leave as +much old root ball and soil as possible. Pop it into a heavy mill plastic. water water water. Slide it into a well prepared hole when you get it home. Cut it back at least a third. water water water. At least that is my opinion.

Yes, cut it back. The remaing root ball can only support as much top growth as the size of the undamaged root ball. It's important to avoid soil loss from the roots. Soil falling away from the roots takes tiny feeder roots with it. The loss of too many feeder roots means the plant can't take up as much moisture as it loses thru transpiration. Removing a lot of top growth means there is less leaf area to lose moisture. Flowers take a lot of moisture so cutting them plus any buds also helps hold moisture. After planting don't fertilize but do water, water, water and water deeply. Let the hose run slowly on the ground for an hour or more so the water gets down deep. When you think you've watered enough, water some more.

I don't like to cut back transplanted roses, because I think it is better to let the rose decide how much it can support. I have moved them in the heat of summer with little to no dieback. They need every inch of cane and leaves to help them regenerate their root system.

That said, the watering advice is spot-on. I would also remove all blossoms, even immediately, to save the plant putting out that unnecessary energy.

Hi there!
I second Karls advice to cut back (a third to half, thinning out old stuff) and not to fertilize. Roses are just semi-shrubs, so you dont ruin their branching or anything. And I think hard pruning encourages new growth of roots and stalks/shoots. Dieback is not the problem IMO but rather whether they manage to support their remaining shoots and foliage.

And do clip back all flowers. A flowering plant channels all energy into flowers and seedheads. Without flowers you get more vegetative growth.
My dad, a gardener as well, told me that he moved some really old rose bushes once in full summer, and he thought cutting back to be the key. Well, good luck, cheers, Lin

I agree with cutting it back a bit, especially the roses.

Prepare your planting hole at home in advance so it's ready when the bush arrives. Work up the soil with some amendments if needed. Make sure the soil is moist but definitely not muddy. Try to plant the bush at the same soil level as before. I think it's good to plant late in the day when it's not so hot (maybe it's not hot where you are). Hope you have a good sunny spot for the bush. When I transplant a bush in the summer, sometimes I cover it with a sheet or something during the hottest part of the day (for just a couple days). Be sure to keep the rootball moist while transporting--put it in a plastic bag or something like that. Let us know how it goes. You should be fine.

Thanks for all your help. I think the consensus is to cut it back so I will do that. I am so thankful for the help I get on this site and I have never had any bad advice.

Take care and I'll let you know how it does
Doris