I am in the unfortunate situation of havng to relocate a well established
Blaze. We are putting in a retaining wall of brick, wrapping around the
front porch and extending down the sides. Several years ago, I had planted
what I thought was Don Juan (but my local rose society members kindly
pointed out that I'd been misled).

Now that it's happy and healthy, planted about eight feet from the west side
of the house, growing up a trellis mounted to a freestanding pole, the
bottom bricks of the retaining wall will cut right through it.

I have dug down, by hand, to spare the roots as much as possible, and have
discovered the main root below the bud union is almost four inches across,
and has several large roots burrowing throughout the soil. I had planted it
with the intention that it would be there to stay, so the roots had been
carefully spread out in a large hole when I first planted it.

I was hoping to be able to hand scoop enough soil out from around it, that I
could possibly bend down the main root, to remain underneath the paver that
will underlay the wall. But it seems to be firmly entrenched.

How can I move it without killing it? I know its "just" a lowly Blaze, but I
would like to move it to the other side of the rose arch, so it'll join the
other one (already in progress).

Here's four pictures of the project, and the roots in the way.


http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289964701

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"Bad cat!"