Transplanting a bush involves relocating an established plant, often necessitated by overcrowding or landscape redesign. This move causes shock because a significant portion of the root system is severed. Successfully moving a shrub requires meticulous planning and precise execution to minimize stress. The goal is to preserve the fine, water-absorbing roots and ensure the bush can quickly establish a new root system in its new environment.
Determining the Best Time and Preparing the Site
The most favorable window for transplanting shrubs is the dormant season, typically late fall after leaf drop or early spring before the buds begin to swell. Moving a bush during this period is beneficial because the plant is not actively pushing out new foliage. This allows it to dedicate its limited energy reserves toward root regeneration. Moving the shrub during summer heat or winter freeze places undue stress on the plant, greatly reducing its chance of survival.
For established, larger shrubs, preparation can begin up to a year in advance with root pruning. This involves cleanly severing a ring of roots around the plant using a sharp spade. This encourages the growth of dense, fibrous feeder roots closer to the trunk within the area that will become the root ball. This technique helps ensure a compact, manageable root ball containing the delicate roots responsible for nutrient and water absorption.
The new planting site must be fully prepared before the bush is dug, as minimizing the time the roots are exposed to air is important. The new hole should be excavated to be two to three times wider than the estimated diameter of the root ball, but the depth should be slightly shallower. This wider, shallower profile provides loosened soil for new lateral root growth. It also prevents the bush from settling too deeply, which could lead to water pooling and root rot.
Carefully Excavating and Moving the Bush
The size of the root ball is a factor for successful transplanting, determined by the diameter of the shrub’s trunk, known as the caliper. A common guideline suggests the root ball should measure approximately 10 to 12 inches in diameter for every one inch of trunk caliper, measured about six inches above the soil line. This calculation ensures that a sufficient mass of the root system remains intact to support the plant.
Begin the excavation by marking the calculated root ball diameter on the soil surface. Use a sharp spade to slice down vertically around this circumference, cleanly severing the roots. Dig a trench outside of this marked circle to expose the sides of the root ball, angling the spade inward as you dig deeper to gently undercut the ball. The goal is to separate the root mass from the surrounding soil while keeping the soil around the roots intact.
Once the root ball is undercut and separated, it must be secured to maintain its integrity during the move. For most shrubs, this involves wrapping the entire soil ball tightly with burlap or a tarp. This helps prevent the soil from crumbling and exposing the sensitive roots to drying air. The bush should be lifted and moved by supporting the root ball, never by pulling on the trunk or branches, which could damage the plant’s cambium layer.
Replanting and Ensuring Successful Establishment
Upon arriving at the new site, gently position the bush into the prepared hole. Make sure the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the surrounding grade. Planting too deeply is a common error that can suffocate the roots, so the root flare—the area where the trunk widens at the base—should remain visible above the soil line. Any burlap or wrapping material should be removed from the sides and top of the root ball before backfilling, or at least cut away and folded down.
Carefully backfill the hole with the original soil, breaking up any large clumps to ensure good contact between the soil and the newly exposed roots. Do not overly compact the soil, as this restricts the flow of oxygen and water. Gently tamp the soil down to eliminate large air pockets. Immediately after backfilling, water the bush deeply and thoroughly, allowing the water to settle the soil naturally around the roots.
Post-planting care focuses on regulating soil moisture until the new root system is fully established, a process that can take a full year or more. Apply a two-to-three-inch layer of organic mulch, such as wood chips, over the entire area of the backfilled hole. Keep the mulch several inches away from the trunk to prevent moisture buildup and disease. During the first few weeks, the soil should be checked daily for moisture, and the bush should be watered deeply every few days to encourage the roots to grow outward into the surrounding, drier soil.