Question
Good Morning,
I ran across your site on Roses and I am hoping you can or might help or guide me.
I live in East Tennessee and have had some type unknown "bag roses" from Wal-Mart...stop laughing they really have grown
and look great lining my current home.Been growing 10 years in the same location.
Now the question...
I am moving about 35 miles south of my current location and I want to take the roses with me.
I will be living in a trailer (camper) until my home is completed is there a way for me to "heal" the plants in ?
I truely do not know where I want to plant them until the house is complete. I can not leave them where they are as the site is to be cleared for a sub division.:0(.
I have 20 acres I will be moving to and fencing for my large animals will be the first item on the list.
I have cleared about 9 acres and can place them in sun, shade or where ever they might need to be.
I have a backhoe and I can dig the whole bed up if needed...LOL
Is this possible to do? I understand I might lose them all but I want to atleast try.
I can dig what ever is needed  and fill with any thing from pine needles to White Tailed Deer Scat...I am a wildlife rehabber and raise
WT Deer...and every one said "nothing grows where Bambi goes" my roses have proven that wrong! Once they the fawns are off the bottle and their rumine has kicked in...(You know Deer Pellets) my plants love it.
I do not release at my home the game dept here in Tennessee tells me where to take them so I will not be feeding the roses to any of the deer I raise! Just the local deer I have yet to meet LOL
Please let me know your thoughts on this...I do not know my zone...I am 20   miles south of Knoxville Tn
My plants are showing new growth NOW should I prune them back? should I give them to a local friend that can plant them asap?
I wait to hear from you.
Thanks for your time
Ramona

Answer
Often I buy a body bag rose just to see what the leaves and flowers are like and many times they do okay.  I cut them right down to about 3 inches. That is my secret to growing body bag roses. You won't lose your roses but they will get even with you by sulking for the rest of the year. Roses hate to be moved at any stage of their life. First keep in mind that no matter what the outdated rose books tell you, roses are not fussy in what soil they put their roots in. So after watering them well the night before and cutting them back to 18 inches plus removing any canes that are  thinner than a pencil, you are ready to dig them up. The long strong roots are mainly anchors so don't worry if you break or can't get them all out. Match the length of the roots to the tops which would be 18 inches of roots. Wrap the roots in loads of wet newspaper, place them in a heavy weight plastic garbage bag and tie them tightly around the base of the canes. They can sit there until they start to bud out. If you cannot get the roses into the ground, use the garbage bags as containers so the rose roots won't be disturbed. Place them where they are not in full sun, especially afternoon sun. Fill the bags up with store bough soil as it is lighter and also bacteria free. DON'T FERTILIZE THEM. You could kill the frail feeder roots.
Dig your new holes in a safe area from the deer and afternoon full sunshine, using only the local soil as pine needles are too acid. Place your roses in the holes cover them up past the bud union with soil and then don't use anything such as deer scat or fertilizer because the roots will be under stress and will not be able to take any water or nutrients as you can't help destroying the frail feeder roots. The new feeder roots will take at least 6 weeks to grow back. Place a mulch all around the roses to keep the roots cool as that will encourage new growth. Now water, water, water daily to make sure the soil is damp but not wet. Just ignore the roses if they droop or swear at you, simply smile and keep watering. No fertilizing as you want the roots to grow not the tops. Fertilizer always puts a strain on newly damaged roots. Just keep in mind that the roses may look terrible but they will not die unless a deer yanks them out.
Speaking of deer. I applaud your efforts towards the deer but keep them away from my area as we have a real problem with deer that prefer city life to the wilds. They have become so tame that they walk up to you. Cute but now when it is in a rose garden. I have names for the different ones in the herd to diffuse my anger at them. But it is very difficult to have a pleasant conversation with a deer that is munching on your roses!!