Bare-Root Rose Growth: When Will They Bloom?

In late winter and early spring, we see bare-root roses arrive on garden center shelves in bags and boxes. They also come to us from specialty growers straight from the field. The advantage of bare-root is the array of choices they bring, from old garden roses to collector favorites. They’re often more affordable than potted specimens, efficient for shipping, and make for easy planting.

When they arrive in a dormant state as a bagged bundle of dry roots and clipped canes, it’s a wonder that bare-root roses quickly regenerate to bloom the first year. Quality growers take steps to ensure that when they meet the right growing situation and spring’s warming conditions, a healthy bare-root specimen is ready to awaken and flourish.

We’ll explore what to expect during the first growing season, when bare-root roses bloom, and how to support viable specimens for years of blooming.

What are Bare-Root Roses?

Bare-root roses arrive in the cool season without soil or foliage. Dug from the field during dormancy, growers bundle the roots and stems and ship them ready for planting upon arrival. 

Packages usually hold a few clipped stems and prominent roots, sometimes in a damp material like wood shavings, paper, or peat moss. At planting, the roots develop as they meet soil volume, moisture, and warmer conditions. Upper growth quickly ensues with blooms the first summer.

In addition to more options and less cost, the dormant specimens make an easier transition from grower to garden with less transplant shock and easier acclimation to environmental differences. 

Some growers only ship in fall or late winter/early spring. Order in advance, scheduling delivery when planting conditions are right so the rose can move quickly into its garden location without lingering in a bare state.

Bare-Root Rose Bloom Time

While they arrive in a form that seems to defy the natural odds, these dormant shrubs are somewhat established from their growth at the nursery. With transplanting in their dormant state, they’re ready to quickly develop roots as conditions suit.

As they situate in their new growing environment with rehydrated roots, warm, moist soils, and available nutrients, the dormant rose awakens. They usually bloom within 8 to 12 weeks after planting.

Since they have a jumpstart on growth, you’ll likely see flowers in late spring or early summer after an early spring planting. Initially, resources and energy go into developing roots, followed by leafy upper growth and then budding. Depending on the growth rate of the variety, a bare-root rose gets established in one to three years after planting.

These roses are rewarding with their quick growth and fast blooms, but don’t plan on bountiful bouquets yet. The specimens won’t show their full floriferous qualities until they mature in the following second and third growing seasons.

But the initial burst of a few or more flowers is a welcome sight. The moderate conditions of fall, with a few months under their growing belt, can show more roses, especially in mild climates with longer growing seasons.

If you clip new roses to enjoy in the bud vase, cut short stems at a healthy node to avoid reducing plant height. Since the woody shrub is young, wait until the second or third growing season (when height doubles) to harvest longer stems for arranging.

When to Plant

Late winter, early spring, and fall are the best times to plant bare-root roses. The cool conditions and seasonal moisture pose the least stress on the new plant without exposing tender growth to freezing or hot situations. Temperatures between 40-60°F (4-16°C) are ideal. But you can plant roses any time of year outside of frozen or waterlogged soils or drought conditions (which impede growth).

Local climate is the most important factor in determining when to plant. Six weeks before your final frost date is usually well-suited to planting. Reserve bare-root roses from online vendors for delivery close to planting time for your area.

Use your growing zone and especially the final frost date as guides. Since exposure to freezing soils and air temperatures can cause dieback, leave roses with the grower until conditions are favorable in your garden.

While there are ideal conditions for planting, roses can technically go in the ground anytime soils are workable. Avoid frozen soils, as they shock roots. Planting in wet, saturated, soggy situations is not ideal for installation, either. Skip rainy, cold days in late winter or early spring (tough on the gardener and the rose) if the soil is hard to work with or sticks to the shovel in large clumps. 

Selecting Bare-Roots

Bare-root plants maintain a standard grading system to reflect size, from roses to other deciduous shrubs to fruit trees. Many modern rose hybrids are grafted, where breeders fuse the upper growth of one variety with the rootstock of another for hardiness, disease resistance, and other selected traits.

Grafted roses have three grades based on the number and diameter of the canes: #1, #1 ½, and #2. Grade #1 is the largest and best for the strongest selection at the start. Smaller grades cost less and catch up in growth over a longer period of time. The graft union, where the upper growth meets the base, is sensitive to cold exposure. Splurging for grade #1 gives the best start for earlier flowers.

Other than grafted, “own root” roses are available bare-root. Own root selections grow from cuttings with their original roots without fused rootstock. They may arrive smaller than grafted selections and follow a different grading system for deciduous shrubs.

Signs of Health

A healthy bare-root rose is the first step toward vigorous growth and blooming. Because of the time of year, potential temperature fluctuations during shipping, and the tender state of the plant, it helps to inspect the new rose for a few key signs that indicate viability, even while dormant.

Canes should be plump, smooth, and thick at the right diameter for the grade. They should be green with a white, pithy interior. If stems appear shriveled or wrinkled, they most likely dried out between harvesting and arrival. Buds, too, should be intact, richly colored, and not wrinkled or dry.

Look for symmetrical and strong roots beneath the crown. If you find dark, mushy roots, it means decay is an issue. Too much moisture or prolonged saturation causes fungal problems like root rot. Conversely, dry, shriveled roots mean a lack of moisture in transport, and they aren’t likely to rebound.

Check for prominent stems, too. If you opted for a grade #1 specimen, it should have at least three strong branches and as many as five. Hearty canes should be 8 to 12 inches long and have three to five buds. Remove any weak or spindly stems at the start, as these won’t serve the young plant except to take up resources.

Preparation and Planting

Bare-root roses need rehydration before planting. Soak them in a bucket of water for two to twelve hours to restore moisture to the roots. Roots will plump up, ready to respond to optimal growing conditions. Trim any long, straggly ones to about eight inches. The planting site should be ready with loose, rich soil amended with compost.

In a prepared garden bed or pot, dig a hole to support the root spread. A two-foot wide hole by two feet deep loosens the soil for future roots and moisture retention. Backfill carefully so the upper canes are upright with the bud union (the graft point that looks like a knuckle below the crown) an inch or two below the soil level. Water thoroughly to moisten both the canes and the roots.

Bare-root roses grow well in containers in well-draining soils. Treat these as you would in-ground specimens in gauging when and how to plant, but keep in mind that pots lack the insulation and moisture retention of surrounding soil mass.

Because of their above-ground siting, only a thin wall protects roots from surrounding air temperatures. In cold weather, they benefit from added winter protection. In warm weather, they dry out more quickly than in-ground specimens.

Care After Planting

Keeping the tender roots of bare-root roses moist is essential. For a month after planting, check soil moisture regularly; they often need watering every few days to maintain even moisture. Keep soils moist but not soggy to support the developing roots. They don’t yet have the capacity to reach for moisture.

If you plant in mild weather (that ideal 40-60°F or 4-16°C temperature range) and then a late cold snap approaches, protect the crown with a mulch cover or frost cloth. In cold climates where spring still holds below-freezing conditions, insulate newly planted dormant roses with mulch or compost. This offers protection against freezing conditions for young plants until the weather moderates.