Transplanting roses can sound like a harrowing experience but its really not as tough as it sounds.
Why transplant
You may need consider a move because of many different reasons. You may be starting a new garden. Your plants may need a new location as the current one is not conducive to growth. Or, you may just have planted things too close together.
Understand which jobs are good to try yourself and which rose transplants you should leave to a professional. I think of it kind of like a house move. If its just a few smaller things, do it yourself. A bigger piece, call a pro. If you have a large rose bush that needs to roll, consider a gardening professional. It will probably be too big and unwieldy for you to handle yourself. The last thing you want to do is ruin your prize bushes.
When to move
The best time is whenever the plants are still dormant, but the soil is not frozen solid. In most zones this is going to be in the very early spring, say March or April.
How to move Shrubs
You’ll want to keep the soil moist for a week beforehand to keep the digging easy. Dig about 24 inches around the roots to make sure to get everything. When you replant, use the same rules as for a bare roots planting.
How to move Bushes
The preparation for moving a bush takes several months of advanced preparation. Whenever you are moving a bigger plant, you wan to make sure the size is manageable. You’ll want the root core to be about eighteen inches round. To get that size the roots should be pruned. Spade a circle around the root base at an angle towards the plant root. Don’t chop wildly into tough roots! This can severely injure your plant. Stop and use prunes if necessary to give a clean cut.
The plant responds to the cut roots by growing a tighter rootball. It may not flourish as much as it works to replace the lost growth. Keep up the normal watering and maintenance routine after transplanting roses.
How to move Climbers
These can be tough to move as well, especially if they are thorny. Again, this is best done in the late winter or early spring when the flowers are dormant.
Prune away beforehand to eliminate some of the dead bulk. Use care when removing the plant from the trellis or other support structures. Don’t let the end of the canes hang haphazardly as they can snap.
Dig a wide circle to gather as much of the roots as possible. Replant with the same instructions as with the shrubs above.
Replanting
In addition to the instructions for bare root roses, its also important to add extra care to the plant as they will be in shock. You can purchase a shock treatment formula from most garden stores to handle this. Transplanting roses isn’t difficult in most cases, but you need to be observant.
