Body bag roses used to carry instructions on their labels for mounding them up when planting. Covering the canes and bud union with mulch or soil, leaving only the cane tips exposed so the majority of the plant remains cool, dark and damp until roots form, indicated by new growth at the cane ends. Heat and light stimulate growth and flowering, two things you don't want yet. You can plant them and mound them with soil until they begin growing, or you can easily create cylinders of cardboard, many sheets of newspaper, tar paper, etc., to fit inside the cans you put them in. Once potted as you'd like, slide the cylinder inside the pot then fill it up, leaving only the tops of the canes exposed. Keep it well watered and don't remove any of the soil until you see growth beginning. Remove the soil gradually, unless you're blessed with a period of "June Gloom" or even rain, when you can expose all of them and allow the weather to help harden them off. I've done this for years and years and haven't lost one yet. Kim

Oh, thank you. I will do exactly as you say and keep my fingers crossed. You're an angel.
Renee

You're welcome, it works and it's easier than it sounds. Kim

Keep us posted, Renee! I just looked up your Munstead -- absolutely gorgeous!!

Kay

If I were going to be tempted by an Austin rose, 'Munstead Wood' would be it. Best of luck.

:-)

Jeri

I've been known to do that too. Actually, it was Hortico that just up and sent a bunch of stuff I had ordered for February in June. Here's how I got them going:

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Take whatever cardboard you have around and make a collar for the mulch, and check it every week or so for growth in the mulch by carefully pushing the mulch aside and checking to see if the top growth has started.

Perfect Kathy, thank you! That is precisely what I was describing. I've done it for nearly thirty years. A long time ago, Gurney Seed offered "collars" made of plastic that I bought and used for nearly twenty years until they finally deteriorated too far to use. Kim

Thank you for the photo. I see that the mulch is tiny shredded bark bits. That's great.

That works, as does bagged planting mix, potting soil, good garden soil, etc. As long as it isn't compacted mud making the canes rot, it will work. Kim