I've moved roses in August and they didn't like it much. Dig as big a root ball as you can move and have the new hole ready at the time, don't leave them out of the hole. Cut off half the rose stems and add Carl Pools root stimulator or Superthrive after replanting. I have used the shovel to cut underneath the plant and them used two pieces of canvass or old pillow cases cut in half and shoved them under the roses with the shovel blade to pick it out of the hole trying to keep as much feeder roots intact. Most made it but not all.

I move roses any time of the year. I don't use the stimulators, just plenty of water. before and after you replant. I may prune them back one third. They will get droopy and lose their leaves, but will come back. I'm moving some this week or next - as time allows.

same here - been re-arranging roses all summer and haven't lost any. Knock on wood... I plant with granules of those water pelletd eals, to help the root balls stay moist - water when moved and maybe a couple of times over the course of the next week or so... after that they are good to go!

Hi all! Newbie here - First time post-- I'm moving and plan to take my HUGE Climbing Blaze Rose. I have read the postings on transplanting roses and am a little confused. Can anyone offer your best simple recommendation step by step on how to go about this. I am in WA State. It is in full bloom right now and I have about another month before I need to dig it up. I saw one posting that said to cut all the leaves off first to make it go dormant, yet another posting said just trim it back a little, water a lot. Just want to do the best I can and hope for the best. Please help!!

also..one other thing that i do is to watch the weather and wait for cool, overcast days..preferably days with rain..(water even if you get rain, but i think the cloudcover helps alot)..if you don't get that. then shade the plant, and lots and lots of water.., also..keep it shaded and well watered untill there is a good 3" of new growth..then you can back off a bit..donna

posted by: michaelg on 06.20.2007 at 02:39 pm in Rose Gallery Forum

This is a controversial topic, and midsummer moving is iffy.
Dig the new hole first. Prune, leaving plenty of cane, several medium-length canes or a few long ones if you have a trellis ready. Water well and spray with Wilt-Pruf, let dry before you dig. You may need a helper to lift the rose, and a wheelbarrow or tarp to drag it with.

Choose an overcast day and allow plenty of time. When you dig, work in and then sideways, so you can pry up some long roots rather than chopping them off close to the crown. Try to preserve a small soil ball near the crown, but rose roots don't want to hold together. Expose a piece of the roots you leave in the ground so you can find them later. On Dr. Huey rootstock, there may be a woody underground trunk that you need to saw or chop. Before you sever all the roots, decide if you need to expand the new hole.

When you plant, backfill halfway, working the soil around the roots with your hands, then water 5 gallons to soak and settle. Backfill more, leaving a depression, and apply 5 more gallons. I would remove half the foliage to reduce water loss, but there is disagreement about how far to go with that. Arrange temporary shade if at all possible and water moderately every day to keep the soil nearly saturated, but with some aereation. The plant will wilt and may choose to drop the leaves, or you might decide they need to be stripped. It should start rooting in after a couple of weeks.

Go back and dig up as much of the rootstock as you can, because it will sprout repeatedly.

SRKENADY NOTES:

Received these helpful, thorough instructions in the rose gallery forum -- Just wanted to share it!