Unboxing and potting up band roses from A Reverence for Roses
In my quest for more roses for the rose garden, I ordered bands from A Reverence for Roses. I really had no idea what to expect, but this company is one hour north of me, and the prices are some of the best around. Plus shipping is very reasonable.
While the selection was terrible (it must be end of season) and the web site left something to be desired (the availability filter did not work and the description didn’t have shrub or climber), that did not reflect poorly on the incredible delivery of roses I experienced.
Band roses are made from cuttings. They are from one year to 18-months in the band, the small, narrow pot, they are grown in. The roots get large enough to see from the holes in the bottom, and the leaves flush out, and they are ready to sell.
Because they are in small pots, they can be packaged closely together. They weigh less than other potted plants, meaning shipping costs a lot less. This shipment was so securely packaged with lots of tape, double plastic bags, moistened newspaper, and bamboo sticks to keep the plants from floppy around and breaking.
Unlike potted rose shipments, these young, pliable canes were full of leaves and some had several buds and even flowers.
The major difference, in my opinion, is that band roses are not really ready for prime time. Whereas, larger potted roses can be planted directly out in their permanent home, band roses need to be transferred to larger pots and kept in a dappled shade location, until they grow larger. They also have to be acclimated to the sun (hardened off) prior to final planting. This may seem like more work, but there is also satisfaction in knowing that you were more intimately involved in raising the baby until it was ready to “leave the nest.”
In this video, I unbox the A Reverence for Roses shipment and transplant them into larger pots in a semi-shady location. I was very impressed with the quality of these roses and the care they received. I would definitely purchase from this local(ish) company again.
