There are many reasons that you might want to transplant rose bushes. You might want to move a container rose into the garden, or even put a garden rose into a container. In either case, there are a few secrets you need to follow to ensure success.

Watering is Essential

The single most important secret to ensuring that you successfully transplant your rose bushes is�.water. Yes, water is life and especially for roses who are thirsty plants that don’t cope well with lack of moisture. Transplanting roses puts them under stress, but they’ll cope much better if you ensure they have drunk their fill before you move them and afterward as well.

Prune Your Rose

Experts generally recommend that you prune a container rose back nearly two thirds. You need to do this about three days before you transplant it and then water it well for the days preceding the move.
After four days you are ready to transplant your rose from the container.

Be Prepared

You want to limit the amount of time that the rose is not in any soil, so make sure that you’ve completely prepared your plant’s new home. If you are moving a container rose into the garden � make sure that you’ve already prepared the soil and dug the hole. The hole should be big enough to easily accommodate the root ball. A good rule of thumb is to dig a hole that is twice as large as the amount of space that the roses will eventually take up.
Carefully remove the rose bush from the container. Try not to damage the roots if possible, although inevitably some damage will occur if the rose has been in the pot for a long period. Place it immediately into its’ new home in the garden. Don’t wait overnight and leave the root system exposed for long periods.

Water your new transplant patient extremely well and keep it protected from the harsh sunlight in the first few weeks.

Transplanting a Rose Bush from the Garden to a Container

Once you’ve determined which rose bush you want to move, you shouldn’t just start digging wildly. A trick is to draw a circle around the plant that is as wide as the widest top structure. Now you can start digging the plant from the ground. You want to try to limit damage to the root system, although you will have to trim some of the very far reaching side and bottom roots. Dig as deep as you can and once you’ve dug right around the bush, slide your shovel under the soil as far as you can. Then gently lever the root ball out of the ground.
Be sure to have your container prepared well before you uproot your bush though. You want to limit the time the roots are exposed to the air. Your container should be well drained and the best way to achieve this is to line the bottom of the container with pebbles and stones, then cover these stones with soil. Don’t completely fill the pot with soil - you want enough space left for your rose bush root system.

Gently place your rose’s root system into the pot and begin covering with soil. If you live in colder climates then the bud onion (the very base of the plant where all the canes spring from) should be planted just under the soil. You should also put some good mulch on top of the soil to further protect your plant.
As usual, don’t forget to give your rose bush extra good watering for the next few weeks.