About our Plants.

Here is information in regard to our band pots:

There is no really short way to talk about bands, except to say that our bands are guaranteed to grow, economical to ship, bloom immediately and that our growing business is built primarily on our bands, not our larger pot sizes.

There are a few ways to propagate roses: by sowing seeds (this works only for wild [Species] roses); by grafting or budding a leaf node, of the variety to be sold, to a standard understock variety that has been field grown then had its top sliced off by machines; (This is the method that came into use by large companies during the 20^th century.); by tissue culture in petri dishes in laboratories. And finally from cuttings as they have been propagated for centuries. We grow our roses from cuttings, as do a growing number of nurseries.

After a cutting is rooted they are potted up into “band” (meaningless industry term) pots that are 3”x3”x5 1/2” deep with straight sides and an open bottom that has a cross of plastic across it.  They are considered ready to ship when they have roots showing at the bottom of the pot and a display of new growth indicating that the plant is well established in the pot and that the roots will hold together at planting.

Unlike grafted bareroot roses that are available only during the winter dormant season, our roses on their own roots are shipped in their pots and are available year round.  They may be planted at any time of the year, except when the ground is frozen. (Roses need at least two months to establish their roots before ground freezes solid.  Three is better.) Rogue Valley Roses ships year round.  Customers may also choose a delayed shipping date of up to one year after the order is placed.  This works particularly well for our Northern customers who are then able to order before varieties sell out.

The roses in these small pots begin to bloom within weeks, or a few months.  (Some climbers and some antiques wait to bloom until they have established their roots in larger pots, or in the garden, before blooming.)  When given more room, by potting up or planting into the garden, own root roses really take off.  They are briars after all!   Roots shoot out and new canes are thrown up. The original canes elongate and thicken.  When planted in the spring, by fall, roses from a band pot are often indistinguishable from, or surpass, a standard grafted bare root rose planted about the same time.  Unlike bare roots they arrive undisturbed, fresh in their pots, and actively growing.  Carefully planted, there should be very little, if any, transplant shock or adjustment.

Bands are inexpensive to ship, and available year round, but, best of all, these roses on their own roots increase in vigor and beauty as they grow older.  Roses on their own roots have been known to remain vigorous for a hundred years or more. Also they are capable of regenerating from the roots when frozen to the ground or cut down accidentally. And, perhaps best of all, there is no understock sending up suckers that overtake the planted variety, as in grafted roses.

We have established a reputation for standing firmly behind our guarantee of replacement if these bands fail to thrive.  Our rapidly growing business is based on the integrity of our customer service and the quality of our plants.

Let us know if you have other questions.  I hope you will give our bands a try.

Regards,

Janet Inada, Owner
Roguevalleyroses.com