Forum home› Plants

Moving a rose

Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 453
in Plants

Hello

We have a rose - Diana Princess of Wales - that is getting too big for it's site as it hangs over the path near the front door and the flowers get knocked by everyone who comes to the house.  

I'm thinking of moving it further into the bed as there is space, but Alan Titchmarsh says it's not worth moving roses as it is likely to produce lots of suckers from almost inevitable root damage.  He also says roses over 10 years old might as well be replaced. This one is about 12 years old but is still very prolific in its flowering - this pic was taken a wk before Christmas, and it still has buds on it now.

So, would the collective wisdom of the forum suggest not moving it?  If it is ok to move what precautions should I take?  I was thinking that winter (so long as it's not frozen or soaking wet) is a good time to move a rose - am I right?

If it is too much risk to move it then I'd appreciate some pruning advice.  The pruning I did before the 2015 season gave a bit better shape than we had for 2016 and I'm not sure I got it right really, even though I followed instructions from the rose expert book.

I've cut down the right hand side of the bush so it doesn't overhang the path but you can see the height it was as I haven't cut down the left side.

All thoughts gratefully received.

Thanks

image

Posts

  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532

    Hi, I wouldn't move it, if it's that old. All the roots will be right down in the ground. It needs thinning out a bit. I'd prune it again in march. Cut out the stems that are growing into the centre, cut out any dead wood, cut the rest down to a foot from the ground. Feed in march and again in June. No later or you will get soft wood that  won't harden off for the winter.image

  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

    You could take cuttings? take plenty and hopefully one with strike, that way you don't loose the rose (technically) and you don't have buy a new one!

  • gardenninggrannygardenninggranny Posts: 803

    Due to loss of garden I was forced to lift all my roses last year and find them a temporary home in my daughters garden.  She has little time to spare so simply dug rough holes and shoved them in.  They all seem to be doing fine.  Even the Just Joey, here when we moved into the house 35 years ago, seems to be flourishing .  If it's a bush that is important to you just do it - now while it's dormant.  If it doesn't work out the way you had hoped you can always replace it later.   Hard pruning in spring will encourage new strong growth - wait until you can see the viable shoots.

    I get very irritated with these TV gardeners who always recommend replacing, as plants these days are not cheap.  Try to lift with a good rootball and make the planting hole an adequate size - add some bonemeal to encourage root growth and hey ho, away you go.

  • Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 453

    Thanks for the replies - all really useful.  

    I hadn't thought about taking cuttings so that's a good idea, and I do tend to come a bit from the school of 'just give it a go unless you really really shouldn't'

    So I think it's going to be a case of take some cuttings, dig really carefully down away from the immediate root area and try to disturb as little as possible

    Thanks again everyone :)

  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532

    Stephanie, you could take cuttings, but only if it's a shrub or species roses. The highbrid tea's or floribunda are on root stock. The cuttings would probably take but they will be very week. That is why they put them on root stock.image

Sign In or Register to comment.