Hi all, just an update to say a friend attempted to move these whilst I was not there and things did not go well so I will have to purchase new ones in the future!
That's a shame but at least you tried (or at least your friend did). It was probably for the best, as the others have said, the job was never going to be easy.
If it’s a choice between binning them and attempting to move them ... and you’re up for the challenge, I would do it right away as there is some mild temps forecast in the south of the UK this next week or more.
My best transplanting results have come with this approach:
1. Cut about 1/3rd back evenly to reduce the overall size. This will reduce the amount of foliage the reduced root system will have to support and make it easier to move. 2. Dig the new holes 2-3’ wide and deep, mix up the dug our soil with the same amount of compost. 3. Dig a trench around the base of each and try to get a rootball around 2’ in diameter. 4. Keep sharp pruning shears to hand as you dig and get in the hole and make clean cuts through roots which extend further than the rootball. 5. Before putting in the new hole, soak the rootball with a hose and sprinkle rootgrow powder all over it. 6. Put a layer of the soil/compost mix down and sprinkle more rootgrow on that. 7. Place the shrub in the whole and fill around the root with the rest of the soul/compost mix. 8. Water in each week (unless it rains) with maxicrop take root (I’ve had great results with this).
I’d say no. They’re nothing special, as mentioned. And when they’re that size they are extremely hard work to move, if not impossible without muscle and machines.
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My best transplanting results have come with this approach:
1. Cut about 1/3rd back evenly to reduce the overall size. This will reduce the amount of foliage the reduced root system will have to support and make it easier to move.
2. Dig the new holes 2-3’ wide and deep, mix up the dug our soil with the same amount of compost.
3. Dig a trench around the base of each and try to get a rootball around 2’ in diameter.
4. Keep sharp pruning shears to hand as you dig and get in the hole and make clean cuts through roots which extend further than the rootball.
5. Before putting in the new hole, soak the rootball with a hose and sprinkle rootgrow powder all over it.
6. Put a layer of the soil/compost mix down and sprinkle more rootgrow on that.
7. Place the shrub in the whole and fill around the root with the rest of the soul/compost mix.
8. Water in each week (unless it rains) with maxicrop take root (I’ve had great results with this).
Good luck!