Roses

mardatha

I've decided to use a wee plot out the back for my roses, which are currently in the wrong place in the front of the house. The soil in there is poor - what should I do now to improve it? And when is best time to move them?

I_have_spoken

Plenty of compost/soil improver/manure - basically anything with organic content.

Ideally move in early spring after frosts

andygb

I_have_spoken wrote: »

Plenty of compost/soil improver/manure - basically anything with organic content.

Ideally move in early spring after frosts

Yep, and add bonemeal to the bottom of the planting hole. Then make sure that the roots of the roses have been soaked in water, and give them a good first watering.

mardatha

After frosts here isn't early spring - will that matter? Frost-free date here is 1st June, that feels a bit late to move them..

azzabazza

mardatha wrote: »

After frosts here isn't early spring - will that matter? Frost-free date here is 1st June, that feels a bit late to move them..

I am SE Scotland. I moved some roses in late October last year. I pruned them down a bit, soaked overnight in a pail and then planted in prepared bed. They have all survived and are flowering well.

Probably not recommended by some gardeners but it worked out OK for me.

Farway

The other option is move, in Autumn, once leaves have dropped & plant is dormant

I guess it is not warm where you are, so prune first, then move bare rooted

No chance of secondary growth over winter

The soil is just warm enough and roots will grow slowly. ready to burst into life as weather warms up

sobie

Best time to move them is when they are dormant but the ground isn't frozen so here thats anytime from November - end Jan.

Dig in plenty of organic matter, manure or mushroom compost.

I prefer Neudorff organic Rose & Shrub feed to bonemeal as it contains mycrorrhizal fungi which helps roots grow.

lostinrates

I move soon as I can, before ground freezes rather than after. I like to think of them settling in before winter for some reason.

mardatha

I think Oct sounds about right, it's really cold by Nov. Thanks everybody!

sobie

mardatha wrote: »

I think Oct sounds about right, it's really cold by Nov. Thanks everybody!

Your welcome, its still very mild here in East Anglia in October and my roses are generally still in flower first week of November. Its just getting the timing right for your own garden.

Mojisola

Before nurseries started selling potted roses, you could only buy them as bare-rooted plants in the winter and that's when you had to plant them.

As long as the ground isn't frozen, it's okay to move them.