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Ask a Gardening QuestionGarden Design: Garden Design QuestionsMoving a rose

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Moving a rose

#1 · 5th June 2023, 11:10 am

Hi ya I really need some advice I know you're mega busy but I lost mum last month and now her house is up for sale. She had her most favourite rose in her front garden and I want to take it up and try and keep it but I really don't know where to start I've googled but don't really trust anything and don't want to get it wrong. What I do or where do I start ? I have attached photos

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#2 · 5th June 2023, 9:49 pm

Hi @luzalee

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss and think it is lovely that you're planning to take your mum's rose as a reminder of her. What a beautiful garden sentiment to keep her memory going.

The best time to move a rose is in the winter but given you may need to move it sooner here is my advice when transplanting and moving roses.

How to move a rose:

Step 1: The week before you want to move the rose give it a really good liquid feed to prepare it for the move. Comfrey tea is best or if not a shop-bought liquid feed.

Step 2: The day before you move it, water it thoroughly. Soak it with a bucket of rain water if possible or if not tap water.

Step 3: The next thing to do is to prune the rose hard back to about 8 inches off the ground. This will feel brutal and awkward but it must be done to save the rose. If not, when you dig it up the disturbed root system won't be able to cope with the size of the rose when replanted. It will wilt and probably die if you don't hard prune it to take the stress of the rootstock.

Step 4: Dig up the rot stock with a spade and as much soil as possible. Then transplant it into a large container and backfill with peat-free compost. Again water well afterwards.

Step 5: Move it to its new position and get it in the ground asap. If it can't be planted out, then make sure you keep it watered and fed until possible. Feed it every 2 weeks when containerised.

Step 6: Once in the ground and growing the next winter following my rose pruning guide to help reshape it, then the rose should give you many more years of beauty!

I hope that helps. I've done this many times with success. The alternative is to take cuttings as well for more roses, but this is less successful as you can't guarantee the same growth size as roses are grafted so cuttings make them revert back to their original form and size.

Good luck

Lee