Does anyone have roses?

[ktzmoh]

This house has three rose bushes outside. They are in a super random place and they don't make any sense there - they aren't part of a coherent landscaping or anything. It looks like the owner just got some bushes and plopped them somewhere. Anyway, we left them alone because they were about to bloom and they were really pretty when they were blooming. Now they are all gangly and look like they desperately need some attention.

When we do the landscaping, the roses are definitely going. But I don't just want to throw them away - is there a way to transplant them? Could I feasibly give them away to someone?

I guess I should maintain them until we get to the landscaping. They look like they are desperate for pruning. I haven't a clue what to do with them - i guess I should consult the google machine on that one. Any tips?

[tarheels]

Put them on CL and say whoever digs them up can have them.

Probably best to do in the fall or late winter/early spring.

[gtkim]

You can dig them up and transplant them if you want. They thrive in bright sunny areas. I have a dozen rose bushes and they are so pretty

Pruning is a bit meticulous, but can make a huge difference in how they look. Any growth you see that is a purplish red is new growth and obviously you don't want to cut that off. Once the blooms are dead follow the stem down and cut just above the first leaf that has 5 petals (as long as there is no new growth above that). That will allow new blooms to grow. If there is already new growth cut just above that.

This fall after they are done blooming you can cut them back somewhat, but def not all the way. The big pruning will be in Feb/Mar after the last frost when the weather starts to warm up. Then you can cut back as much as you want to have them start growing again.

Hope that helps.

[gtkim]

Oh, and if your leaves look like swiss cheese you have aphids. They are very common. You can buy some spray to kill them or they also sell granules that you can add to the soil at the base of the plant.

[ktzmoh]

Thanks! I'll get out there tomorrow and trim back where the blooms have died off. In the fall I'll find a new home for them.