GARDEN CAPSULE
The challenge: You need to move a couple of established shrubs..
The solution: If you need to move the shrubs this spring, do it as soon as possible, while the weather is still cool. Choose a cloudy day when the soil is moist but not soggy, and have your new planting holes ready. Dig as much of the shrubs’ root systems as you can possibly manage, making note that the diameter of the rootball is probably wider than the spread of the shrubs’ branches. If you can’t dig all the roots, use sharp pruners to sever any thick roots that remain in the ground.
Set the root ball at the same level it was growing before the move, and fill in with soil around the roots, then water thoroughly and spread a 3- to 4-inch blanket of mulch on the ground surrounding the shrubs.
Pluses: Moved in early spring, most shrubs are surprisingly resilient when transplanted to a new location. The move offers a good chance to make sure that the new location offers the right conditions for the shrubs you’re transplanting, as well as enough room to accommodate their mature size.
Minuses: Root balls are very heavy; to move a large shrub, you may need to hire a professional who has special equipment.
Important feeder roots are almost always lost when transplanting a shrub. The most dependable method for transplanting, called root-pruning, requires 6 months to a year of preparation: Use a sharp spade to slice around the circumference of the shrub just inside the dripline, but leave the shrub in place until the following spring. This method allows the shrub time to grow new feeder roots that are easier to dig up at transplant time.
Sources: For more information, go to extension.psu.edu/. In the search box, type Transplanting or Moving Trees and Shrubs in the Landscape.