Roses get more and more splendid every year. Your canes can grow new shoots for decades and give us beautiful rose blossoms. But what should you do if you have to move during your long life? Be it that the old place has become too small or does not really suit it. Can roses cope with the move? And if so, how can this be optimally designed?
Can roses be implemented?
Sometimes the rose plant just doesn't thrive in its allotted place. If no care measures help and the rose only shows poor growth, a change of location could be worth a try. But what about roses that are probably filling up in their current place. Do you prefer to leave them alone or can they be replanted without hesitation? Some plants do not like it at all when they have to pull their roots out of the familiar soil and move to a new location. Fortunately, the rose is not one of the sensitive plants in this regard. Nevertheless, some rules have to be heeded when implementing it so that it grows well in the new soil and soon delights with its flower heads.
The age of the rose plays a role
How well transplanting works depends in part on the age of the rose. The older a rose is, the more roots it has already developed in the course of its long life. Under certain circumstances, these reach deep into the earth, far deeper than the spade can reach. Digging up these roots in such a way that they are damaged as little as possible is the main challenge when transplanting.
- young roses are easy to dig up
- adult roses, from five years old, require more effort
- old roses can hardly be dug up with hand and spade
Hedge roses, climbing roses and historical roses that have been alive for a number of years,
are harder to transplant. Digging your roots undamaged and in full is very labor-intensive. A spade might not be enough. Maybe even a small digger has to expose the roots. To what extent this effort should be made is up to the rose owner.Tip: In the case of valuable roses that cannot be easily procured and transplanting is difficult, it may be worthwhile to use cuttings to propagate them.
Autumn is the best time of year
A rose does not always have to be implemented immediately. If there is still time, it is worth waiting until autumn. This is the time of year when the most sure way to transplant roses.
- Transplant from October
- even before the first frosts come
The still mild temperatures above freezing point are ideal for the quick rooting of the transplanted rose.
Spring is the second choice
If the rose absolutely has to leave its place and therefore cannot wait until autumn, spring is an alternative planting time. However, the spring weather in this country is occasionally capricious. It may well be that the temperatures unexpectedly climb to the summer level for days or even weeks. The heat is a stress factor for the transplanted rose. Keep an eye on it and always provide the plant with sufficient water.
- Prevent dehydration
- always pour enough water
- protect from the blazing midday sun
In summer only if it has to be
When the rose has to dedicate its old place in the middle of summer and time is of the essence, it doesn't have to end up on the compost heap.
While summer is not the ideal time of year to transplant roses, the situation is not entirely hopeless. The rose has to adapt to the new environment under difficult conditions, because the hot temperatures cause it stress. It is therefore important that it does not stand in the blazing midday sun and that the soil never dries out completely.Alternative: Bucket as a stopover
A rose does not have to move immediately to a new place in the bed. It is entirely possible to temporarily plant them in a large container.
- is particularly suitable in summer
- for small and medium-sized rose bushes
- the bucket is mobile and can be placed in the shade
- Ailing roses can be better cared for
- move to their permanent location in autumn
Rose roots grow straight down
Before digging up the rose, it's important to know that this flower's roots usually grow straight down. An exception are the historical roses that are planted without roots and form runners. Apart from that, the rhizome is located directly below the shoots. This makes it easier to dig out the roots without damaging them.
Instructions for implementation
Below you will find detailed instructions for successfully moving roses:
Prepare the new planting hole
In order for the excavated rose to move immediately to its new home, the new planting hole should be prepared and waiting for it. So the dug up rose does not have to wait in the air.
- loosen the soil well and deeply
- The roots grow more easily in loosened soil
- Dig the planting hole
- do not put fertilizer in the planting hole
- Replace unsuitable soil with special rose soil
Tip: The new location should offer the rose plenty of sun and sandy-loamy soil.
Cut back the rose shoots vigorously
Each shoot of the rose must be well cared for throughout so that it grows optimally. It needs water and nutrients that are supplied to it from the roots in the ground. When transplanting, however, many fine roots are damaged and the supply is no longer sufficiently guaranteed for the long shoots. It takes a few weeks for the rhizome to recover.
- Cut back all the above-ground shoots of the rose
- over a length of about 40 cm
- use clean secateurs
Carefully dig up the rose
After shortening, the rose bush can be dug up. This should be done carefully so as to damage as little roots as possible.
- the easiest way to do this is with a spade
- prick deep into the ground all around in the case of young roses
- work in several steps for older and large roses
- first dig a trench around the rose
- then prick the soil around the roots
- Cleanly prune roots that are too long with a spade
- lost root mass grows back at the new location
- after circling, carefully lift the rose bush with the spade
- Get the root ball out of the bed completely
Cut back roots
The more roots that remain on the rhizome, the better the plant can be supplied with the nutrients and water it needs. But even with careful digging, some roots are unfortunately damaged.
- Shorten damaged roots
- use clean and disinfected secateurs
- leave intact roots
Implement Rose
The dug up rose should be moved into the prepared plant hole as soon as possible so that the roots are not exposed to the dry air for a long time.
- Put the rose straight into the planting hole
- thickened area should be in the planting hole
- about three to five centimeters below the surface of the soil
- Fill the planting hole completely with excavated earth
Tip: If the rose cannot be replanted immediately, it should spend the waiting time in the shade and in a bucket of water.
Water the rose abundantly
The transplanted rose needs plenty of water, as it cannot take care of itself sufficiently at the beginning. Give her 10 liters of it immediately after transplanting and keep watering regularly for the first few weeks. However, always water depending on the currently prevailing weather. Especially if the rose bush was transplanted in spring or summer, the water requirement is higher than if it was transplanted in autumn.
Pile a protective layer of earth
The transferred rose needs protection against dehydration. That is why it must be piled up immediately after planting and watering. Shovel plenty of soil around the rose until you have formed a mound. This should cover almost the whole plant.
- always pile up, no matter what time of year it is replanted
- only the shoot tips are allowed to peek out
- If possible, leave the mound for two to three months
- only then can the rose bush be freed from the earth again
- or just let the rain gradually erode the hill
- if planted in autumn, the rose should remain piled up into spring