Question
Hello, I live in Southern Maine and my Grandfather passed away in December. I have waited all winter to return to his old residence with permission to dig up a rose bush with great sentimental value. Today 4/21/06 I was digging it up to transplant it at my home. I was very careful digging wide and deep around it. However, I thought I had the whole root ball but there was a single large shoot of root that had grown out at an angle down and sideways (sort of like a stake coming off from it) and when I gently lifted the main root ball it broke before I saw it. I dont see any small feeder roots but the large root section I do have looks like a very large rhizome or tuber. I planted it immediately at home with good compost mixed in the soil, water and put extra compost around the base. I don't want this to die but think maybe the piece still in the ground was the important section of the root with all the feeders. I'm actually going to try and take cuttings which at the same time will help the bush by pruning it back a little. Are there any other precautions I can take or did I do too much damage by severing that longest root?  

Answer
depends on where the large root connected to the plant. the large rhizome or tuber looking thing is the graft union bud. any growth on it is true to the type rose it was meant to be, any new growth(excluding roots) from below this graft union bud is from the rootstock and not desirable.
the timing of what needs to be done to your roses depends on where you live. i'm in southern NJ.
buy an inexpensive book(sunset, ortho, etc.) on rose care at your local garden center. quiz them on rose care for your area while there.
for now. older bush roses should have been pruned back to about 18-24" from the ground.  older canes as well as dead ones should be removed at their base. flowers develop better on new canes. fertilize twice a year(early spring-now & late spring(june-july). during the summer remove flowers after they start to fade by pruning back to the 1st 5-leaf branch or below. new red growth(flower production) will appear soon from this spot. in late fall cut the bushes back 1/2 way to help prevent winter storm damage.
there are many type roses so care also depends on which type you have - grandiflora, hybrid tea, floribunda, miniature, climber, old english, hedge, groundcover, etc.
good luck
rick
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