How To Transplant Roses With Ease

There might come a time when you find that to ensure the continued health of your roses you might need to transplant them. If it is necessary, you will be pleased to know that transplanting roses does not need to be difficult. However, it is important to be aware of a few key points. Now why or when would you need to consider transplanting your roses? Well there are several reasons: one, when roses have been established in a place for many years they might have outgrown that spot or maybe they are just not getting enough direct sunlight anymore due to neighboring vegetation growing up. And of course it might be that you are purchasing some roses or even better swapping with a friend. Remember the best time to transplant roses is when they are dormant in early spring or late winter.

So now to these key points laid out for you in 5 quick easy steps:

Step 1 - Site Preparation. Prepare the rose plants to be moved by thoroughly watering them for about 4-5 days prior to transplanting, water preferably in the morning. By doing this you will minimize the shock the roses experience during the transplanting and subsequent re-establishing. When watering always make sure to water directly into the ground and not on the rose itself so that bush doesn't become prone to fungus or disease later.

The new planting site can be prepared by working in some compost or broken down horse manure into the soil. Dig a hole of about a foot deep and a foot and a half wide. Ensure that the hole is large enough to fit the bush's root ball comfortably. Make a little mound in the hole on which to set the rose. To improve fertility add a bit of compost or bone meal to the bottom of the new hole.

Step 2 - Preparing Rose Plant. Prepare the rose also by pruning it so that it has not got excess growth to support while it is getting settled into its new location. Of course it is always a good idea to remove dead or damaged wood as soon as possible.

Step 3 - Digging a hole. Dig deep down about two feet and in three to four feet circumference around the plant with a spade. Slowly remove the root ball and carefully cut little stray roots without inflicting too much damage to the root system. Collect as much soil and roots of the rose. Once out of the soil completely, wrap the root ball in a piece of burlap or damp towel to maintain moisture levels while out of the soil. Now take it to its new planting ground before it dries out.

Step 4 - Transplanting. Place the rose plant carefully in the hole together with the soil brought from its old growing spot. Make necessary adjustments to fit it comfortably. Fill the hole halfway with a soil-compost mixture and press it down into the hole and round the rosebush. Before adding more soil mixture, water the plant thoroughly. Once the water has drained fill in the hole with the remaining soil. Prior to leaving the newly transplanted rose settle it in by watering well and to retain the moisture add a layer of woodchips on top of the disturbed soil.

Step 5 - After Care. Remember to water the rose plant extremely well each day while the rose plant regrows much of its root system that was damaged or lost through the transplant process. In two weeks time new growth should appear. Now it is time to supply some fertilizer such as liquid seaweed or manure enriched compost. It is also advisable to use some natural anti-fungal spray on your newly transplanted rosebush.

And there you have it, 5 fairly straight forward steps that anyone who grows roses or is thinking about starting a rose garden really needs to know about. Indeed, how to transplant roses is part of basic rose bush care knowledge. Wishing you many strong rose bushes, after successfully transplanting them, that produce vigorous, magnificently flourishing rose blooms for you and your family to enjoy.


------

Would you like to explore more on transplanting roses then visit http://www.bushrosegarden.com ,a collection of interesting articles on many rose topics such as climbing roses, general rosebush care, organic rose care plus access to a free email course on rose gardening.