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Help moving rose bush

LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
in Plants
Hi all





I've come to a property to salvage a couple of rose bushes that are destined for the skip.

I tried to dig out the first with a large root ball but the soil is very crumbly and not really sticking to the roots so the whole thing came out without a "ball" just the roots.

The second had a very deep tap root but it's very close to a small wall so proving hard to dig out. What can I do??


I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 

Posts

  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    Also, how much of this should I cut back?


    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    I expect you've done the job by now, but you just sever those roots... leave the rest behind in the ground.. you never get a rootball with roses, you are effectively bare rooting it, so need to start from scratch again...  just use an axe, lopper or whatever you have to cut the thick root... 
    ...soak in a bucket of water while you prepare the new hole.. I would cut the top growth back by half and when it starts to grow again, prune back a bit more to where some good shoots are coming out..
    best of luck..
    East Anglia, England
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    @Marlorena many thanks, I did indeed just bits the builder and cut the root of as deep as possible. Glad I haven't messed it up as I feared.

    With regards to cutting it back by half, am I just doing that regardless of any buds? Just cut back all the stems by roughly half? That will mostly take it all back into older woody stems, is that ok?
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    @Latimer
    ...I like to try and leave a bit of green on if I can, I can see a couple of lower canes that are green, just take them back by half as well, but it's not a problem if you've already removed them and all you have is old brown wood, it'll still reshoot from that.. and don't worry about buds, just cut anywhere on the stem... 

    ... keep well watered for now.. as it's gone rather dry where I am..
    East Anglia, England
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    Thanks @Marlorena, I've left a bit of green on it, let's see how it goes!! I've stuck a few cutting in since gritty compost as well so maybe I'll get some new plants too!!
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068

    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    oh you've done a great job... when you see it shooting out lower down, you might consider pruning it back some more then... see how it goes..
    East Anglia, England
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    @Marlorena I expect you'll be hearing from me!! 😀
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    ..if it drops dead, you won't see me for dust... 
    East Anglia, England
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    @Marlorena haha
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
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