Bit of a garden disaster this evening.

[new gardener 1052]

Evening all..
I bought a rose bush last weekend and have been waiting for a bit of nice weather to plant it out. This evening was nice so went out to plant it. When I removed the rose from the container the rootball just crumbled to pieces. All the young white roots (think there called feeder roots) just fell away. All I was left with was the crown. I'm gutted wasn't a cheap rose bush. And I was really careful removing the container. I'm afraid my rose is going to die now.

[WendyC]

I think I would take it back from wherever you bought it from. It sounds like it was a bare rooted planted which had been potted on. A well grown plant shouldn't fall apart.

[Containergardener]

I agree , take it back .
I've bought plenty roses and soil always falls away but leaving roots in tact.

[new gardener 1052]

I know but I've planted it now, I wish I had just gone back with it I kinda panicked and just planted it. Guess now I will have a job on proving it wasn't me done something wrong. Annoyed £15. Too.

We'll guess if I add the root grow and soil I bought to go with it near £20 wasted,

[Containergardener]

Pull it out ..ring them if need be, you may not be first complaint . Was it a known retailer or rose specialist .

[new gardener 1052]

Yes it's a well known nation wide garden centre.

[SarrissUK]

I'd plant it up in the pot again and take it back. If they hesitate to replace it, pull it out the pot where you stand to show them. That should do the trick

[Containergardener]

^^^^^^agree , plant up, take back and fight your corner though you may not need to. You won't be only one though they won't admit. They will complain to their supplier afterwards.

[SarrissUK]

I bought a very pretty tree from a supermarket a couple of years ago, with long thin stems with pink leaves at the ends. It had been grafted on to a tree trunk that looked very established.
Early winter came and it died a death. I was very disappointed.

Not long after, I needed the pot for something, and when the compost had been shaken off it, the 'trunk' was not established at all, but had been cut at the bottom, with just a tiny bit of roots coming off one side of it. I was fuming. I planted it back up, took it back and when they said I'd mistreated it, I shook the compost off and asked how they'd managed to keep it alive in store before I purchased it. I got my money back and was asked to leave quickly while they cleaned up the mess lol

[Martin H]

Buying roses is always a bit iffy at this time of year.

Because if they are container-grown, you can plant them without much root disturbance and they grow away fine.

But some growers sell bare-root roses over the winter, then when spring comes they stick them in pots. The name for these is "containerised" roses. I would avoid these because they haven't been in the pot long enough to grow a proper root ball, so when you take the pot off all the compost falls away. In effect you are buying a bare-root plant out of season, so it is going to suffer a severe check when you plant it out.

Garden centres are rubbish at distinguishing between "container-grown" and these "containerised" roses. Also they get upset if you try and take the pot off to check the roots, for obvious reasons.

You can usually tell just by looking at the surface of the compost. If there's a bit of moss, maybe evidence of some old weeds on there, it'll be fine because it's been in the pot for at least a full season and will have made plenty of roots. If the compost looks all new and fresh, either avoid it or find a member of staff and ask if you can take the pot off and look at the roots; if they say no just walk away.

Sarriss, it sounds like you've got a "containerised" one. But it doesn't matter, if you're not happy with a plant I'm sure they will take it back no questions asked. Quite right too.