Moving a William Baffin to Virginia Beach - Ask Extension
Hello,
I have a very precious (and, I am thankful, hearty) William Baffin rose which was given to me by my sister when she moved from her Robbinsda...
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Moving a William Baffin to Virginia Beach #740570
Asked March 24, 2021, 2:49 PM EDT
Hello,
I have a very precious (and, I am thankful, hearty) William Baffin rose which was given to me by my sister when she moved from her Robbinsdale home to a Nor'East high rise nearly ten years ago. Poor William B. has not made it through a "leap" year since, as my husband has changed jobs, and we houses, twice in that time. We moved to our present home in the summer of 2018, so it got a sort of half-leap year last summer, but now dear husband has accepted a job in Virginia state. We plan to take William B. with us, but he has grown a bit attached to his obelisk and I'm concerned perhaps the ground will not be warm enough to lure him out of bed before we need to depart.
What is the best way to go about pruning back from the supporting structure so as to minimize shock to the plant?
Is there anyway to safely thaw the ground around the root if it has not done so naturally by the time I need to move it?
Most importantly, if we do not have a new home for ourselves and William B. to go to immediately on the other end, is there a way to force the root to go dormant? If so, how long can it be kept in that state and how must it be stored?
Finally, when William B. does make the cross-country trip, how will he travel best for what is likely to be a minimum of 5 days out of bed? Should he be lightly potted into a container? Kept dry? Damp? Dark? Light?
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
Wright CountyMinnesota
Expert Response
William Baffin is a climbing rose that blooms on new wood. It is hardy in plant hardiness zones 3 - 10.You may prune in late winter to early spring to promote new growth. I would transplant the rose while it is still dormant into a large container. Try to keep as much of the root system as as possible. Try to protect the newly transplanted potted roses from temperatures below freezing. The root system of a potted plant is more likely to suffer from winter injury. Wrap the pruned canes so they are not injured during the moving process. Try to keep the rose dormant during the moving process. After the move try to transplant it into its permanent home as soon as possible. Good luck on your move.