It's ugly but it's a great tip

OK , so this is really ugly. In fact, it looks as if the leaves on this rose plant have been hit by a super-fungus problem.

But this is my secret weapon in the garden!

It's an anti-desiccant. A waxy substance you spray on a plant's leaves to stop them from losing moisture. This rose will not lose any moisture from those exposed leaves and I'm about to mess about with the roots in planting it - the rose will survive just fine with no dehydration or water stress.

You can spray just about any plant you want to transplant (spray the leaves) and it will stop the plant from losing moisture (a major cause of planting death)

This white layer will dry clear. And then it will naturally degrade over a few months. New growth will grow right through the thin layer and not be effected at all.

You can find this in most garden shops. If not on the gardening section, ask for some Christmas tree preservative (same thing).

I use it for transplanting anything with a leaf that needs some stress reduction.