Question
Live in TX, zone 8, October, mild weather currently:
When transplanting 3 - 5 yr old antique roses from one bed to another, WHAT IS IMPORTANT  to remember?
Have soaked for the initial move; how much longer must the soil be kept wet?
Thanking you,
Mary


Answer
Roses dislike being moved so the best time to transplant a rose is when it is dormant or not growing. That is usually in the late fall or early spring. If you move a rose when it is in growth there is a good chance it will die as you have destroyed the frail feeder roots that take the nutrients up to the bush. If you must move a rose when it is active, then you have to take off all the leaves to put it into a short period of dormancy. Then cut it back by a half as the damaged roots can't sustain a large plant and will take about 6 weeks to grow back again. Place a thick 6 inch mulch all around the rose as roses love cool, damp roots and this will encourage the roots to grow quicker. The reason most roses die when they are transplanted is because they are not watered enough to keep the roots damp so make sure you water the rose daily. Don't give it any fertilizer as you are trying to get roots to grow not the top part. If the plant droops or looks like it is dying, just ignore it and keep watering. Some roses may not start into growth again until the next spring. The same routine applies when you move a rose in the fall but you don't have to take leaves off as it will have dropped them already. Old garden roses are the easiest to move but even they will sulk but they won'r die. Hope this helps. Lynnette