The leaves cannot function until the roots are functioning. That’s the order of things. Plants have to have roots before they can have leaves … think about how a seedling grows … roots first then the leaves can grow.
So that’s why you’re advised to cut back the top growth … it enables the roots to establish properly. If the leaves keep making demands on the roots the roots do not that the ‘strength’ to repair and establish properly in the new spot and the plant suffers a setback.
Someone may say that their plants have recovered from transplanting without being cut back …. but unless you do a properly set up blind trial you just don’t know how much better they would have been had you followed advice to reduce the top growth.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The thing is, sometimes you can get away with not pruning before moving, sometimes you can’t. It depends on a lot of factors (type of rose, how big of a rootball, how well you prepared the planting hole in advance, weather conditions, how well you water, etc). The safest suggestion is to prune all of the top growth back by at least 1/3, up to 1/2.
As an individual, if you are experienced with roses, you can ‘break the rules’ a lot of the times, but if you’re giving advice to someone new to roses, it’s better to give the tried and tested guidance.
Parts of the roots in the main rootball that are undamged are funcioning. The plant is very clever at withering those leaves it cannot handle, reviving them soon when they can handle it, and shedding those it cannot. All the plants I have moved has revived themselves very fast like that.
Hi everyone, well the rose is looking healthy. New buds all over. I’m so grateful for the advice to cut back & remove wilted leaves. It appears to have worked. Thank you, thank you thank you all. Il post In bloom next year hopefully
Well I promised an update and I am pleased to report the rose is showing very strong healthy signs of buds. I think its survived il send pictures when in bloom.
Thanks Again i am delighted, its such a beautiful rose, perhaps when i post the blooms somebody can identify the rose for me.
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I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My things are things I have found by McGyvering along the way, kind of garden hacks.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks Again i am delighted, its such a beautiful rose, perhaps when i post the blooms somebody can identify the rose for me.