Moving shrubs

Kim84 · May 2017

I'm having my garden renovated soon and I was hoping to save a couple shrubs that have been growing nicely without any support or watering from me (so they must be pretty tough and happy in the slay soil they currently sit in). My problem is that the garden will be completely ripped up and if I saved the scrubs at the beginning of this process I will not be able to replant them in their new location (towards the back of the garden, they are at the front at the moment) for maybe a week or two. My question is would they survive siting in a plastic bag for a couple weeks and is there anything I can do to help keep them healthy before I replant them?

Hostafan1 · May 2017

if you get a big enough root ball out ,and you keep them watered ( and out of drying winds and sun) they should be fine.

If they're being ripped out , you've got nothing to lose by trying.

lydiaann · May 2017

I've redone a garden (several years ago now) and I took out all the shrubs and perennials and 'heeled' them into a veg patch, then just kept them watered for the 3 weeks it took to clear, relandscape (terracing with ties) and refill with new top soil the new garden. When I came to move the shrubs back, I just placed them in and hoped for the best. I did add a tiny bit of bone meal and root compost to the base of the hole, and I did water well (using a 'channel' around each one in the beginning), giving them a good feed at the same time. Of all the plants - around 20 that I saved - I think I lost only 2. If you don't have a separate piece of ground as I did, then I think a couple of those flexibins which you can get in the 'pound shops' quite cheaply would hold them until you can put them back (even if they're a bit crowded) - and be useful afterwards.

Fairygirl · May 2017

Water well, big a rootball as you can manage, into big poly bags - heavy duty bin bags with a few holes and a bit of soil/compost - and keep them sheltered. Keep an eye on them so that they don't dry out. They might benefit from a prune too, depending on what they are.

I 've done that on more than one occasion.

Moving shrubs

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