June 2010
Do you have an unhappy rose?
By Ludwig Taschner

Roses wear their hearts on their sleeves. When a rose plant is happy it is quite clear to see: there will be lots of flowers and healthy leaves. Likewise, an unhappy rose easily comes out in black spots, or is attacked by red spider or just doesn’t flower like it used to do.
There are many reasons why a rose becomes unhappy and one of main reasons is its position. It can be in too much shade, or on a slope where the water drains off too quickly, against a hot wall that dries it out quickly, in waterlogged soil that is inadequately drained, or being overrun by roots from nearby shrubs and creepers.
Often the solution is to move the rose, and June is the best month to do this. This is because the rose has entered its dormant stage and having its roots disturbed will thus not affect it too badly. Nevertheless, it is still important to work carefully and minimise the stress.
The new location should have adequate sunlight (a minimum of six hours a day), and good drainage. If the performance has been affected by root competition or a slope, but the location is still good, consider lifting the rose and planting it in a container that can then be sunk back into the bed. In sandy seaside gardens this has proved to be very successful. More and more gardeners in established gardens are growing their roses in pots that have been sunk into the ground and all report terrific performance from their roses.

Transplanting a rose
Prepare the new position first. If the rose is to go into a pot, make sure that the pot is large enough to support the expansion of the roots, that it has drainage holes at the bottom and that you have good quality potting soil.
Cut the rose back by about half to reduce transpiration and make the handling easier. Using a spade, dig down around the rose in a circle about 20 cm from the stem. Dig down deeply so that the roots are cut.
Lever the rose out of the soil with the spade. The best way to do this is to use two spades, with the help of another person. If the rose doesn’t come out easily, dig around the rose again until all the roots have been cut. Pulling on the rose while some roots are still anchored might cause the root neck to split.
Once the rose is out, re-cut any damaged roots. It is best to replant the rose immediately, but if this is not possible then keep it in a shady place under damp sacking (or put it a trench and water it well). When planting it in its new position, make sure that the bud union is just below the ground. Lightly firm down the soil and make a dam around the bush so that water sinks down to the roots and doesn’t run off. Use soil to fill in the dam later.
When planting in a pot, fill it with soil to the brim because it will soon settle at the correct level. To make sure that the rose is at the correct level, half fill the pot with potting soil and put in the rose to check the level. Fill in with more potting soil, firming it down lightly. Cover with a layer of mulch to keep the surface cool and to prevent the soil from being compacted by the watering.
Once the soil is properly drenched take care to avoid over watering for the first month or so. Only step up watering to a daily routine by the end of August. Carry out a proper pruning in mid July.

General rose care
Roses can be pretty much left to their own devices in June. Spraying is only necessary if you want to keep the leaves on, otherwise the bushes can be left to subside slowly into dormancy. Water once every two weeks, although more frequent irrigation does not cause a problem.
Roses in the subtropical areas that are still flowering and looking healthy should be watered regularly, fed monthly and sprayed to prevent black spot.