Most of those recommendations are for your "average homeowner" they are guidelines for those with little or no experience/knowledge about turfgrass. No, I'm not suggesting someone in zone 5 should follow my fertilization schedule for zone 7, nor I'm suggesting that an "average homeowner" in zone 7 should follow my fertilizing schedule - that's up to whomever wants to do that. What I am suggesting is that you don't have to follow every thing writen in lawn books because their approach to lawn maintenance is VERY conservative at best. ceighmey asked why his lawn takes so long to green up when his neighbors' fescue lawn are already green. My suggestion is based on personal experience and good observation of turfgrass during . Because I fertilize my lawn even in the winter is that I have green grass nearly all winter, and most if not all of my neighbors' fescue lawn are nearly straw color - just the opossite ceighmey observation. For many years I followed NCSU recommendation with little to no success, specially during the summer months. Trial and error, years of hard work, searching, reading, ect, and a tremendous desire to succed put me where I am today. I can finally grow grass like sod farmers do in the transition zone. I can grow grass where most people fail... Someone once said, "one size does not fit all." It certenly holds true for many things in life, what you read in those lawn books does not necessarily translate into success. The advise is solid and based on proven results, not books alone. ceighmey, where exactly in Kansas are you located?

Have not read entire thread so forgive me if I am suggesting/asking stuff already covered. Not sure what area you are in but do you have good cell coverage? Could you do without a landline? Can you get internet thru satellite or cable? When I had small kids I would not give up landline in case of 911 emergencies. When they got to where I thought they could accurately report address I dropped landline and we all have cells as well as an emergency cell that is pay as you go. It is charged and sits in kitchen. Also a couple years ago our area allowed us to voluntarily register our cell numbers with our address. I have since made 911 calls and they asked are you calling from home and able to then connect us to our address. I know that I really like the savings! Best of luck in your new home. Again, if you have small kids the cheapest landline might be a good idea. Maybe this really isn't about what you are asking but just my thoughts.

The good news is that this is most likely a warm climate rose, so you live in the perfect place for it. The bad news is that ROSES ARE NOT HOUSE PLANTS, period. However, the bad news is easy to solve! Put it outside in filtered sun immediately!. The air in our homes is WAY too dry for roses, they don't get enough light, and many other problems. It will die if you leave it indoors. After it is outside in filtered light (it should remain outdoors forever), wait a couple of weeks so that it can get used to being outside, and used to getting some light. Then you can move it into full sun. DO NOT feed it, do not spray it with anything - just make sure it gets enough water. Right now it is trying to grow roots. Oh, I just had a thought - is it in a plastic pot? I have had baby roses die in plastic pots in full sun in the hot summer simply because the pot got too hot and they literally cooked. If that is a plastic pot, I would leave the rose in filtered light for a bit longer, and then get a much much bigger clay pot and put it in that. Then you could put it into full sun. Then just leave it alone for 1-2 months. When it recuperates and starts growing, you can feed it according to the instructions. Nip off any flower buds you see while it is still tiny - it will grow better faster without having to support flowers. When it gets maybe three times as big as it is now, I would plant it in the ground (in full sun) - sounds as if you have other roses outside, and know how to do that. Good luck! When it blooms please please post pictures of it on here, and we can try and figure out "who" it is. Jackie

Yeah that sounds like a good idea Sheila...I never thought of something like that? How do those work exactly? And Seil I didn't plant in cardboard as in 'packaging the Rose came in' I mean I had moving style boxes I broke down and then I wet them down really good to put under mulch along the slope to deter weeds. I made sure to leave about 5" or so around each plant bare with a little mulch. I did however leave the soil on it when I planted, I didn't try to make bareroot? You think that could've caused it? I just want to know how to save these ...also it rained last night...not sure how hard because it ended at least an hour or two before I woke up so when I stuck finger in soil down so deep that I had no finger left! It felt pretty moist all the way down...but idk how much rain feel so idk if that could happen from the rain we just had overnight? And today has been overcast with next to no sun all day..so sun wasn't out to dry it out.