I have crocus and snowdrops. The daffs have buds and the tulips are up. I just noticed new growth on one rose yesterday. I'm already reworking one bed and the digging is great. Many of the larger trees along the creek corridor have very swelled buds and look ready to break into flower. Best winter ever, IMO.

Perhaps in the climate the link originated in, that method works. From over thirty years of actually doing it in MINE, not reducing water stress on any plant whose roots have been significantly disturbed, damaged or reduced is a sure way to severely impact the plant. Leaving the original top growth when the roots have been reduced results in loss of canes and foliage, perhaps even the failure of the plant in this climate. I would venture to suggest it might in others with the sun intensity, heat and accelerated transpiration rates similar to this one. If I transplant a four foot bush with only about a foot and a half of roots without reducing the top appropriately, this heat, sun and transpiration rate will induce the plant to wilt and begin eliminating foliage, softer growth and in many cases, harder, woodier canes until it re establishes roots to balance the tops to the bottoms. Cutting the top back to about the same mass as the root ball, keeping it well watered, even shading it with sheets, old tee shirts, cardboard boxes or soil, either as a mound over the remaining plant or held in place with a cylinder of cardboard until new growth begins showing, brings them through every time. IF transplanting can be accomplished during a period of sufficiently long rain, reducing the top growth isn't as critical. The lower temps, reduced sun intensity, higher humidity and the regular bathing by the rain maintains the moisture in the plant, tremendously reducing (even eliminating) the water stress. The provided link is from Washington State with their greater humidity, rain, reduced sun and transpiration rates. When the weather here is similar to that, I don't have to prune many roses and other plants to transplant them because of the conditions. Most of the time, it is NOT like that here and not reducing the top to match the bottom will jeopardize the plant. If the poster's conditions mimic those of Washington State's, perhaps they don't need to reduce the top to mitigate the negative effects of cutting off so many roots. But, if the conditions aren't similar to that rainy, cooler, damp, cloudy type, I personally wouldn't risk it. Kim

I just recently used a large serrated kitchen knife and cut out a chunk of a Jade Cascade hosta I wanted to take some of and move elsewhere. I made a pie/wedge shape cut into the crown that had the emerging eyes I wanted, and dug around the outer/roots edge, until the piece I wanted came out, then I backfilled the empty spot with soil and patted it down. I transplanted the piece I wanted and it is growing just great, with no setbacks on either the original plant or the piece I removed. I think if you don't bother to dig up the whole plant, it will be pretty much undisturbed, and will fare better than all the root disturbance from digging. Using a sharp serrated knife will get you the piece you want and ensure minimal stress to the rest of the plant.

Sheila, I think you're right. As much as I hate to do it, I'll probably have to cut down the long branches. I think I'll cut into it slowly and hope that some of the branches are salvageable. I'm really surprised about this considering we had a mild Winter. I attribute this to lack of snow cover, which would have provided insulation to the roses. On the plus side, I just got my three own root roses from Joy Creek Nursery! It's like Xmas in April.