When to Transplant Roses & Azeales?

Preparation

• You should begin preparing to transplant your azaleas and roses well in advance of digging them out of the ground. It's wise to start planning to transplant azaleas up to a year in advance. Take a spade and dig straight down into the drip line around the plant, cutting a wide circle around the shrub in the beginning of spring. The roots will grow inside the drip line over the season, making fall or spring transplantation easier. Begin preparing to transplant roses approximately one week before. Water the plant daily and dig the hole one to two days before transplantation. Treat the receiving hole with rich compost or peat to create a nourishing environment for the roses.

Timing

• Azaleas and roses should be planted in the early spring or fall during cool weather. Transplanting the plant while it's dormant will greatly reduce the amount of damage that results when the plants are moved. If possible, wait for a cloudy day with little sunlight and moisten the ground before transplantation to cool and soften it.

Transplanting

• Because of their shallow root systems, even large azaleas are not difficult to transplant. The circle you dig around the plant should be wide, but not deep. Preserve the root ball as best you can while digging around and under the plant, then lift it out of the ground to transfer directly to the planting hole. The hole should be 12 inches deep. The circle around roses should be very wide, around 9 inches beyond the drip line. Any roots intersecting this point may be cut with shears. Dig down 15 inches under the rose bush to get as much of the root ball as possible.

Planting

• Azaleas are best transplanted in early spring or fall, but even optimal weather won't overcome a poor planting site. Choose a site with loose, well-drained soil that's very rich. Raise the bed by adding extra soil if necessary to improve drainage. Water the azalea thoroughly after transplanting it to a new site. Roses should be placed on a mound of soil. Azaleas may be placed directly in the ground with the root ball intact, but rose roots have a spreading habit. You must fan the roots out before placing the roses into the soil and backfill the hole only halfway initially. Fill the hole the rest of the way with water. Once the water soaks away, add soil to bring the hole level with the surrounding ground.