More roses than I know what to do with!
I just purchased a house in the Portland, OR area with a very large
yard that probably has over 30 rose bushes that I think have been neglected for a few years. I believe most of them are fairly old rose bushes. Most of them have not been pruned back as I've been told they should have been. I've never had roses before, and have no idea what they all are. I'd like to move them all out of the flower beds around the house and into a central "rose garden". Can I do this now? Should I wait until next fall? Is there anything special I should do when I transplant them? |
More roses than I know what to do with!
"E" wrote in message
m... I just purchased a house in the Portland, OR area with a very large yard that probably has over 30 rose bushes that I think have been neglected for a few years. I believe most of them are fairly old rose bushes. Most of them have not been pruned back as I've been told they should have been. I've never had roses before, and have no idea what they all are. I'd like to move them all out of the flower beds around the house and into a central "rose garden". Can I do this now? Should I wait until next fall? Is there anything special I should do when I transplant them? You could probably move them now, but I think it's going to be messy since the roots will be all over the planting beds. Usually it's recommended to "prune" the roots - cut them back with a sharp shovel by shoving it into the ground in a circle around the rose, but not too close to the rose. That way once you move them (in a few weeks) you won't be shocking them as much. I've moved roses from established beds that way and so far (cross fingers & toes) it has worked. I've also just dug the darned things out (no prior root pruning) and so far that's worked, too, but they were roses that lived despite my best (early & accidental) efforts to kill them! Alternatively, you could move some now and see how they fare, then move the rest in the fall. It depends on how quickly you need to get your new bed established. When you move them don't let the roots dry out. You could wrap the roots in burlap (like you do when moving any shrub or tree) or I've even used many layers of wet newspaper. I would suggest moving the roses one at a time, from digging them up to planting. If the move is quick, you might not even need to wrap the roots in anything. I would suggest planting the roses at the same level in the new bed, i.e. neither higher nor lower than where they are now planted. The roses are probably well adapted to the soil they're in so unless you're moving them to a very different soil type, you can probably just dig a hole at the correct level, maybe throw some bone meal (no fertilizer) in the bottom of the hole, put the rose in, backfill halfway with soil, water well to let the soil settle (don't stamp down on it with your foot), then add more soil to ground level and water again. I also use seaweed in the sprinkler can (1 tbl per gallon water). It acts as a growth simulator and is good to use on roses on a regular basis. I would water frequently until the roses appear to have established in the new holes. I.e., new growth that persists (doesn't die off). Then gradually reduce watering. You might not get much in the way of blooming the first year, especially if some or all of your roses are spring-only bloomers. But as long as the leaf and cane growth is healthy, next spring they should look great. And you might be surprised: Your roses could all be moderns that bloom throughout the growing season. (I have both moderns and old garden roses so I'm not suggesting one type is better than another.) There are some good basic books from e.g. Sunset and Ortho with titles like _Roses_ and _All About Roses_ for about $12, easy to find at bookstores & home improvement centers (Lowes, Home Depot). They'll help with basic information, even some identification hints, and will get you started. Good luck with your project. Gail San Antonio TX Zone 8 |
More roses than I know what to do with!
Gail,
Thanks so much for all the info. I think I'll prune the roots this weekend of the roses I have in my front yard and move them in a few weeks to see how they do. Then I'll tackle the back yard (where most of the roses are). When I prune the roots, how much room should I allow from the base of the rose bush? E |
More roses than I know what to do with!
|
More roses than I know what to do with!
Hello "E" and welcome to Portland, not for
nothing called the city of roses. If I were you I will do nothing to those roses until the fall. First of all you need to identify them to determine when are you supposed to prune them. Then you will need to dig some decent bed where to house them once you decide to move them, and that is no trivial matter. If you wait until after the summer you will be able to tell what kind of roses they are (OGR or modern ones meaning HT) what color are they and whether or not they are one: healthy enough to warrant the time and trouble to move them, two: whether all the colors will work when planted together) - To transplant 30 roses you will need more than good will and good intentions. The roots of those plants are probably by now ringing the doorbells in China, which means that transplanting then this time of the year to a shallow hole is a death sentence. To dig and amend the ground for those many roses will require some time and planning. Remember also that different roses require different pruning techniques and different times to prune them. Those who bloom in old wood will not be happy at all if they are pruned at the same time as the ones who absolutely must be pruned before going dormant. I am not telling you this to frighten you of course, but to spare you the nearly certain fate of having your roses die on you if you just dig a hole in the middle of your lawn and put them there. Roses are voracious eaters and drinkers, they are the Henry VIII of the flower king/queendom. So you also have to make sure that there is water readily available for them in that center bed, be it by soaker hoses or if you want to hand water them, by having a spigot in that side of the house. My suggestion is that you arm yourself with a camera instead of a shovel and/or a tiller. Take pictures of each and every one as they bloom to make it easier to identify them. And that will give you time to use some clay buster and manure in the new bed that will heat up appropriately during the summer so you can start moving your roses in the late fall, and of course will give you a chance to prune them then without any problems. Right now is too late to start anything except a general cleaning of the canes. The roses are already awake and need to concentrate in what they do best, growing and blooming. To interrupt the cycle is asking for problems and roses are far too wonderful to perpetuate the misinformation about how difficult they are and so forth. Here is a link if you want to contact a consulting rosarian to help you identify your roses. As an alternative you can post the pictures of your roses and I hope between all of us we can help you find out what are you growing there. I will not volunteer for the HTs but I am more than willing to take a stab at the OGRs where I am a little more familiar. Welcome to Portland and to rose growing. Please don't let anyone tell you that it is difficult. I can think of many other plants more difficult and much less generous than roses and they deserve their reputation for beauty but not their reputation for being difficult. http://portlandrosesociety.org/ Allegra |
More roses than I know what to do with!
Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I actually counted all my roses
last night - 18 in the front & side yard and 30 something in the back... and most of them are beginning to bud. I have to say I'm feeling very overwhelmed. It sounds like there's a lot that goes into caring for roses, and I've got a lot to learn! And a lot of roses! I don't know if I have the time it will take! I'm wondering if I should give some of them away to a good home where they will be given the attention they need... In any case, I guess I won't do anything until late this fall. It sounds like moving them all will be a HUGE undertaking, and it will probably take a while to prepare the new bed anyway. I'll be sure and post pictures when they bloom... maybe you all can help identify them. E |
More roses than I know what to do with!
Hello again E,
It is a huge undertaking and one well worth the trouble if your roses are healthy and can give you many years of pleasure, as most roses tend to do. Once your roses are blooming you can decide for instance which ones are your favorites either because of form or color. By photographing them you can keep a record of those you would like to keep and those you may want to give away. Be aware however that in order to give some away, you must first be able to tell the once and future owner what they are. Where are you abouts in Portland? The Central Library on 10th is a treasure trove of info and you can borrow many a good book there. If you are far away from downtown then go on line, find the books you want to read about roses, and then request they be sent to your local library if your local branch does not have them. The initial investment in time is well worth the joy of having beautiful flowers in and out of the house. I have been growing roses for over 30 years and have never regreted it. They have given me heartaches and headaches, but most of all, they have given me beauty and a sense of purpose in the garden. I hope you find the time and the curiosity to get to know this beautiful plant. Allegra |
More roses than I know what to do with!
"E" wrote in message
om... Gail, Thanks so much for all the info. I think I'll prune the roots this weekend of the roses I have in my front yard and move them in a few weeks to see how they do. Then I'll tackle the back yard (where most of the roses are). When I prune the roots, how much room should I allow from the base of the rose bush? E Hi E - I agree with others who recommend waiting until Fall and the other suggestions (identifying, digging proper holes, etc.). Regarding your question, I would make the circle as large as possible but with the understanding that you're going to have to deal with the resultant root ball. And, not knowing what kinds of roses you have, it's hard to give a distance. Some of the roses I moved were small floribundas, and I pruned the roots at the drip line, and could eventually lift the rose with just a shovel. Other roses were taller Hybrid Teas and I pruned the roots considerably inside the drip line and still needed help moving the bush. Gail |
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