MOVING A
TREE OR SHRUB
Occasionally it is necessary to move a tree or shrub. It may have
outgrown its position or you may simply want to take it with you
when you move house. Unless the job is urgent, it’s best to wait
until the plant is dormant in fall or winter.
YOU WILL NEED
• spade and fork
• cane
• garden compost
• tarp or old blanket
• watering can
• pruners
SEE ALSO
• PLANT A TREE >> 160/163
• REMOVE A BRANCH >> 166/167
1
Clear the ground around the
plant to allow for easy access
and digging. Choose a dry, mild day
when the soil is workable, rather
than attempting to dig into ground
that is waterlogged or frozen.
2
Prepare the new hole in advance
so the plant can be moved to its
new position swiftly. Clear the area
of weeds and make a circular hole
large and deep enough to take the
tree or shrub.
Water the soil
the day before
so it is easy
to work
PREPARING TO MOVE
Moving can be stressful to trees
and shrubs, so it is best done
when they are dormant in fall
and winter. Lightly prune to
remove dead wood before the
move, but do not prune hard.
US_168-169_MoveTreeShrub.indd 168 07/09/2018 16:34
SMALL TREES // MOVING A TREE OR SHRUB 168–169
4
Lift the plant out of the hole and
wrap the roots up in a tarp or old
blanket. The idea is to prevent the roots
from drying out, so transfer the plant to
its new hole as soon as possible.
Small branches
can be fragile
so move the
plant with care
3
Carefully dig around the
plant with a spade, trying
to include as many of the fine
roots as possible. As a rule
of thumb, the roots should
be as wide as the outer edge
of the plant’s canopy.
5
Place the plant in the new hole and use a
cane to check the planting depth. Make
sure that the tree or shrub is planted no
deeper than before, adding or taking away
soil from the bottom of the hole as needed.
6
Water the plant
in well and continue to
water for the following
spring and summer. Apply
a layer of mulch to retain
moisture. If any branches
die back after the move,
prune them back to
healthy wood. Keep the
site free of weeds.
US_168-169_MoveTreeShrub.indd 169 07/09/2018 16:34
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.