Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Transplanting roses can be a real challenge depending on the age of the plant. Our easy-to-understand instructions help to avoid mistakes and at the same time contain valuable tips!
roses
Roses have a particularly long lifespan and decorate the home gardens with their magnificent flowers for several years. It can happen that the plant is simply too big for the current location and it has to be transplanted. In addition, it may be that the location was not chosen optimally and the rose simply does not feel comfortable. In such cases it is advisable to move the plant to a new spot.
Spade for replanting
transplant
Which roses can be transplanted?
In general, all roses can be transplanted, but the age of the plants has a decisive influence on the amount of work. Because the roses are deep-rooted and over the years develop a well-grown root system that reaches deep into the earth. Anyone who is toying with the idea of realizing their rose bush can use the following factors to estimate the amount of work to be expected.
- Young plants are easy to transplant
- the older the plant is, the more roots it forms
- older plants can be implemented with a little effort
- especially old roses require much more effort
- these can usually no longer be transplanted with spades and hands
- Therefore only move old roses in an emergency
time
In principle, roses can be planted all year round. However, it is not advisable to transplant blooming rose bushes. Because this is an enormous burden for the plants, which is why this should be done as gently as possible. Ideally, the rose bushes are transplanted between October and December when the vegetation is dormant, with autumn being the ideal time. Because transplanting at this time allows the roses to put all their energy into root growth and thus root well before winter. If you want to implement the plants at a different time, you should consider the following.
winter
- Transplanting is also possible in frost
- Then protect the plant from frost
- e.g.: with leaves and fir branches
spring and summer
- Moving blooming roses is not optimal
- high temperatures cause stress
- protect from direct midday sun
- water a lot to keep it from drying out
garden rose
location
The choice of the new cookie is also decisive for the chances of success of the conversion. Because the location should not have been colonized by rose plants beforehand, otherwise the so-called "rose fatigue" can occur. The freshly planted rose bushes only develop very sparingly and their root growth is particularly weak. Plant growth also depends on the following factors.
- plenty of sun but not too hot
- location that is as airy as possible
- Orientation southeast or southwest
- permeable, nutrient-rich soil
- sandy-loamy soil is ideal
- Planting distance of noble or bed roses: 40-50 cm
- Planting distance of shrub and climbing roses: 80-150 cm
Tip: If the soil does not meet the requirements of the rose, it can be improved if necessary. For this purpose, heavy soils are enriched with lava granules, while light soils are improved with the addition of rock flour or bentonite.
Transplant Instructions
Transplant roses: Instructions in 5 steps
Before the rose is dug up, the new planting hole should first be prepared. Otherwise the plant would have to stay in the air until it sets in and suffer stress as a result. The planting hole should be excavated as generously as possible and be about twice as large as the root ball. As a rule, it is sufficient if the hole is about 40 cm deep and 40 cm wide. This ensures that the roots have enough space and are not damaged when they are inserted. The following instructions provide an overview of how to proceed:
Step 1: Shorten rose shoots
Unfortunately, it is usually unavoidable that some fine roots are damaged during transplanting. However, this can have a negative effect on the water and nutrient supply of the plant, as an imbalance is created. This is because the healthy root mass shrinks and can no longer adequately supply the existing shoots. It is therefore advisable to cut back the rose shoots vigorously as follows before transplanting.
- best when the rose has lost its petals
- remove existing leaves and flowers
- cut all shoots sharply
- to a length of about 20-40 cm
- about 3-7 eyes should remain
Trim roses
Step 2: Dig up the rose bush
The strong pruning also makes it much easier to dig up the rose, as it is no longer quite as extensive. Before picking up the spade, the diameter of the root ball should first be estimated. This is much larger in older roses than in young plants. Then the rose bush is dug up as follows.
- dig into the ground around the roots with a spade
- in young plants about 1 to 2 spades deep
- dig a ditch in older plants
- cut off roots that are too long
- Lift the plant carefully and take it out of the ground
- leave as much soil as possible at the roots
Dig a planting hole
Step 3: Trim roots
After the rose has been dug up, the first step is to check the root mass. Because when digging out the rose bush, even with careful work, roots are repeatedly damaged, which means that pathogens can penetrate more easily. However, pruning is not only for protection, because pruning also stimulates the roots to sprout again. The shortening of the roots is therefore an important step when transplanting the roses. The following should be observed.
- work with a sharp, clean cutting tool
- cut back damaged roots
- but cut as little as possible
Notice: If a large part of the root mass is lost when digging up, the upper part of the plant must be adjusted and shortened accordingly!
shorten roots
Step 4: Insert the rose bush
Ideally, the rose is placed in the new planting hole immediately after digging. However, if this is not possible, the plant should be stored in a damp place. There are two options for this: either the rose is placed in a bucket filled with water or its root ball is wrapped in damp cloths. The rose is then placed in the prepared planting hole as follows.
- Insert the rose in the middle and vertically
- Grafting site is buried
- at least 5 cm deep
- Fill the planting hole with soil
- add special rose soil if necessary
- while gently shaking the rose
- so that no cavities form in the root area
- Press the soil down gently, but not too hard
- then form a pouring rim with soil
Tip: The soil should not be pressed too hard! Because the denser the soil, the more energy the plant needs to sprout the roots.
Step 5: Water and pile up
After insertion, the rose is poured abundantly so that it is sufficiently supplied with water. A quantity of around 10 to 15 liters per watering usually covers the water needs of the rose. If the plant was transplanted in the vegetation phase, it must be watered accordingly more. In order to additionally protect the rose from drying out, it is then piled up. This step is independent of the season, because it protects the rose from the sun in summer and from frost in winter. Piling up is therefore an essential part of care and is structured as follows.
- Spread soil around the rose with your hands
- about 20 to 40 cm high
- then press gently
- Leave mounds until spring
Tip: When is the optimal time for ridging can be seen in nature. Hobby gardeners know that blooming forsythia are the starting point for mounding.
Watering with water hose
Implement tub roses
Many types of roses can be easily cultivated in tubs and thus on the balcony. However, these must also be transplanted, since the existing tub is usually too small in the long run. When the plants should be transplanted depends on their growth. In general, it can be said that the time for transplanting comes every two to three years. Especially since after this time the substrate is mostly used up. When transplanting potted roses, the following should be considered.
- Use round buckets if possible
- equally wide above and below
- or wider towards the top
- Put the plant in fresh substrate
Tip: Whenever old potted roses have grown very large, repotting poses a particular challenge. In this case, it is advisable to provide the plant with fresh substrate and fertilize it.