Transplanting Roses
The reasons for transplanting roses are numerous. It could be because you prefer to give your plants more sunlight or it could be that you are just changing things around a bit in your garden. Whatever the reason, there are a lot of things you must know before pulling the plant out of the soil.
First things first in transplanting roses; prepare the ground where you are planning to place your roses. The last thing you want to do is to allow the root ball to be exposed to the hot sun or lose any of its moisture. If the plant needs to be transported by a vehicle to another location, be sure to cover the roots with a piece of burlap damped with water.
A good tip to remember when transplanting roses is to water your plant well the day before you plan to move it. Water is the secret of a successful transplant. The chances of transplanting a dry, wilting plant successfully are low. But when the plant is full of water, the stress on the roots are reduced for a short time after the transplant.
You will probably lose some of the roots while transplanting roses. The roots of a rose plant grow very deep into the soil past the point of a reasonable amount of soil that can be removed. But, with enough water absorbed by the rest of the plant, your roses have a greater chance of survival.
Take as much of the root ball as you can handle when digging the plant from the soil. It is not required to trim healthy plant growth at the top structure in order for it to survive. The production of sugars is important to the growth of the plant. It only hurts the plant to cut its growth away. If the plant starts to wilt after transplanting roses, it is a sign that it is having difficulty supporting the top structure. If this happens increase the amount of water and you can prune any tips that do not recover.
When transplanting roses, it’s a good idea to add about a half to a full cup of bone meal to the hole where the plant will go. You will also have to make sure to raise the plant a little higher than it was before due to the plant settling within the hole. Place the bud union about one of two inches above ground level. After the plant is watered and settled, you can then apply slight pressure on the plant to remove air pockets.
The majority of enthusiasts would agree not to transplant roses during the growing season for various reasons. Transplanting roses is easier while they are dormant because there is less of a risk of them going into shock since they are not growing. Also, after an annual pruning session, the plant will be easier and smaller to move around. But, with proper preparation and a lot of water, anyone can follow the steps listed here and anyone can have beautiful, flourishing roses after a transplant during any season.