There are many reasons why moving older rose bushes or rose bushes can make sense. However, you don't need to be afraid of this step, because the plants usually cope with being re-bedded quite well - provided you follow a few important rules that will make moving easier for your roses.
How can I transplant a rose correctly?
To successfully transplant a rose, choose autumn as the ideal time, cut back the shoots and roots, carefully dig up the rose bush and prepare the new location by loosening and improving the soil.
Replace roses in autumn if possible
The first step is to choose a suitable time. Roses should not only be replanted in autumn if possible, but also transplanted when the vegetation is dormant. Between October and the beginning of December, a rose can cope with the shock of moving much more easily, and it also has the chance to develop new roots in time for winter and to sprout again the next spring. Transplanting in autumn also has the advantage that the rose neither comes under heat stress (such as in late spring or even summer) nor runs the risk of drying out due to a lack of water and nutrients.
Pruning is necessary before transferring
Although you should always try to transplant the rose as much as possible without damaging, especially the roots, this will not be possible completely - there will always be some damage, the more the older the plant is. However, broken or even severed roots also mean that the rose can absorb less water and nutrients, which is why you have to cut back the above-ground shoots in particular and, above all, remove leaves and any remaining flowers. After digging it is also important to prune the roots. Shortening torn or bruised roots ensures that they are less susceptible to pathogens and also encourages new growth.
Dig up the rose bush carefully
After pruning, you can finally dig up the rose. To do this, first dig a trench around the rose bush that should be about one to two spades deep - the older the rose, the larger the diameter of the circle and the deeper the trench. Also cut through the roots of the plant so that they are not torn off when you lift them out - the sensitive fine roots in front of you are affected much more than if they were cut. Finally, lever the rose bush out of the hole using a digging fork. Remaining soil residues can be left on the roots, as these will make it easier for the rose to grow in the new location later.
Transport and store roses correctly
If you don't want to plant the rose in the new location straight away, but instead want to or need to store it or even transport it to a new location, it's best to pack the rootstock in damp cloths. These are also enclosed in a plastic bag to protect against drying out. Roses do not necessarily need to be potted for transport; you can also leave them bare root. However, after such an action, it makes sense to water the rose thoroughly before planting by placing the rootstock in a bucket of water for a few hours.
Successfully transplanting rose to new location
Planting in the new location also requires thorough preparation. This not only includes choosing the right location, but also carefully loosening the soil and, if necessary, improving it. Dig the soil as deeply as possible and break up any coarse crumbs with a rake. Feel free to work over a larger area and not just at specific points so that your rose can grow more easily in the loose soil. It continues as follows:
- The planting hole should be twice as large as the root ball
- and also so deep that the roots are not kinked when planting.
- Improve the excavation with rose soil and/or sand, depending on the condition of the soil.
- Also add some compost and one or two handfuls of horn shavings (€52.00 on Amazon).
- Shake the rose when filling with soil so that no voids are created.
- The planting area is then heavily compacted.
- Now pile the rose up to the tips of the shoots to protect it from the winter cold.
- This mound of earth remains until late spring and is usually removed by the rain.
- Also cover the rose with some pine or spruce branches.
- Freshly planted roses should also be watered thoroughly.
Young roses cope with a change of location more easily
Young roses that have been in one location for less than five years usually cope with a move better than older specimens. Young plants have fewer thick and long roots (especially their taproot is not that long), but more fibrous roots that lie closer to the surface. The older a specimen, the thicker its roots are and the deeper they reach into the ground. If you want to be on the safe side or have to transplant a rose that is very rare or very old (and difficult or not available at all), it is best to cut cuttings orCuttings and preserving the plant in this way.
Tip
Make sure that the grafting site - unless it is a true-root rose - is approximately five centimeters below the surface of the soil when replanting.
