Where are the pots located? If they're in the sun I would move them into shade for now.

I would try to fork out/dig up a larger portion of the root if the cemetery people are trying to kill it. Put it on a tarp wrapped up and take it home and plant it. Water daily. Rugosas are tough and it could really survive from a move. It could be Hansa. If the police catch you grave robbing, I'll bail you out.

What I found in digging around was that there seems to be a massive solid woody thing under the shrub , with some individual roots about 1/2-1 inch diameter extendiing out into the lawn so thats why I can only get it in bits, not like I can dig up a good piece of it to move - except for the small clumps I mentioned above that had white feeder roots and Im guardedly optimistic will survive and grow. Looking good so far! They chopped and removed the entire top growth but there was some new growth bravely coming up from the roots. Im going to take a look again this weekend and see what's there - if I can find more clumps that started establishing feeder roots that

So annoyed . People have been planting things as a memorial at gravesites for tens of thousands of years - in fact it used to be the family's responsibility to tend to the grave - but her attitude seemed to be we were doing something terribly wrong by having a big old shrub and it (and several other long time plantings) just HAD to be removed with no notice so that we could have had a better chance of success - and it would have been nice to grow several shrubs, one for each sibling. Meanwhile, they are apparently allowing ratty old weed infested hostas to stay.

It is really a crime, Debbie, what insensitivity to plants and relatives that these cemetery people show.

Don't even get me started about the massacre at the Sacramento City Cemetery rose garden.

I bet your pieces will regenerate your plant. I got a small piece of Souv de Philemon Cochet and Wasagaming from Suzy Verrier, both rugosas mailed to me from Maine, (before she died) and they both lived. The SdPC was one bud on a root piece.

Good luck, Debbie Downer.

I'm happy to report that the two bigger clumps seem be doing pretty well and Im starting to think about next steps. I will post pics shortly - wondering if they are looking a little spindly and I need to move to more light or get grow light ? The taller one is 6 inches (doubled its height in 3 wks) and the shorter one I got 2 weeks ago is still only 2.5 inchs but more shoots and looks a lot healthier since it came to live here.

Thinking ahead - how best to overwinter them when I'm pretty sure I am moving so dont want to plant them here? Being a zone 3 plant, do they require a cold dormant period or can they continue in pots till spring?

Might get a third plant out of this! One of the root pieces has sent up a green shoot - woo hoo! About 6 other pots not doing anything yet.

Where do you live, and where are you planning to move? If you are not too cold an area you could over Winter the rugosas in pots. If you are in a really frigid zone they would be safer in the ground. Some sink pots in the ground essentially heeling them in over Winter in coldest areas.

Live in Wis - so probably in sunken pots is the best. What exact soil mix should I use once they seem to be established? Right now everything is in about 1/2 perlite and 1/2 organic potting mix.

I might repot them, when they have an established root ball, in larger pots 1-2 gal at least in 100 % potting mix. Avoid disrupting the root ball. In Wisc I would sink the pots in the ground over Winter since that is pretty cold there. That they are already in pots should make them easy to move when you do move.

I spoke too soon. The two I thought were doing so well are starting to look pale and weak - it seems they all kind of look good at first, even top growth growing some, before stopping growth and withering away. I wonder if I should have cut off some of the topmost parts so as to direct energy into the roots instead of growing taller on top? I think I need to make a tent for them as its less humid than it was. It's been about 3 wks so I havent given up hope entirely - maybe they are growing roots in spite of how rough they look on top.

I may be able to make one more attempt - is it worth taking any roots at all (ie these are thick brown roots coming from the mother plant) or maybe I should just take cuttings from the top growth?

Just to clarify, this seems to be pretty much one solid mass of wood underground (50 yrs old) with some separate but thick ( 1/2 - 2 inch thick) brown roots coming out somewhat horizontally or 45 degree angle from the mother plant, the top growth Im finding is emerging from these separate roots and not from the solid wood at the center. So its not like I can dig out a healthy good size rootball and plant somewhere else. The best I can do is a segment of a thick sideways root with some top growth sprouting from it. Possibly I can get down 1-2 feet in depth and find more substantial roots - I suspect it does go down pretty deep, as it has survived some severe droughts over the decades with no added watering from me.

I guess Im feeling more resigned to the situation, less emotional but still want to pursue every possibilty as a learning opportunity - should this situation arise again. Actually I did experience this once before when a city park decided to chop down a magnificient heirloom variety mock orange. I tried and tried for several years, taking stem cuttings and root segments but nothing worked.

Rose massacre - just gotta ask WHY. The best the cemetary could come up with was its all about the mower being able to get around, and somehow this is a problem now when it wasnt for many decades. Ive had it with mowers. Used to love to camp but have given up on most campgrounds due to ridiculous incessant MOWING for hours every frikkin day - Im not exaggerating.

I agree Debbie, the cemetery people are ignoramuses. That said, I would try to fork out part of the rootball and plant that instead of cuttings. I had a professional working on a side yard in Alaska and he dug out the root ball of several old roses with a backhoe. They were left above the ground for at least a week until I could drag them down to a new area to replant. This was all done very crudely but the roses persisted and grew in beauty. I was shocked and delighted they could withstand all that trauma. I think you need strong men to help you with forking out more of the root and crown of the plant. The rootballs in Alaska were at least 2 feet in width. Think of it as digging out a tree. Plop it on a tarp and haul it to a new hole. Water generously.

Sheila, I have done the same with new dawn quite a few years ago when I 1st started riding Sheila Kama I have done the same with new dawn quite a few years ago when I 1st started writing here. And I've done it many times since. Always successfully. Please report back on your efforts. I wouldn't give up on the side roots as this might be a rows that Crawls....

I dug around a rugosa and only got 2 tiny shoots with almost no root. Planted them loose potting soil and they both made it to grow 3 feet this year. Baby roses don't actually like to be too wet, I have killed a lot that way.

So sorry that you had to endure this -- we wanted to plant some things on my mom's/brother's graves in Northern Cal, but they told us "no" because the guy on the riding lawn mower doesn't want to have to go around plants/trees, or do edging, etc. So I think it *is* about hiring the mow and blow crews. :-(

Its absolutely infuriating - not as if people havent been planting things at graves as a memorial for tens of thousands of years. The cemetary lady's whole attitude seemed to be I was vandalizing the cemetary by digging up and transplanting what was left. IMHO its THEY who vandalized it. She had no empathy or understanding why someone would be emotionally attached.

I loved the backhoe suggestion - like, that would show them who's boss, who really owns this shrub! IMHO it wasnt theirs to destroy. But I quickly realized it would probably disturb the remains of my father who is resting right next to/under it. So... backhoe not a possibility!

Status report: have two babies that were taken from Mom about a month ago (July 18). #1 has been in suspended animation - leaves kind of fragile and pale, but still standing erect and recently seems to be growing a new top branch. #2 suddenly shot up about 2 wks after being potted, and has been growing like gangbusters ever since. Seems to want sun - seems to be getting a little elongated and pale like from lack of light?

DO I ASSUME that at 4 wks they would have established some sort of new root apart from the old root segment in which case I should start feeding/ allowing more sun? I cant pull out of pot to look - they are growing from the 3-6 inch root segments. My understanding is that new roots would grow from where the sprout is coming from the old root.

Here's #2 - now about 8 inches tall and starting to lean over. Have 2 more that were taken more recently (8/1 and 8/8) and are following same pattern as #2. Not sure if they are rooting or still just feeding off of the old root? Have a few more in various stages of not looking very good but still may be hope.

Those look fantastic, Debbie! I would not change a thing. They will strengthen in time and you will have your beloved rose without needing the backhoe.

Congratulations!!! I found that actually spraying the leaves with liquid fertilizer was a good way to get the plant stronger. Any rose liquid fert. will do, I like organic, but M-Gro is fine too. Also Great Big Roses sprayed on leaves give immunity and a boost.

This is a rugosa. I might not spray anything.

I spoke too soon - #1 withered away, but #2 grew some and now is kinda holding its own but not really wanting to increase sun or anything. Its one of the early ones from beginning of July so Im going to assume that there is some sort of root growth? All the others that wither away draw from the old brown root they are attached to but Im guessing dont develop many if any new roots. I pulled out a couple and saw they did in fact have a few new white roots but apparently it was a matter of too little and too late. Question: if the top growth gets brown and dies off and there is SOME new root system growing is it possible that eventually it will send up new stems?

The one survivor - can I keep it as a house plant over the winter? Its not what Id call a real sturdy plant at this point.

I would not take a rose inside. Leave the new plants alone. It may take a year to be fully confident the baby takes. If it/they are in pots, tucking them into a protected warmest place outside for the winter would be wise.

I think the problem (or one of them) is fungus gnats - the yellow stickies catch some but not all. I found a good article which suggested top dressing with 1/2 inch sand and nematodes. Can someone interpret this: "bought some nematode “pot poppers” online; I put the little sachets into my pots and they didn’t seem to do much. After strenuous urging from Jones, the beekeeper, I tried again. I got the kind that looks like a bag of finely grated Parmesan, which you put in water and then pour over your plants. It made a noticeable dent in the gnat population after just one application."

WHAT is a "pot popper" that looks like Parmesan cheese? What specific product? Google isn helping, cant seem to find anything that has "looks like Parmesan cheese" in the description LOL.

I would be worried about pouring anything on rugosas but water. I wish I could help.

Thanks Sheila, could you explain what is it about rugosa that makes it that I shouldnt do thiese things? Its such a fine line between too dry, and keeping it dry enough to keep the gnats at bay.

#2 is looking much better since I gave it a little bit of liquid fertilizer. It was one of the early ones I potted in a lot of perlite (maybe 1/2- 2/3) per some rooting instructions. However it now has roots and is ready for more nutrition - Im kind of afraid to repot because I know it has a big old woody root section and Im sure it will be a mess taking it out of the pot.

Im daring to hope cemetary might have given what remains of our rose a reprieve. Theyve mowed a number of times since July and havent mowed over the emerging canes. They are now about a foot tall! I did really lay it on thick when I called them that time about what that rose has meant to us over the years. If the problem was it being so humongous and out of control then maybe now that that problem has been solved I dare to hope maybe they will just let it be. Ill be gone in 20 yrs myself so they can do whatever they want then. I was taking root sections from the outer side of it so it should stay small next spring.

Debbie, it sounds like you are handling this all so well.

Rugosas are known for hating any sprays on the foliage. Why they are unique in this regard, I don't know, but it is true. Keeping it as simple as you can would be safest for your treasured rose. It is possible to try too hard and cause damage however well intentioned.

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR My Rugosa don't seem to mind the Great Big Rose and fert spays and get better. But it could be because mine are struggling or missing something??? I suppose mine could also be hybrids (4 of them are unknown) and one is a Kordes, which seemed to actually make buds after spraying.

Debbie Downer A fabulous propagator told me that she lets her props get pretty dry before watering. I noticed when I did that my fugal gnat problem went way down. I also wonder if putting the pot in a ziplock (not closing it) would give it just a little more humidity to keep the leaves from drooping? The other idea is bottom water, because gnats like the top of the soil moist.

Suzy Verrier recommended against spraying rugosas. I really enjoyed her Rugosa book and her Gallica book. Both have great photos too.

I agree with @Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR about not spraying rugosas, especially not with any synthetic fungicides/pesticides, and most of the time they really don't need it anyway.

Regarding the fungus gnats: what worked for me is using a product called Mosquito Bits. You can spread some out over the top of the soil and also let the bits soak in the watering can for 24 hours to make a tea to water your plant with. In case of infestation I do a combo of both for my indoor plants.

Another thing that helped for me is adding a layer of neem meal on top of the soil. This works too, but in an indoor setting the neem meal can get moldy, so I use it mainly outdoors.

Still wondering about the spraying, then I realized all of you must be talking about synthetic anti-fugal and insecticides. I don't use them. The fact that most rose synthetics anti-fungal and inseticides were developed /used in WWII in concentration camps on human subjects caused me vow to never even try them.

Great Big Roses is a compost extract and organic fertilizer (balanced) also contains many things to help rose develop a strong immune system. It is similar to using Chitosan and Sodium Bicoarbonate to help roses immune system. I doubt rugosas really need immune strengthening, but if they are really struggling Great Big Roses would be good to try and could be used on other struggling roses so it would not be "a waste." My Rugosas and all the rugosas in the wet PNW get "sprayed" all spring with constant PNW mist. They never mind the mist and are super healthy. They don't even mind a little salt mist near the ocean.

Fugal gnats are fairly poor fliers...wonder if you could use a low fan to keep them off the soil?