I succumbed to temptation yesterday and bought two miniature roses that were on sale at the grocery store. Any suggestions for a container that I could put them in that would allow them to survive our winters here in NE Washington? I think I need to repot them soon, too, because the soil in the tiny little pots they're in is just soaked!
I'll be honest that I have not had good luck with the mini roses in containers, they seem to prefer to be in the ground. Maybe it's just me, but I seem to remember someone else posting to that effect a long time ago. Also keep in mind that if you plant things in a container, it typically knocks about a zone off the hardiness, so if you're near the cold end of the range for them anyway then putting them in a container may be enough to kill them (unless you can put it somewhere protected for the winter).
For now though, I'd just find a container the next size larger than the ones they're in now and put them in those--it's usually best to pot up one size at a time rather than jumping right to a huge pot.
I read on another thread that one thing that kills minis is overwatering, and as I mentioned, the soil in the pots is just dripping wet. Any suggestions on how to deal with that?
I'd get them out of the wet soil, shake as much off as possible, and put them in new pots with new potting mix. Or if you don't have other pots around, I'd wash out the ones you have with bleach and then put the roses back in them with fresh potting mix.
Thank you for the suggestions. Couldn't shake off much dirt because they're pretty well rootbound, but I had some 6" pots and had just finished sterilizing some potting soil, so it was relatively dry. (My DH just loves it when I cook dirt, tee hee--mud pies anyone?) Teased out the roots a bit, packed the new soil around them and gave them a dose of Superthrive. I do hope they make it. They're such pretty little things. I may just keep them in pots in the garden and bring them inside when the weather starts getting cold again (assuming it ever warms up here!)
Woofie, I'm just a few miles north of you in Colville and I put my mini roses in oak barrels and they do just fine in both summer and winter around here. They are on their own roots and there's enough snow cover to keep them from being dessicated in the winter.
Putting them outside after being indoor plants for their entire lives, they will get sunburned and look awful for a few weeks, but new growth will come out.
Oh a tip to get them out of the pots, soak the rootball in water and wash the dirt off to separate the individual plants. They are tougher than they look.
Are mini roses fragrant? I might try one if they are.
If you find any that are, PLMK - I'm looking too! Carrie
The ones I have certainly aren't fragrant, but they're still cute. Turns out, they had packed 4 very small roses into each pot. Lost a couple of the ones I left all clumped together, but the rest seem to be doing ok.
Hooray!
