I am redoing my back patio and want to move a few tree roses (the ones grafted onto a long stem) to another part of the yard. The roses have been in the ground about 17 years. What do I need to do to maximize the chance of their surviving the move?
I am in Northern California, in zone 9.
Thank you much!
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kwoksmusic
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They can be moved, but I suggest you do it in stages. If the tree rose has been pruned and the canopy is small, now is probably the best time to move it. Water and feed the rose well before you move it so it will have enough stored energy. Dig the new hole first and amend it. Dig a saucer shaped hole, since the rose is that big, I would go for a deeper hole, you can always fill it in to adjust the height but harder to dig the hole deeper when you find the rose doesn't fit. Measure twice move the rose once. Make sure the soil in the new spot is well watered. You want the soil to be moist but not soggy and it is a good opportunity to test the drainage. You will have to dig out as much of the root ball as you can to preserve as many roots as possible. Either bag and burlap the roots or put the rose on a tarp to make it easier to move.
Once the rose is in its new home, it needs to be watered in well.
I don't know where you are so this part may vary. Where I live, in Hawaii, roses bloom in December so they don't really go fully dormant, I just have to pick a time to do the hard pruning. When I have moved a large rose, I had to water it up to two times a day for a couple of weeks to establish the new roots and daily for about 6 weeks. It may take a month to fully regenerate the roots. Water slowly with either drip irrigation or a very slow trickle from the hose so the water soaks deep and well. It can take up to 30 minutes to do this depending on the type of soil you have. Slowly back off on the watering after that. The tree rose may need a support in the meantime, but take the support off as soon as it is not necessary. The rose will be stronger if it has to deal with a little resistance.
Once the rose is in its new home, it needs to be watered in well.
I don't know where you are so this part may vary. Where I live, in Hawaii, roses bloom in December so they don't really go fully dormant, I just have to pick a time to do the hard pruning. When I have moved a large rose, I had to water it up to two times a day for a couple of weeks to establish the new roots and daily for about 6 weeks. It may take a month to fully regenerate the roots. Water slowly with either drip irrigation or a very slow trickle from the hose so the water soaks deep and well. It can take up to 30 minutes to do this depending on the type of soil you have. Slowly back off on the watering after that. The tree rose may need a support in the meantime, but take the support off as soon as it is not necessary. The rose will be stronger if it has to deal with a little resistance.
Rose feeder roots go out a ways, but it is surprising how much can be cut away. I moved a 6 foot rose. I started digging a circle and cut the feeder root about 2 ft away from the base. Cutting the sides was easy, getting the shovel under the rose was harder. Be prepared as there is no way to avoid the thorns, you have to grab something. You still will have to break at least one large root, and you will hear that crack. After the rose is moved you will have to go back over the rose and trim off any branches that got broken or damaged from the move.
But Apple's idea isn't all that bad. if you start root pruning earlier, I would think the rose would have less of a shock when it finally is dug out. Moving the rose when it is dormant isn't that bad. If moved in the fall, the top won't be doing much but the roots will have time to develop before bud break.
When I order roses they always send them here close to Christmas day. In fact most of the time they have arrived on Christmas day. I think the company plans it that way. They have no idea how hard it is to get garden supplies at this time of the year.
But Apple's idea isn't all that bad. if you start root pruning earlier, I would think the rose would have less of a shock when it finally is dug out. Moving the rose when it is dormant isn't that bad. If moved in the fall, the top won't be doing much but the roots will have time to develop before bud break.
When I order roses they always send them here close to Christmas day. In fact most of the time they have arrived on Christmas day. I think the company plans it that way. They have no idea how hard it is to get garden supplies at this time of the year.
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kwoksmusic
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- Location: Cupertino, California (Zone 9)
I have a backup plan. I am preparing several cuttings of the roses I want to move, in case they go into shock and die, I can still plant them as rose bushes 
. And as a backup to that plan, I will prepare several cuttings of the same tree. I just did it for one rose today and over the course of next few days, will prepare them for each of the rose trees.
The harder part is finding the right spot to move them to as most of my back yard is a lawn and it will take some $$ to turn some of that into plantable space!! But I didn't want rose trees so close to the patio where people sit and children can potentially play - can get injured by thorns, hence this project in the first place, to move roses away from where adults sit and children play!
. And as a backup to that plan, I will prepare several cuttings of the same tree. I just did it for one rose today and over the course of next few days, will prepare them for each of the rose trees. The harder part is finding the right spot to move them to as most of my back yard is a lawn and it will take some $$ to turn some of that into plantable space!! But I didn't want rose trees so close to the patio where people sit and children can potentially play - can get injured by thorns, hence this project in the first place, to move roses away from where adults sit and children play!
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Compost Angel
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- Location: Arkansas, USA
Lots of good advice above!
I'm in Zone 7b, and if I were moving them I would prune the roots now and pre-dig/amend/refill where I planned to plant them in the warmer, wetter spring.
Air layering might be an option. I've had good luck air-layering standards, but have never tried it with tree roses. It would be an interesting experiment- I wonder how a 17 year old main cane would respond.
I'm in Zone 7b, and if I were moving them I would prune the roots now and pre-dig/amend/refill where I planned to plant them in the warmer, wetter spring.
Air layering might be an option. I've had good luck air-layering standards, but have never tried it with tree roses. It would be an interesting experiment- I wonder how a 17 year old main cane would respond.
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ElizabethB
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My 2 cents - ANY plant/tree/shrub can be moved if it is done properly. Not now. Wait until your plants are completely dormant. In January/February heavily prune the tops. Pay attention to leaf nodes. A leaf node is the direction of new growth. You do not want to prune where leaf nodes face inward. Remove 1/3 to 1/2 of the canopy. After your last frost dig a hole no deeper than the original root ball of your rose tree. Do dig a hole 3, 4 , 5 x wider than the original root ball. Carefully dig around and under the roots of your rose tree. Your root ball should be 3 to 4 x's the width of the canopy. 1 1/2 to 2 feet deep. Deeper is better. Move to the new planting hole. Do not plant deeper than the original planting. Do not amend the soil. Back fill with native soil. Do not fertilize. Water enough to keep soil just damp. It will take 2 or 3 months for the root system to get established. After 2 or 3 months you should see new foliage growth.
Be patient. Now is not the time to transplant roses.
Good luck
Be patient. Now is not the time to transplant roses.
Good luck