my neighbor gave me 3 knock out rose bushes.

Question

we transplanted them but the leaves seem to be drooping. should we cut them back and hope they will grow next year?

Answer 1

Transplanting almost always produces shock in a plant, especially when it is warm and sunny. Create shade for the plants any way you can. A large box open at both ends or a shovel placed between the sun and the plant and covered by a paper leaf bag are strategies I’ve used. Roses love sun but not when the roots are trying to get going in a new site. Keep the soil moist, not wet. Mulch the ground to keep it cooler than sun-heated soil. The very small feeder roots are often the furthest roots from the plant center. When a rose is dug out, these are often cut which leaves the plant vulnerable to wilting. If shade doesn’t lessen the wilting, then I might prune one major cane. While you are pruning, remove all dead, diseased and damaged canes. It is ideal, but not always possible, to transplant in spring and fall during cooler weather. Don’t fertilize your roses until they have recovered and start to produce new growth. Water and shade are its biggest needs right now.