Sweating Roses After Planting
IMPORTANT! Roses are best planted in early spring when it is still cool. If you receive your roses when daytime temperatures are consistenly above 15°C (60°F) you should follow these guidelines. If it is still cool (below 15°C), you should leave your bud union exposed so that warmth can help buds break. Whatever the temperature, plant as soon as possible.
Bare root roses are dormant when shipped and they must be protected from drying out unitl the roots become established. The greatest danger of drying, and thus dying, occurs during warm sunny weather. Therefore,it is necessary to completely cover the exposed canes with a mound of loose organic mulch, wood shavings, compost, peat moss, or sphagnum moss after palnting. This is called 'sweating' your roses and is especially important if it is already very warm in your area when you receive your roses.
This covering will protect the canes from drying out while the roots are becoming established. In two to three weeks, sometimes longer, shoots will begin to emerge through the mounding material. It is then safe to gradually remove the mounding material by carefully pulling it away or by washing it away with a hose. Water your newly planted rose bushes often to ensure that they get a good start.
Many bare-root shrubs, such as Burning Bush, Lilac, Weigela, etc. can benefit from 'sweating', especially if your days are warm and sunny at planting time. It certainly would do no harm. You may have to remove the mound of material sooner, since shrubs often leaf out very quickly.
