Transplanting Made Simple: Magnolia Tree, Spirea Shrub & Dogwood Tips #garden #plants #new, by Sunny Shale Gardens on YouTube. 11 min 42 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 42 s
- Time to do it
- 3 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Water the plant deeply the day before you dig. Damp soil holds the root ball together and helps the plant cope with the move.
Check the ground for buried pipes and cables before you cut turf. In many countries you can ask a free utility locating service to mark them.
Tie the low branches up loosely with soft twine so they stay out of your way while you work around the trunk.
Mark a circle around the trunk. Allow about 30cm of root ball for every 2.5cm of trunk diameter, measured at knee height.
Dig a trench just outside that line. Cut straight down, then work the spade inward and under the ball to free it.
Slide burlap or a tarp under the root ball, lift it with a helper and carry it by the ball, never by the trunk.
Dig the new hole twice as wide as the root ball and exactly as deep, so the top of the ball sits level with the surrounding soil.
Set the plant in, backfill with the dug soil mixed with compost and firm each layer to close air pockets.
Water slowly until the soil settles, then spread 5 to 8cm of mulch, leaving a gap around the trunk.
Prune lightly to balance top growth against the smaller root system, and water weekly through the first growing season.
Tips and common mistakes
Move plants on a cool, cloudy day to cut water loss from the leaves.
Keep the root flare, where the trunk widens, above soil level, because planting too deep is a common way to kill a tree.
Skip fertiliser for the first year and let the roots settle before feeding.
Some leaf drop after the move is normal, so do not panic and dig the plant up again.
Questions
When is the best time to move a shrub?
Late autumn after leaf drop, or early spring before buds open. The plant is dormant then and loses less water while it re-roots.
How big should the root ball be?
A rough rule is 30cm of root ball for every 2.5cm of trunk diameter. Bigger is safer for magnolias, which resent root disturbance.
Can I move a shrub in summer?
It is possible but riskier. Water daily for the first two weeks, shade the plant from strong afternoon sun and expect some dieback.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
