Help with my front garden and tomatoes!

Question: Good Afternoon! I have two questions. First, it appears that my knockout rose bush on the right side of my garden is killing the bush next to it? Should I move the rose bush? How can I do so without killing it? Also, I know I need to trim the other two bushes, my apologies for showing an overgrown garden! Second question is about my container grown tomatoes on back patio. I read that if there are too many tomatoes growing on a vine it can stunt their growth and they will not turn red/ripe. Is 4 tomatoes too many? Please help!

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 30, 2023, 3:48 PM EDT
response: The mature size of a typical Knock Out series rose variety is roughly 5 feet high and wide, even if pruned back drastically each March. Given that, it might be too close to the Euonymus (the golden-leaved evergreen next to it) for each plant to thrive, but it won't kill it outright. The Euonymus might just grow more to the side of the rose, arching over some, as compensation. You can certainly move either of the two plants if you want each one to have more room to itself. The mature size of Golden Euonymus would be roughly 5 to 8 feet high and maybe 4 to 6 feet wide if unpruned, but most gardeners keep them trimmed so they stay smaller, which they are very tolerant of. The rose will require full sun (6-8 hours or more of direct summer sun) to thrive, so if you have to prioritize who gets planted where, that may help since Euonymus is less particular. That said, the vibrant yellow color of the Euonymus will become more lime-green if it gets a measurable amount of shade, even though it will otherwise be ok.  As for timing, you can transplant either now as long as you're able to monitor them for watering needs, or wait until early autumn or even next spring. When transplanting any shrub, dig as large of a root ball as manageable, keeping in mind that most roots are within the top foot or so of soil and will grow outwards horizontally from the center of the plant, so most root balls will be wider than deep when dug. The loss of some cut roots when digging is unavoidable, but the fewer that are damaged, the easier a time the plant will have readjusting to its new location. Water it well a day or so prior so it's well-hydrated, water it in again well when it's finished being replanted, and if you have the option, do the move on a day or series of days that will be overcast.  As for the tomato, keeping that many fruits in a cluster is just fine. The issue with leaving too many fruits in close proximity for ripening and sizing-up is more applicable to tree fruits (apple, peach, plum, etc.), where thinning-out and removing some of them while still small helps improve the quality and flavor of those remaining. To ensure the plant has what it needs to ripen them all well and keep its foliage robust as well, just keep an eye on its watering needs by feeling the soil moisture level a few inches deep near its base and occasionally fertilizing. Our tomatoes web content may be useful regarding typical care plus common problems to look out for.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 30, 2023, 4:44 PM EDT
response: Thank you so much for your professional advice! I will follow accordingly! Grateful Amateur Gardner,Irene Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android  On Fri, Jun 30, 2023 at 3:48 PM, Ask Extension<<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 30, 2023, 5:04 PM EDT
response: You're welcome!