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| I should have moved these last Fall, but I just didnt get around to it.
The city is digging up the road in front of my house & adding a sidewalk. I have a group of shrubs that will be destroyed if I dont move them. Diablo Nine-bark (5 yrs), Flowering peach (6 yrs), 2 variegated dogwood (5yrs),3 Mock Orange (4yrs). 2 Rhododendron (5 yrs) and a Hydrangea(5 (yrs) The nine-bark and the mock orange are over 6 ft, the others are under 4 ft. SInce I am moving them at the wrong time of year - should I prune them back hard? I have read what I can find on moving shrubs, but I dont see any mention of cutting them back before the move. I will move them as soon as I can this spring (the snow is almost all melted now and will be gone in the next few days) Any advice would be appreciated. - Thanks |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 12, 12 at 11:11
| why do you think its the wrong time of year???? in my z5 .. and it should be the same for you.. you can move stuff in april .. as soon as the ground thaws.. or in october ... otherwise ... you probably have some rather large stuff there .. and nothing that is all that rare ... i would think long and hard about killing yourself to move things.. that you can replace cheap albiet smaller for now .... in other words.. are you up for 8 to 10 hours of EXTREME physical labor.. just to save $100 to replace them all??? i am getting to the point in life where i would rather spend the money .. if i had any .. lol .. it can easily be done now.. or at ground thaw ... the question is.. is it worth it??? ken ps: a 9 foot ninebark .. will need a 2 to 3 foot rootball.. which will easily weigh 200+ pounds.. a half hour to dig the new hole.. and hour to dig the tree .. figure out how to lift 200# out of the hole.. and then another hour dragging it across the yard ... dropping it in the hole.. struggle to set it properly .. backfilling.. watering.. etc ... all for what.. a $20 tree you can get at bigboxstore in a 5 gallon pot.. that is smaller.. but can be planted in 20 mins???? |
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| Spring is still a good time to transplant. The diablo, mock orange, and variegated dogwood can be cut back or thinned considerably if they are too large. Diablo is tough as nails and can handle a smaller root ball. Good luck. |
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| Ken, mandolls would incur the cost of new shrubs and lose the cost of the original shrubs. I move my shrubs around all the time with no problems. I would rather use the $$$ to purchase new shrubs on something else. But then I am not mandolls and cannot make that decision for hom. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 12, 12 at 13:09
| sure.. if OP is 30 something.. go for it.. if OP is 60 something ... well ???? you decide ken |
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| Thanks all for the input. I thought it was the wrong time of year because everything I read says the fall is the time. I listed 10 shrubs, which around here replacement costs would be closer to $300, and while I wouldnt have to dig up the root balls, I would still have to dig the new holes and lug them across the yard.(yes smaller and lighter, but.....) I'm 50 something - so young enough to do it, but yep - I'll be hurting when its all done. I'll cut back the tall ones to make them easier to handle and go for it. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Mar 13, 12 at 15:19
| Fall is a more ideal time but you can certainly do it now.....or as soon as your soil can be worked. Transplanting in fall offers an ability to get a good root system established before the heat and dryness of summer. But that doesn't mean you can't accomplish virtually the same effect if you are dilligent about watering this season. If you can move them before they fully emerge from dormancy, so much the better. Once they are leafed out, there is a much greater risk of transplant shock as well as them needing as much topgrowth as possible to support root development so heavy cutting back should be avoided. I say go for it, but do it soon!! |
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| I would recommend thinning of older wood over cutting back completely. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Mar 13, 12 at 19:28
| listen to me closely .... prune back before moving.. to a height that AIDS MOVING THEM .. and then prune further after ... or next year for beauty .. if it lives ... e.g. leaving 3 or 4 foot whips.. which you can pull on well dragging it across the yard .... can aid in moving them ... and then can be pruned to the ground later ... we can do the reshaping.. in fall.. or next year.. just make it easy to do the work .. even with years of experience.. i would predict.. for myself.. at this size.. 50% success rate ... so do what you have to do.. make yourself happy.. but dont fret if you fail ... aftercare will be the key to success ... ken ps: on removing decade old junipers at mom's house decades ago .. the first one i cut to the ground.. and started digging.. and then realized.. i left no trunk for leverage to work it out of the ground.. duh ... on the next one.. i left a 4 footer there.. and the digging took at least half the effort and time ... one might say.. that wisdom comes with experience .. lol .. |
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| Thanks Ken - good tip, I'll prune with carry-ability in mind until I get them in their new homes. The ground is still frozen, but is starting to soften up. I'll get them moved as soon as I can dig the new holes. |
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