Late winter is the perfect time to relocate deciduous varieties
The days are getting longer and all of us, in our own ways, have settled into the rhythm of winter.
Maybe it’s a later start in the mornings or, as it is with me, an earlier retreat to bed with a mug of chamomile tea and a good book.
It is a time for being snug and warm, to rest where we can and prepare for the year ahead.
The same applies in the garden, where most plants are dormant, building their resources for the coming growing season. It is now, when plants are hibernating, that we must seize the moment and do any garden bed restructuring that’s needed.
As long as the soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen, the late winter weeks on the cusp of spring, is when deciduous trees and shrubs can be carefully unearthed and moved to new locations.
It may be they are failing to thrive where you’ve planted them, or you need their space for something else. Whatever the reason for relocating, do remember it really only works well for trees and shrubs that are less than five years old.
If they have been in the soil for longer, they may be too large to shift but also, they will be so established there’s a risk they won’t ‘take’ in their new home, meaning you’ve gone to all that effort and the only result is a dejected, even dead, tree.
Moving woody plants should be done on a still, cool day when there is little wind or sun to desiccate exposed roots.
The day before you start work, water the plant generously and measure the spread of the tree branches, as this should mirror the radius of the roots.
If you are supremely organised, you can prepare the tree a year in advance by digging a trench around the roots and filling it with sharp sand to encourage fibrous feeder root growth.
If you can’t do this, simply water the tree/shrub well the day before and on the day, dig carefully around the root area and gently raise it from the soil.
Wrap the roots in wet hessian or plastic and immediately replant the tree in its new home. Ideally, dig the hole before you lift the tree, making sure it can accommodate the spread of all the roots.
Plant at the same depth as it was growing before, as planting too deeply is one of the most common killer of plants. Cover the roots with a mix of soil and compost and water well.
Moving house is stressful for us, and so it is with plants, so for a year after relocation, make sure they are fed and watered and not allowed to dry out.
How to help your tree re-establish quickly
1. Dig widely and carefully around the roots of the tree or shrub, and wrap them in plastic after lifting.
2. Use a cane or rule to gauge the correct planting depth so you don’t overplant. Make sure all the roots fit in the hole.
3. Get someone to hold the tree or shrub steady and upright while you add soil and compost all over the roots.
4. Tread down the soil as you go to knock out air pockets and make sure the tree is well supported, then water generously.
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