Is it tougher to move a plant in a climate that has no true winters? Perhaps the plants get too big--the plants can't stand the huge reduction in size once people get around to moving them. Or does the winter reset the biological clock of a rose? A large shrub or climbing root will have a much larger root system than a Hybrid Tea, even though both are on Dr. Huey. I just dug up a Tropicana that was in the ground for perhaps 5 years. The anchor roots were pretty thick, but probably not a whole lot longer than when I first planted them. On the other hand, a big shrub can grow roots several feet long. Transplanted bushes often grow better once I've eliminated the tree root competition. I also carried off a 5 gallon pail of invasive tree roots to the compost pile. I typically move as much of the plant as I can. Even though I'm I stroke survivor who is just 5' 2", I can move a pretty big bush.

This is Judy in CA: I just got the biggest laugh read all these rose Bush stories!! Been there done that! In fact one of my sons is coming over tomorrow with his chain saw to hack my four Cecile Bruner roses off at the ground. Then I will use the salt and boiling water trick and see what happens. I planted them seven years ago as a pseudo fence. Used poles and wires and they were beaut the first three or four years. Then I had to trim them sever times a week so they didn’t slap us in the face and stab us with thorns! Plus they were no blooming as before and grown over and into my neighbor’s shed( the pruning got away from her)!!🥴. So my project last sunmet was to cut them to fence height and keep them as small bushes. They had other ideas and I was pruning all the time again to keep them “in shape”! So this year it is bye bye. After the chain saw massacre, I will do as I’ve said plus use the black trash bag on top and pit a barrel with a different rose bush in it that is very well behaved and sm divine! I paved over one at my other house but lo and behold I noticed a “weed” growing up about five feet out from the paving in the middle of my ground cover and yes, it was the pesky rose bush trying to reassert itself. Don’t remember how I dealt with it but I did get rid of it without much trouble. I must have caught it early before it got too much of a hold. At least I feel better that I’m not the only one having this problem. Best thing- use pots for roses!!!

KnockOuts and other shrub roses bloom just fine with two feedings, one early in the season as soon as you see signs of growth and again about 4 weeks later. The timing of any fall feeding depends on your zone. KnockOuts are typically on their own roots (not grafted to another rootstock). Since it gets so hot here (8a) so quickly, I usually use liquid fertilizer on my own-root roses the first year. I like organics (fish fertilizer, alfalfa tea etc) but have also used Mills Liquid feed. As a rule, don't feed a stressed plant. Make sure it gets adequate water; water more frequently when weather is dry and windy. Mulch it well to keep the roots cool. I give all my roses a cold water shower during hot dry periods.

Keep it well watered and see what happens next spring. However what you said about growth just coming from the base of the plant may indicate that the scion died and what is left is the rootstock, a far less desirable rose, usually a variety called 'Dr. Huey', that blooms only in spring with a red flower and that tends to get a lot of foliar disease. If you haven't gardened, you haven't killed a plant. Your rose was grown from a bud, and it lives on in other gardens in many places. The best gardeners are the ones who have killed quite a few plants, sometimes very expensive ones. You learn from your mistakes, and try again, and get better and better at growing things. Takes practice, like everything else.