Question
Hi,

I live in Colorado, zone 5. I have 5 jackson and perkons rose bushes.

Last year one of my Abraham Lincoln bushes died and I replaced it with the "Veterans Honor" rose. It did good throughout the year.

I cut them back about 3 weeks ago and all but the veterans honor bush has a bunch of growth.

It has not one sign of new growth? Each bush has about 2-3 inches of mulch.

I dug down to see the roots and see if I saw any white roots, as that is how I have checked other plants to see if they where alive. I didn't see any white roots, however there where a lot of roots, and they where not brittle.

How can I tell if it is still alive?

Can I scratch the bark like you can on other shrubs and trees?

Please let me know.

Thank You & Have a good day!!

Answer
The only sure way you can tell if a rose is alive is to scratch a cane and see if it is green below the bark. After a very cold winter, some roses sit for a while so I wouldn't give up on them yet as they may still slowly come to life and grow for you.