period rose gardening

[jocelyn plummer]

I have two lovely rose bushes in biggish pots, where they have been for a couple of years, awaiting a better place to plant them. Also one that needs moving from one side of the bed to another---- will they cope if I take them out of the pots and when is the best time to do this? Also, should I prune down the new growth which is not particularly strong due to being in pots, after replanting? ( They are not miniature pot roses.)

 

[Juju]

Hi Jocelyn. I'm about to do this too - I have 2 roses in large terracotta pots that I'm going to take out and dig in the ground as I've decided to just grow veg and fruit in pots on my sunny patio. I've always thought it was fine to move anything so long as you don't do it on a frosty day. I might wait till April given that we had a load of snow yesterday and it's very frosty overnight at the moment. I've done a lot of rose pruning at my NT property recently (in the pouring rain!) so I would assume it was ok to do. I am not a rose expert though ...
Juju

 

[plasticpigeon]

I'm no expert, I've just been trying to tame the jungle behind my house. I think it is better to move stuff when the plant is dormant, so early in the year when it isn't frosty but the plant isn't starting to get new shoots. It might just be ok now, but mine has just started to get new shoots but I think it should be ok. The good thing is that roses seem to put up with a lot of abuse. Sooner than later though. I believe it is best to prune them in early in the year too. Roses can be pruned pretty hard, or at least that is my experience. A gardener friend of mine told me to prune about 4 knuckle joints above the base of the stem on the stems that I want to keep. On most of mine that means that when pruned they look a bit like a skeletons arm sticking out of the ground with a boney hand on the end ready for the new growth to make it look bushy not tall and straggly.

 

[tobydog]

Ground preparation is vital. Roses like a good helping of well rotted compost / manure so dig a decent size hole and mix the compost / manure in well with the back-fill. Water them in mulch with further compost around the base of the plant. That should give them a good start. As with most plants, don't heal them in too heavily otherwise the soil gets compacted and the new roots are reluctant to leave their pre-formed, composted and well fed shape.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Thank you all, I will take the plunge . Hopefully the weather will begin to warm up after this weekend. Fortunately I dug over the flower bed late last August, so at least the new soil and manure will only need a good turning over.

 

[worms]

My knowledge of rose husbandry is limited but I believe that they are reputed to grow better if a dead cat is placed at the bottom of the hole when you plant them. I've also heard it said that the best person to get to prune your roses is your worst enemy because you are better to prune them more severely than anyone who cares about them would ever do.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Golly-- I,ve never heard that one before, so---- neighbour's cat and a CO spring to mind!