Transplanting Rose Bushes Without Killing It: How & When to Move It?

Last Updated on June 24, 2022 by Gary Stephen

Rose bushes are often the pride and joy of any gardener. As many will tell you, they are finicky as they are beautiful, and all the hard work that goes into them is well worth it. But sometimes moving or transplanting rose bushes can be more stressful for the gardener than the roses.

However, many gardeners have been transplanting rose bushes with disastrous results. It’s more common than you think. Like the orchid, rose bushes can be quite the diva about their position, care, and climate. But moving, or transplanting a rosebush doesn’t have to be stressful on either party. If we take the time to prepare, think ahead, and keep an eye out, any rosebush can survive an impromptu move.

When to transplanting rose bushes?When transplanting rose bushes

Never is the best answer. They are so sensitive to environmental changes that keeping them in their current spot is usually the best option. If you have no reason to move them, then don’t. But sometimes we have to.

  • When new construction has blocked out their sun
  • When surrounding growth might choke it.
  • The immediate area might become a hazard
  • It has grown tall enough to be in the way of something important, like the garage door.

Really only move the rosebush if it’s in danger of dying if it stays in the same spot.

What does it mean when transplanting, rose bushes go into shock?

Can Roses go into shock when transplanting rose bushes

All plants can go into shock. It is one of the most common reasons why houseplants die. Getting moved around too much without time to adjust to their new environment. Roses are mainly pretty prone to shock.

When a plant goes into shock, it interrupts its systemwide cycle, which means all systems are then affected, usually starting with the roots when transplanting. Leaves will fall off, the plant will begin to wilt, some leaves will start to change in color, and soon, if not taken care of, the plant will simply die. It can take years for a plant to recover from intense shock, so it is best to avoid it at all costs.

You can bring a plant back from the brink, but we’ll leave that for the end of the article. First, let’s take a look at how you can move your rosebush safely.

When to transplanting your rose bushes?

when to transplanting rose bushes

The best time to move your rosebush is during the winter months or very early spring. During this time, your rosebush is dormant, and its systems won’t be affected as severely as when it is blooming. If possible, instead wait until winter comes along before moving your plant to minimize the chance of shock.

Summer is a little more difficult to swing. The more aware your plant is, the more shocking the whole ordeal will be.

Transplanting your rosebush in the winterMoving your rosebush in the winter

Step one: Dig the hole you want to replant the rosebush in. Make sure it is a nice sunny spot!

Step two: Check to make sure the soil drains properly. Pour in some water, and if it has drained in 30 minutes, the ground is good.

Step three: Trim the rosebush down, remove all extra leaves and dead foliage.

Step four: Prepare a rosebush-specific soil to add to once you’ve planted the rosebush. Potting soil will work fine with a mix of peat moss.

Step five:

  1. Dig up the rosebush.
  2. Dig away from the root ball and take as much of the root system as you can.
  3. Try not to damage any of the roots or as little as possible. If a root system becomes damaged, it won’t be as effective in absorbing water.

Step six:

  1. Move the rosebush into its new home and fill it up about halfway.
  2. Pour in some water and let it drain through.
  3. Be careful not to cover the base of the root system.

Roots still need to breathe, so burying it too deeply will suffocate the poor rosebush.

Step seven: Add the mixed soil and let it be.

Transplanting your rose bushes in the summer

Moving your rosebush in the summer

Sometimes a crisis prevents us from waiting until winter to move your dear rosebush, when this happens, we’ll have to move the rosebush in summer. It’s a little trickier, but if you follow these steps, your rosebush should be fine.

Step one: Add B1 transplanting fertilizer to the rosebush soil for at least a few days before moving it.

Step two: While the fertilizer is doing its magic, ensure your rosebush is well hydrated. Give it some extra water.

Step three: Prune the rosebush down. The less there is of it, the less it needs to worry about keeping alive.

Step four: Dig the hole you want to replant the rosebush in. Make sure it is a nice sunny spot!

Step five: Check to make sure the soil drains properly. Pour in some water, and if it has drained in 30 minutes, the ground is good.

Step six: Trim the rosebush down, remove all extra leaves and dead foliage.

Step seven: Prepare a rosebush-specific soil to add to once you’ve planted the rosebush. Potting soil will work fine with a mix of peat moss.

Step eight:

  1. Dig up the rosebush.
  2. Dig away from the root ball and take as much of the root system as you can.
  3. Try not to damage any of the roots or as little as possible. If a root system becomes damaged, it won’t be as effective in absorbing water.

Step nine:

  1. Move the rosebush into its new home and fill it up about halfway.
  2. Pour in some water and let it drain through.
  3. Be careful not to cover the base of the root system.

Roots still need to breathe, so burying it too deeply will suffocate the poor rosebush.

Step ten: Add the mixed soil and let it be.

Transplant aftercare

Transplant aftercare

Make sure your rosebush gets enough sun in its new spot. Roses love to bathe in sunlight, and a shady spot won’t be good for them in the long term. Sunlight will also help them recover faster.

Don’t add any fertilizer or insecticides until you’re seen some new growth. Adding more fertilizer will only cause undue stress. Instead, leave the rosebush for at least four weeks before adding anything extra to the soil.

In the meantime, make sure the rosebush is getting enough water. Overwatering can actually help in this case; just don’t let the soil get waterlogged. Otherwise, you’re going to have another problem.

Keep a close eye on its condition. It might droop a little at first but should slowly begin to recover over the next four weeks or so. If the plant isn’t getting any better, it suffers from intense shock, and you’ll have to start treating it.

How to save a plant that has gone into shock

How to save a plant that has gone into shock

Sometimes even when we’ve done everything right, our rosebush still has a bit of a panic attack and suddenly starts to droop indefinitely. There are a few things you can try to save your rosebush.

First, make sure to water it frequently; the more water it gets, the better. But if this isn’t working, the roots may be damaged, so you’ll have to trim the rosebush back.

As difficult as this is, the less foliage your rosebush has to worry about, the better. It can always regrow branches and flowers, but if you leave, it will simply perish. So just grab those clippers and trim back all the canes.

Finally, you can also try wrapping a burlap sack around your rosebush to protect it from the elements until it has recovered. Just make sure to still give it some water. Keep an eye on the growth; once you see it recover, you can remove the sack entirely.

Conclusion

As picky as a rosebush is, they are a joy to have in any garden. A great pride for a gardener to keep it alive and ticking. But when we move them, we shouldn’t be careless. Due to their sensitive natures, they can quickly become overwhelmed and simply give up on us. So treat your rose bushes like the darlings they are, prepare everything to perfection, and be sure to keep a close eye on it in the aftercare.

After all, your rosebush is, more often than not, the pride of your garden, and we want to keep it that way.

Gary Stephen
Gary Stephen

Hi, I am Gary Stephen. I have been gardening for a long time. Gardening gives us much benefits and pleasure. Many of us desire to have a garden, but it cannot fulfill the desire for the proper guide or instruction of gardening. So, I am eager to help them. For this purpose, I have developed the MyGardenPlant.com website to make a garden with the proper guide. So, you will get me beside you if you want to know anything about gardening.