How to Transplant Roses in Florida
Roses give people so much pleasure—their scents are divine, their petals are velvety to the touch and their brilliant colors are a feast for the eyes. But, if you’re a Florida resident who has decided it’s time to move your precious rosebushes, proceed with caution. Whether you want to relocate them to a spot where they can get more morning sun, or simply move them to where you can enjoy them more readily, these steps will assist you with completing a transplant successfully. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Pruning shears
- Gardening gloves
- Shovel
- Mulch
- Peat moss
- Compost and/or cow manure
Instructions
-
-
1
Plan to transplant roses during November if you live in southern Florida and in December or early January if you live in northern Florida.
-
2
Select the new location based on its exposure to the sun and on how well the soil drains. Roses prefer morning sun and need about six hours of it each day. They require well-drained soil.
-
-
3
Dig a hole at the new location. Make it a little larger than the circumference of the bush so you'll have room for a little fresh soil if you want it. Dig this hole before digging the bush up out of the ground.
-
4
Prune the rosebush back to about 12 inches above the crown, which will make the bush about 3 feet tall. This process assures that the root mass is larger than the stem mass, so the stems can receive sufficient food and water. Cut each stem at an angle instead of straight across.
-
5
Remove the leaves from the remaining stems.
-
6
Remove the rosebush from its current location by digging a hole slightly larger than its circumference and about 12 inches deep. Hold the bush just below the crown and gently lift it out of the ground.
-
7
Plant the bush into its new location immediately. Much of Florida has sandy soil, which lacks many of the nutrients roses need. Your rosebushes will benefit from the addition of peat moss, compost and cow manure to the soil. You may top the planted bushes with a half-cup of Milorganite, if you like. Cover them with 4 to 6 inches of mulch and water immediately.
-
8
Give your roses a deep watering at least once weekly, preferably in the morning. Fertilize them monthly, but only after new growth appears.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
When you begin the transplanting process, be sure you have enough time to finish it in one stretch. The roots will become stressed if they are exposed to the environment for any length of time, so move them quickly from their old hole into the new one.
