[Heather_S]

I have a problem spot on our plot. It's a very large bed that has two large shrubs which I think would need a JCB to get rid of even if i did saw them down. They do block some light and I'd like to get rid of them.. actually they were the first things I wanted to get rid of when we got the plot. There's also some hebes (I think) mixed in between the shrubs so it's just a shrubby wall.

The bigger problem is the border of the bed is rose bushes and various bulbs and lots and lots of weeds. I want to tidy up the whole thing. I don't mind the rosebushes and bulbs on the edges but the bulbs are getting congested and I need to divide them.
I'm not a big flower fan but the bulbs are okay because they just come up without me doing anything. So, I don't know what bulbs look like what besides the iris bulbs. I think what has grown in the past has included daffodils and tulips besides the irises.
How can I tackle the rose bush/bulb digging problem without damaging the rosebushes? Everything is so tightly packed together but the weeds still manage to grow. It's such a mess.


See, the centre is more or less clear so we have the pumpkin plants growing there at the moment. I'm think we can turn this middle section into a regular veggie bed and include it into crop rotation. That's only one-third of the bed, by the way...  :?

[mellowmick]

When I took over my plot, two of the main beds contained bulbs and roses. I simply dug them all up and relocated them; the roses to the perimeter and the bulbs to my hilly ex-rockery area at the top of the plot. Almost as soon as I transplanted the roses, they all came into bud and sprouted new growth. Their root systems weren't actually that extensive, which surprised me. I don't know if the timing helped in any way (mid February). The bulbs all came up. I wasn't really concerned what was what, so they all came up in a jumble of daffs, crocuses etc and it looked quite nice. ('quite nice...' you can tell I'm more into my veg, can't you).
There are undoubtedly more experienced people on here than me, but based on what I've done, I'd dig the roses as well and either reposition them or put them aside and replant in situ once the area is cleared, then maybe mulch with bark chippings to keep the weeds down.

[Heather_S]

I really hope I can dig them all out in one go, then  :?  May not be that bad as I think the soil is quite soft and cultivated in that bed but it's such a huge job... and now hubby just told me he'd prefer the roses where the shrubs are  :shock: eek! I guess I'm hacksawing down the shrubs and then i'll try hacking out the roots with my nonexistant mattock  :?

[milkman]

make sure hubby puts some effort in too then (physical not just hot air)!

[Oliver]

Mellowmick has the right idea. Dig 'em up and relocate as you wish. The only problem with the bulbs is that you might put your fork or spade through them. So be prepared to lose a few. Autumn is the best time to deal with bulbs (that is when you would plant new ones).

Iris rhizozmes are easily differentiated because they still have their leaves on (in the foreground of your picture, Heather).
Daffodil and tulip bulbs look similar, about egg sized with a brownish papery covering. Crocus bulbs are smaller.

Its nice to have these bulbs on the plot because they bloom long before anything else and cheer up a daunted spirit no end. You can also pick them (in bud even) in spring for the house when they are so expensive in the shops.

Roses can be very forgiving - lossen the soil round them well before you try to move them thus limiting damage to the root system.

On the other hand, weed the patch as best you can by hand, getting rid of the grass and obvious weeds then wait till the spring and see what bulbs you've got and where they are. Then move them later in the year. (I can't remember how long you have had your plot, so you may already know what you've got. Sorry!:shock: )

She grows lots of flowers for picking and for the bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies too. (Most of the flowers are annuals which are a lot of work, but work never did anyone any harm! She is very fond of euphorbias but they can be terribly invasive, so a lot of time is spent pursuing the seedlings!)  :?

[James]

Roses are very forgiving.  Remember they're sold bare rooted.  I'd wait until February though (March if in Scotland/soil very heavy/waterlogged clay) - all plants move better in the spring.  By which point the bulbs will be sprouting merrily!  Move the bulbs in May when they're dying back but you can still see where they are.

Or just go for it in a couple of months' time.

[Annie]

It`s a good time of year to begin moving and dividing plants.Daffodil and crocus are best moved now or wait until spring and dig and divide after flowering.The roses will come to no harm if you dig them up now though you`ve got another month or so if you need to dig out those shrubs,just cut the roses back when you replant so they put their energy into root growth while the groundsstill warm.
  Good luck with the shruds,we had an ash tree cut down and have spent a while trying to pretend that the substsntial stump does not exist!

[Heather_S]

  Good luck with the shruds,we had an ash tree cut down and have spent a while trying to pretend that the substsntial stump does not exist!

We're doing that for two conifer stumps.. though one more or less doesn't exist as it's covered in ivy now!