings of various ornamental crops. Probably the most popular now are seedlings of imported roses, since their delivery begins in mid-February. The interest of buyers is also increased by the fact that, from experience, many know that in late April - early May all interesting varieties and novelties have already been sorted out, and the quality of the remaining planting material leaves much to be desired. What to do if you want to pamper yourself with new varieties, and there are still two months before the summer season? How to preserve purchased seedlings in a city apartment before planting them in the ground?

From my own experience, I can say that you can safely buy rose seedlings right now. Since I expand the assortment of my collection of roses every year and significantly update it, it is realistic to find the varieties that interest me only in February, March. And, of course, the quality of the planting material is now much higher.
Imported seedlings usually come in wax. Is this good or bad? Yes and no. Good for the seller, the seedlings are stored longer, the sales period is increased. Not very good for the buyer, the wax hides all the flaws of the seedling, there is a high probability of buying a dried up or completely dead plant. The wax can be of different colors, if the packaging was made with us, then it is usually milky, if in the country of delivery, then the color can be blue and masking green. It is very difficult to determine the quality of a seedling without opening the wax. The seller is extremely not interested in the buyer picking the wax, but without looking at the stem without wax, you risk buying a "pig in a poke". So insist and demand.

Do I need to remove wax from seedlings? If the seedlings are supposed to be stored in the basement, then there is no point in removing it, on the contrary, the wax will protect the stems from mold. If there are not very many seedlings to be planted, the wax can be carefully removed, being careful not to damage the plant. Nothing bad will happen if the wax stays on the stems. As soon as the roots begin to actively absorb moisture, the wax itself begins to crack and flake off.

 

Storage and planting. If you purchased seedlings in February, March, then you can save them in two ways. In a basement or other dark room with t = 0 + 2o C. This way you can store seedlings until May, you just need to periodically check the moisture of the root system and the absence of mold on the stems. The seedlings are perfectly preserved if they are laid in a box without opening the packed root part, and the stems are covered with slightly damp sand. No mold is formed on the stems. In general, sand is an excellent preservative and preservation material. If there is no suitable room, and even the seedlings are weak and dry, then they need to be planted right now. First, we soak the root system for 12 hours, and dried seedlings for a day. It is easy to do this, we put the seedlings in a suitable bucket, preferably a plastic one, we do not unpack the root system, we just poke a couple of holes in the package and fill everything with water up to the stems. Being in a warm room, the seedlings actively absorb water, replenishing its losses during storage and transportation. We immerse heavily dried seedlings in water completely with stems. After this procedure, the seedlings look refreshed, the turgor of the stems noticeably increases. The roses can now be planted in a suitable container: 3 l. pots, 2 l. plastic bottles, etc. The upper and lower parts of the bottle are cut off with a knife, the remaining cylinder is cut lengthwise into two parts, but not to the end, leaving the edges intact 1-2 cm. In the middle, we glue the cut with tape. The container prepared in this way, before planting in open ground, can be easily divided into two parts, without disturbing the lump of earth and delicate roots. There is an abundance of planting soil in stores for every taste, it remains to plant and water well. Planting containers are placed on a pallet, to save space, end-to-end. Next, as close to the stems as possible, place a fluorescent lamp, you can table. Turn on the lamp in the morning and in the evening to lengthen the daylight hours, and if the seedlings are not on the windowsill, then for the whole day. If this is not done, the sprouts will be elongated and weak.

In this way, by May you will have well-rooted, leafy bushes, which will remain neatly, without disturbing the lump of earth, to plant on your site. Such seedlings easily tolerate transplanting and grow quickly.

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