Transplanting roses

[JulesV]

Part of my garden needs a spot of reorganisation.

Are there any PH gardeners who can advise me whether I am able to move some rose bushes at this time of year?

[Steffan]

Bush roses are remarkably tolerant plants.

If you prepare the ground first properly and then dig a good sized hole and lift the plant with as large a root ball as possible this should work. The Autumn before the frosts is a good time to do this.

The bigger the root ball the better the chance of survival. A cubic foot root ball would be ideal.

Avoid frosty days and water very well on planting. Then keep watering every two to three days, Lack of water from damaged roots is the biggest problem.

I would trim back any straggly shoots and keep the plants fairly compact.

Keep watering steadily every week. They should root well and survive happily.

Moved 70 roses for my parents some had been in ten years. Virtually all moved fine we lost three. Not a bad result.

Make sure the plant stays at the same level in root terms. Do not plant too deep or two shallow roots should be in roughly the same position to ground height etc. The older the rose the more risk but I moved a moss rose in this` way in a vicarage garden which was 60 years old and this moved fine.

Keeping them watered is very important. Good Luck

[JulesV]

Thank you very much. Really helpful advice. I will do it today.

[Skyedriver]

Thanks Steffan
I have one to move, its in the way of the new path and whilst its old the wife loves it for its mass of white flowers.
I was thinking to move it later in the year when growth stops.

[Steffan]

If you get a good rootball and water copiously every other day it should be fine. Older roses are more tricky. The more care you take the better chance it will have.