Shrubs - Transplanting
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  We are building an addition on to our home, and several plants are in harms way, and either must be moved now, or they will be bulldozed down. I know we couldn’t have picked a worse time to move them, but we can’t put off the construction. Give me any tips possible for saving these plants. The ones I really would like to salvage include an old clematis, a mock orange and a butterfly bush. There are several small hollies that I wouldn’t be heartbroken over if they were didn’t survive. One other problem, I would like to plant these same plants back after construction is completed, so give me pointers here as well.

  Dig up as much of the root system as possible, and prune the plant back by one third to one half. This should compensate for any root loss. Heel the plants in together in a shady area of your yard and mulch them well. Keep them watered. The plants will probably droop considerably for a few weeks, but should survive. After construction, hopefully by October or November, you can move them back into their permanent locations. Keep them well watered, and mulched, and allow them to re-establish roots before you start pushing them with fertilizer. Using root stimulator will help with re-establishment.

  I need to transplant some large shrubs that are blocking my view. It is some type of hedge with small round leaves. When is the best time to move them, and how far back can they be pruned when I move them?

  Try to get the plants moved by the end of this month, or as early in March as possible. When the plants are dormant, there is less stress to the plant. If it is a common privet, which it sounds like, it can be pruned back almost to the ground when you move them. Try to get as much of a root ball as you can. Protect the roots from prolonged exposure to cold temperatures or drying winds. Water well, but avoid fertilization.

  We have had good luck in the past moving bushes and small trees. We wait until this time of year and they do just fine. This year, we have some things we want to transplant, but are worried about how warm it has been. Has the sap dropped even if has been warm? Or should we wait a little longer? And what about bulbs--can I put them in the ground now?

  Now is still a great time to move plants, even if some of them aren't totally dormant. The sap doesn't matter really. The soil temperature is still warm and the roots can begin to get established without having to worry about putting on foliage or top growth. This will give you stronger plants, by next summer. Bulbs can be planted from now through December.

  I wish to move a weigelia bush. It also needs a trim to shape it. The same question applies to a spirea bush that must be moved. When should I move these bushes and should I cut them back severely when I move them or just trim them a little? Do you have an e-mail address?

  You can safely move your bushes any time from now through early March. I would allow the weigelia to bloom before pruning it, since it is a late spring bloomer. Then simply thin out some of the older canes close to the bush and do any other needed shaping. Is your spirea a spring bloomer or summer bloomer? If it blooms in the spring, allow it to bloom before pruning, if it blooms in the summer, prune as needed before new growth begins in the spring. 

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