Top
tips for moving plants
When
you move house, you don’t have to leave behind Grandma’s
heirloom roses or the silver fir you planted when
Junior was born.
It’s
possible to pack and move plants, too. Here’s advice
on how to approach it from Tony Fulmer, retail manager
at Chalet, garden center in Wilmette, Ill.
·
When selling
your home, respect and work with your buyer. If
it’s a major plant you want to take, write it into
the contract.
·
Think about
the seasonal and geographic implications of your
move. If you wouldn’t ordinarily plant the “movee”
from a garden center at this time, think twice before
moving it.
Redbud,
birch, magnolia and Japanese maple prefer spring
through early fall planting. Moving a plant in the
Midwest after late October might well be its death
sentence. Most perennials are best moved in spring
before too much growth has occurred; iris, oriental
poppies and peonies are among exceptions.
·
The larger
the plant and the more advanced the growing season,
the larger the root ball must be to succeed.
If
you know well ahead of time–at least two months
or more, Fulmer says–that you’re going to move a
tree or shrub, consider root pruning. Decide how
large a soil ball you’ll be moving later, take a
sharp spade and cut straight down to one spade depth,
severing the roots. This will promote the growth
of denser, more fibrous roots in the future root
ball.
·
Water the
plant thoroughly, at least 24 hours before the move.
A
well‑hydrated plant will handle the stress
of moving better. A moist root ball also is more
likely to hold together when it's removed from the
hole.
·
Never pull
or lift a plant out of the hole by stems or branches.
Make sure all the roots on the side and bottom have
been severed before moving. Use your shovel or spade
as a lever to remove the plant from the hole. Lift
by the root ball.
·
Mark the
north side of a tree trunk with a small “X”' in
marker or put a ribbon on the north side of a shrub.
Plant it facing the same direction it’s been growing,
to reduce potential for scalding of trunk or foliage.
·
Have suitably
sized containers ready to put plants into. If the
plant is not going to be moved quickly (within a
few hours) fill the space around the roots with
potting soil or sphagnum moss (not peat moss). This
will help keep roots moist and prevent exposure
to the air’s drying effects.
·
If it’s summer
and there’s a time lag from uprooting to replanting,
move the potted plant to at least partial shade
to reduce heat stress. Keep soil moist and replant
quickly.
·
Before you
do any of the above, consider the plant’s age, size,
rarity, replacement expense and sentimental value.
Worst‑case scenario: Would you rather try
to move it and have it die, or let it live but not
own it?
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