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Removing Rose

februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
in Plants
I have a Rosa Primula (bought from David Austin) that I planted a couple of years ago but it just isn't working for me. OH's mum has agreed to take it off of my hands and I'm intending to lift it in the autumn. How far down would you recommend I prune it for moving? When I received it bare root, I think the tallest stem may have been around 10cm.

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I think I would prune it down to a couple of feet. That would make it easier to manage. It is quite a big shrub, how big is yours?
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    I'd say it's about 5ft tall.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Maybe @Marlorena would know how much to prune it, please, if you are about.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    I would keep as much top growth as practical.  It's very thorny so I would probably have to remove some for safety reasons if the branches get in the way, but it flowers on old wood, and the foliage is scented too, so I'd want to try and keep as much of that as I could for the new season ahead... If I could manage 3 feet I'd be happy with that. 
    The following Spring, the rose will decide what it can cope with and perhaps die back a little, but that can be tidied up later.

    Some of these old specie roses are grown 'own root' by David Austin, in small quantities, as they do not take well to grafting onto dog rose rootstock.  This may be one of those, I'm not sure,  so you may not get a whole mass of roots when lifting.. but I would expect it to transplant very well at that time of year, with minimum dieback.. 

    After flowering is finished next summer, I would tidy up the plant then, and prune harder if necessary.. the hips are not especially decorative so I wouldn't worry about losing those.

    Do whatever is easiest for you.  Incidentally, on replanting, try and find a full sun location, rather than a shady one.
    East Anglia, England
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    @Marlorena Thanks for the advice 🙂 OH's car is a Ford KA, so there's not an awful lot of room to transport it but I'll try to keep as much of it as possible. I'm not sure where she's intending to plant it but I'll pass your tips on to her.
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    I used to have a Ford KA, so I know what you mean... nice little car with a quirky appeal.  See what you can manage anyway.. 
    East Anglia, England
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