Moving yew hedging

meN0A5NeCK · August 2023

Hi, could anyone advise me around moving some yew hedging. Annoying I need to move it for complicated reasons. It was planted just under three years ago and each plant was a netted root ball now around 5’ tall.

A) What are my chances of moving it successfully?
b) Could I plant them somewhere temporarily for a period, up to two weeks moving moving them to their final position?

Many thanks

Fairygirl · August 2023

Not the best time of year unless you're in a consistently damp part of the country, but if you need to move them, then that's how it is.
The usual method is best - thoroughly soak them, dig out as big a root ball as possible, and replant at the same level. Water well and mulch if you can, keep an eye on the watering, and by about November, they should be establishing quite well again. By that time they shouldn't need watered as it will be cooler and damper anyway. They don't like being waterlogged, so you'll have to judge the watering, but as long as the new site has been well prepped, and the drainage is good, they should be ok.

As they're quite large, it's worth cutting them back first too. That's less stressful on the roots as there's less top to support.
If you have some large containers, you could certainly pot them up temporarily.

meN0A5NeCK · August 2023

Thank you - that's incredibly helpful. I wish we didn't need to move them at all. I think our soil is quite damp as clay based? We'll have a couple of weeks reprieve but then they'll have to move if we want to keep them. Many thanks

Fairygirl · August 2023

Clay is always better improved first with organic matter to help with drainage.
Clay on it's own can be heavy, soggy and poorly draining, which wouldn't be great for yew.

Moving yew hedging

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