Roses....?

[sueyh]

When is the best time to move them?  Now or in the Spring?

Suey

[Suze01]

I would do it now whilst the ground is warm to encourage new root growth.  In the spring the ground will have cooled over winter.

[Thibault]

At our French house, we have lots of rose bushes.  The smaller ones are OK but we also have three very large (tall) roses just behind the wall at the front of the property.  They grow very long stems which, during our absences, push out over the verge towards the road.

I have tried to restrain them by pruning some of the longer stems.  Unfortunately, some of the stems (especially those trained by the previous owner along a "wire" fence behind the wall) appear to have died.  I do not want to kill the roses but am concerned about the fact that all the growth appears to be at the "top" of the bushes.  I am afraid that if I prune them too severely, the bushes will die.

I have looked at a couple of gardening books but can't tell if these large roses are ramblers or climbers and there appears to be a difference in the treatment. 

Any advice would be very welcome. [:)]

[Ron Avery]

Have a look here it may help with the identification and work http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/pruning_ramblingrose1.shtml

From what you say they could be either but the process for tidying them up is the same. Die back is normal if they have not been secured so you should first cut out all dead wood, you can cut back hard  to the base or main branch if you want.  For other branches and stems prune as normal, just above a bud, If you don't want to prune now some prefer to do it in March, cut out just the dead wood and each long untrained stem back by at least a third now.

 

 

[Patf]

Planting new roses - we went looking for new roses on Monday and the shops were full of chrysanths and plastic flowers for the cemetery. So that will be until after the end of the month (All Souls I suppose.)They said the roses will be in after that. So maybe transplanting too is ok into November.

[Thibault]

Thanks for that Ron.  We will be visiting again in December, so will deal with the dead wood then.

[Pierre ZFP]

I remember hearing once (On Gardener's Question Time ?) that it is better to cut back roses in Nov of Dec as there is reduced chance of root damage due to the roses being rocked back and forth by the wind.  Made sense to me

[pip24]

I was told an easy way to remember was, to prune roses on Valentines day. Other days to remember are plant spuds on Good Friday and toms on St Patricks day.

Another day to remember is Fireworks Night Nov 5     put the Ram in with the Ewes!