We’re all in the market for gardening hacks: clever free or low-cost alternatives that reduce the cost of creating a garden. One idea that has captured the imagination in recent years is using the tubes inside toilet paper rolls as biodegradable seedling pots. Heck, I’m always up for ways to save a few bucks while saving the planet.

Using these tubes as starter pots is one of the most enduring viral gardening tips out there, and for good reason: they are free, accessible, and theoretically biodegradable. But when starting seeds indoors, there is a problem that you might not always spot until it’s too late. Say you nurture a tray of sweet peas or zinnias, only to find that weeks after transplanting, the plants have stalled. The culprit? The very cardboard meant to protect them. Instead of melting into the earth, the tube's a stubborn wall with the seedling’s roots curled into a desperate ball inside.

It’s heartbreaking to think your eco-friendly intentions might have accidentally created a root prison. But don't give up on this noble cause just yet. This month is the perfect time to master a quick trick that makes your toilet roll pots safer and more yielding to the needs of growing plants. Here’s how to avoid stunted seedlings, and ensure your pots support (rather than stifle) your young plants.

Hidden Risks of Toilet Paper Tubes

It’s an appealing notion: using toilet paper tubes as biodegradable pots for seedlings you can start indoors. Every household has a steady supply, and in the high-stakes month of March, when we’re suddenly seed starting everything from kale to cosmos, having a free pot source feels like a real win. The stiff tube stands on its own, and the deep, narrow shape is reminiscent of professional root trainers.

From an expert perspective, these DIY seed starter pots offer a unique advantage for plants with sensitive taproots. Species like sweet peas, lupines, and poppies hate having their toes touched. By using biodegradable toilet paper rolls for seedlings, you’re priming a seamless transition from the windowsill to the garden bed. You give them light and water, watch them sprout, and then tuck the whole unit into the soil when the time is right.

Unfortunately, not all cardboard is created equal. Some tubes are reinforced with heavy glues or waxes to keep them rigid. If the cardboard doesn't stay consistently saturated in the ground, it can wick moisture away from the seedling’s roots, drying them out like a thirsty sponge. So it’s vital to ensure your pots are modified now to prevent this seed starting mistake – before that first seed hits the soil.

Why Biodegradable Isn't Always Safe

Put simply, toilet paper tubes can quickly become root prisons, in a manner of speaking. If the cardboard doesn't disintegrate rapidly, plant roots become pot-bound even though they’re in the ground. The roots hit that cardboard wall, can’t find a way through, and begin to circle. You’ll find seedling growth stunted, where the rootbound plant survives but never truly thrives, because its foundation is compromised.

In a dry spring or in clay-heavy soil, the pot’s decomposition process slows to a crawl. When the roots of seedlings become confined in this way, it limits access to water and oxygen. It’s an excruciating thought, that hungry roots can wind up unable to reach the nutrients just an inch away on the other side of that “friendly” layer.

Of course, you could try to peel the tube off at planting time, but the cardboard can often stick to the delicate root hairs, causing the very transplant shock you were trying to avoid in using the rolls in the first place. So to make this hack more effective, we have to build escape hatches into the design from day one.

Toilet Roll Trick to Save Seedlings

Yes, there is a way to save your loo roll hack and make sure it stays effective! It involves modifying the pots in early spring so the roots have a clear exit strategy. In some circles, it’s called the Slit and Fold method, and it’s reassuringly simple. This is a great project for a March afternoon when you’re itching to get sowing. Here’s how to adapt your seed pots.

1. Your tube shouldn’t be a giant tower. Aim for 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) tall. If needs be, use small garden scissors or snips, like the lovely Fiskars Micro-Tip Snips from Amazon, to cut the roll down to a better size.
2. Use your scissors to cut four vertical slits into the bottom inch of the tube. Space the slits evenly, almost like you’re creating the flaps of a cardboard box.
3. Fold these flaps inward, overlapping them to create a false bottom. This will hold the seed soil mix in while the plant is on your windowsill, but more importantly, it provides four distinct seams that transplanted plant roots can easily push through once in the garden.

By creating these seams, you’re ensuring that even if the cardboard is slow to rot, the roots won’t be trapped in a circle. They’ll find those vertical gaps (which will also have loosened up underground) and head straight out into the surrounding soil to find water and other goodness.

Benefits of This Easy Trick

The primary benefit of the modified toilet roll trick is preventing that dreaded root prison effect. But that’s not the only benefit. The slits in the sides of the tubes also assist with drainage and airflow while the seedlings are indoors. Because the sides are breathable, the roots are naturally air-pruned when they reach the edge, encouraging a more fibrous, healthy root system rather than one long, circling mess.

The folded bottom also helps to prevent wet feet, reducing the chance of rot. Excess water can easily seep out of the bottom seams, reducing the risk of pythium, the dreaded damping off fungus that kills seedlings overnight. Make sure you maintain healthy seedling watering in tandem with growing in toilet rolls. Bottom watering is often better for seedlings grown in toilet roll tubes. You can buy Plant Growing Trays with No Holes from Amazon. Remember, water the tray, not the tube, to prevent a soggy mess before transplant day.

When to Use Loo Roll Trick

So is this a one-size-fits-all solution for sustainable sowings? Well, not quite. While there is no downside to this slit-and-fold method, it’s most vital for problem plants. It is particularly important for slow-growing seedlings like brassicas. Conversely, fast growing seedlings are also good candidates. The slits allow their roots to push out easily and anchor them in the soil. Key plants to start in amended toilet rolls include:

• Legumes: Beans and peas love the depth for their long roots.
• Sunflowers: These grow fast, and you'll find that sunflowers appreciate that extra bit of vertical stability.
• Root crops: If you're brave enough to start carrots or beets indoors, the deeper toilet roll tube boosts your chances of success.

Some seed starts are less of a match for this bio-friendly process. If you are growing tiny, delicate seeds like petunias or snapdragons, the large surface area of a toilet paper tube can lead to soil drying out too fast. For these divas, invest in coir pellets or a dedicated seed starter tray, like the Jiffy Self Watering Seed Starter Trays from Lowe’s for the consistent moisture levels tiny seeds need to crack their hulls.

Getting Seedlings Safely Outdoors

Toilet paper rolls are essentially wet wood, so you might see tiny white mushrooms or fuzzy white substances growing on the outside of the tubes when sitting in a tray. This may look unpleasant, but it’s actually a sign of healthy decomposition, so don’t throw your seedlings away.

When it's time to transplant, remember the final step of this toilet roll (slit and strip) trick – the strip. If the top of your cardboard tube is sticking up above the soil line like a chimney, it may pull moisture away from the plant. Use your snips to trim the cardboard so it sits below the soil surface. But don't get too hung up on perfect sustainability. If a trick is causing you more stress than joy, it’s OK to improvise, and mix and match with other sustainable or reliable sowing options.

While I love the thriftiness of a toilet paper roll, I may use heavy-duty recycled plastic pots or CowPots, available from Amazon and made from composted manure, for certain veggie seedlings. Alongside this, I start basil, parsley and cilantro in paper egg cartons. Do what makes sense to you, and have fun while you are doing it.

Shop Great Seedling Support

Before you start folding cardboard, there are a few other basic seed starting essentials that guarantee the very best start. To take your seedlings from tiny sprouts to sturdy transplants, make sure you have these seed-care essentials to nurture and protect their ongoing growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

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March offers a narrow window to relocate established shrubs before dormancy ends and new growth surges. Move too late and transplant shock hits hard. These seven shrubs can still be safely dug and resettled, but only just.

The ground is still cold in most of the country, and that’s working in your favor. Shrubs that haven’t broken dormancy yet sit in a kind of suspended state—roots are idle, sap demand is low, and the plant isn’t pushing any new growth yet. That’s the exact window where transplant shock does the least damage. Dig one up now and it barely notices. Wait three weeks and you’re fighting against the plant at every step.

Not every type of shrub handles a spring move the same way. Some are more forgiving than others, and a few push out of dormancy earlier than you’d expect which makes even early March feel a little tight. The seven plants below are still safely in their dormant window, and transplanting at this time is meaningfully different from moving them at the end of the month. Avoid transplant shock by moving these shrubs before it is too late.

1. Lilac

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is famously slow to forgive a bad transplant—move one in summer and expect two years of sulking and zero blooms. In early March, though, the calculus actually changes. Buds are still tight, the root system hasn’t committed to anything yet, and if you dig wide rather than deep and drop it back in at the same depth, it’ll mostly just keep going. A transplanting spade, like the Fiskars D-handle transplanting spade which is available from the Home Depot, cuts through soil easily and makes transplanting a cinch.

Wide is the key word there—the root system on a mature lilac fans out considerably more than it drives down, and a narrow, hasty root ball is where most failed moves start. Don’t fertilize yet, because pushing top growth before the roots have re-established just creates a mismatch the plant genuinely can’t sustain.

Water it in thoroughly, mulch the base to hold moisture during any dry spells, and let the thing settle before you ask anything of it. Give it the full season and resist the urge to fuss.

2. Forsythia

The thing about forsythia (Forsythia spp.) is that it wakes up earlier than most people realize, and by the tail end of March in a lot of zones those yellow flowers are already cracking open. Miss that window and you’re moving a plant that’s already mid-effort, which doesn’t go well.

Right now the canes are still bare and the roots haven’t started pulling hard yet, so a clean lift and same-day replant won’t set it back much. The single most important step is to prep the new hole before you even put a shovel in the ground near the old plant—roots exposed to open air for even short periods of time start to dry and stress in ways that don’t always show up immediately but become obvious later as sluggish establishment.

Get it into a spot with at least six hours of direct sun; forsythia in too much shade gets leggy within a season or two and basically stops blooming reliably, which defeats the whole point.

3. Spirea

Spirea’s root system is compact and fibrous, which honestly makes it one of the easier moves on this list—you don’t have to dig out half the yard to get a workable root ball. Even on plants that have been in the ground for several years, the root mass tends to stay fairly contained, so a solid 12–15 inch (30–38 cm) diameter ball is usually enough for a medium-sized plant.

Prune spirea to take off any dead or crossing wood while you’re at it, then settle it back in at the same depth and firm the soil well around the base. A sharp, clean spade matters more than people expect here. Clean cuts through roots heal significantly faster than torn ones, and that difference shows up in how quickly the plant bounces back.

Water deeply after planting and keep an eye on it during any dry stretches in April. Spirea establishes fast but appreciates consistent moisture in that first month.

4. Hydrangea

Hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) earned their diva reputation on summer moves, not spring ones. Attempt a relocation in July and the results are predictably grim—wilting, leaf drop, a long sulky recovery that may cost you two full bloom seasons. Right now, while the branches are bare and the root system hasn’t woken up yet, a hydrangea can be transplanted with far less fuss.

Go for a full, generous root ball, replant at the exact same depth (burying the crown even 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) too deep causes real problems down the line), and mulch the base to hold soil moisture through any dry spring stretches.

You may lose this year’s blooms depending on the variety, but a well-moved hydrangea comes back stronger.

5. Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) is honestly the easiest one to move in early spring, mostly because winter already did half the work. The canes die back so hard in most climates that there’s barely any top growth left to put real pressure on the roots during butterfly bush transplanting.

Cut what’s left down to about 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) before or during the move—this takes even more stress off the root system and gives the plant a genuinely clean slate to push from. Butterfly bush is also more drought-tolerant than most shrubs on this list, which means a briefly stressed root system isn’t going to spiral the way it might with something more delicate.

Full sun only—this plant doesn’t negotiate on light—and if your soil runs heavy or stays wet after rain, work in some grit or compost before you plant. It’ll push vigorous new growth pretty fast once it gets its footing, often leafing out noticeably within two to three weeks.

6. Viburnum

Viburnum (Viburnum spp.) is the one on this list where you need to really budget your time before starting. It’s woodier and its roots spread out more than you’d expect, so the dig takes longer and the root ball feels heavy to lug around once it’s out.

Younger plants—five years or under—move pretty cleanly. Older specimens with a decade of spread in the ground are a real project, and it’s worth asking whether the effort is worth it before committing. If you’re going for it, go wide with the dig rather than deep.

Keep the ball as intact as you can manage, and replant somewhere with roughly the same sun exposure it had before. Viburnum doesn’t love adjusting to a dramatically different light situation at the same time it’s recovering from a move. Mix in a flowering shrub fertilizer, like Miracle-Gro Shake-N-Feed from Home Depot, at the base of the planting hole so recovering roots have something gentle to work with without getting pushed into aggressive top growth before they’re ready.

7. Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is one of the more forgiving shrubs on this list for timing, because it breaks dormancy later than almost anything else in the spring garden—which buys a little extra margin in early March. The showy late-summer flowers won’t appear until July or August anyway, so there’s no immediate bloom season at stake.

Cut the branches back by about a third at the time of the move to reduce moisture demand on the recovering root system, then replant in well-drained soil in full sun and give it plenty of room to grow—mature plants reach 8–12 feet (2.4–3.7 m) tall and almost as wide.

Transplanted rose of Sharon should be settled in with a deep watering, and top with a good compost and it’ll reward you with months of color come summer without a lot of complaint.

Perennials come back every year in your garden, which makes them relatively low maintenance. However, they do need dividing every once in a while. It’s important to understand which perennials to divide in fall before temperatures drop too low.

Perennial plants need dividing to ensure their roots have enough room to grow and take up nutrients. Dividing also helps manage the size and spread of plants and gives you more plants for additional garden areas. Here’s everything you need to know about plants to move before winter.

Why Divide and Transplant in Fall?

While many gardeners choose to divide perennials in the spring, fall is also a great time for this chore. The temperatures are cooler and dropping, which puts less stress on the roots that are being disturbed and cut.

If you don’t wait too long in fall, the soil will still be warm, which the roots also need to get established. Fall is often rainy, which will provide your new transplants with plenty of water to grow and get comfortable before winter. With the right timing, transplanted divisions will have enough time and good weather conditions to establish a good foundation for the following year.

The Best Plants to Divide and Move Before Winter

Perennials perform best when divided regularly, and fall can be a great time to do it, but now you need to know what to divide this time of year. For instance, can you divide hostas in the fall? How about dividing daylilies in fall? Or mums or peonies? Here’s a cheat sheet for perennials that can safely be divided just before winter:

• Astilbe
• Black-eyed Susans
• Coneflowers
• Coreopsis
• Daylilies
• Grasses
• Hostas
• Irises
• Oriental poppy
• Phlox
• Salvia

And a quick note about what not to divide now: fall-flowering plants. For example, it’s best to leave mums and asters alone until spring. Plants in flower are putting energy into blooms. They should be divided when they can put that energy into root and leaf growth.

Also avoid dividing woody plants. Only divide peonies if you really need to. They can be divided in the fall but generally don’t take well to being uprooted and moved.

How to Divide Perennials

Dividing plants is relatively easy, but it might require a little muscle if your plants are big or have extensive roots. Start by planning this chore for a cloudy day with cool temperatures. Moving plants on a hot day that is too dry will cause them unnecessary stress.

1. If there's no rain in the forecast, water your plants the day before dividing them. If it's been raining and the soil is moist, skip this step.
2. Use a garden fork or, ideally, a sharp transplanting shovel, like this Vnimti transplanting spade on Amazon, to dig up the parent plant. Work carefully and slowly to avoid causing the roots any unnecessary damage.
3. Gently remove dirt from the roots. They don’t need to be clean, but you should be able to see the roots to divide them.
4. Separate the plant into smaller divisions by gently pulling apart roots or cutting them with a sharp garden tool like Perwin's highly rated hori hori knife, available on Amazon.
5. Make sure each division has three to five healthy shoots and a good clump of vigorous roots.
6. Keep each division in the shade and moist until you’re ready to replant them in another location. Replant them as soon as possible.

If you’re not planning to keep your divisions, you can compost them. Or, share them with friends and neighbors.

Timing Tip – Don't Wait Too Long

Timing is critical with fall divisions. The best time to do this chore is four to six weeks before your area’s first hard frost. Check the average first frost date to get an idea of when this might occur. Depending on where you live and garden, the fall transplanting window is between late August and early October.

Be aware that the leaves may begin to wilt this time of year, but you can still divide and transplant. What’s most important is that the roots are healthy and vigorous.

Aftercare for Successful Transplants

Care for your divisions after transplanting is vital to their successful growth next year. Water them well right after replanting and continue to water regularly if it isn’t raining. Keep watering until you start getting regular frosts.

You can add a light layer of mulch to protect the roots from cold temperatures, but don’t fertilize plants now. This will only stimulate growth that can be damaged in winter. Wait until spring to feed them.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Dividing plants is easy once you get the hang of it. Avoid some common mistakes for the best results:

• Don’t divide when the weather is very hot and dry or very cold. This will only stress the transplants.
• Avoid damaging your plants' roots unnecessarily with dull tools. If you’ll be cutting roots, use a sharp tool.
• Don’t replant at depths that are too deep or too shallow. Plant transplants to the same depth the were before you divided them from the parent plants.
• Avoid stressing or even killing your transplants with too little water. They’ll need plenty of water leading into winter.

You can divide most perennials in spring, but fall is a good time to do this chore, too. Save yourself some time in spring and get a head start now with fall divisions and transplants.

When you are ready for more trees in your backyard, one inexpensive way to move forward is by transplanting trees from the forest. If you or a friendly neighbor has a wooded lot, this is a great place to begin.

If you are wondering how to transplant a tree from the woods, read on. We’ll give you lots of great tips on the timing and the process.

Transplanting Maple Trees from the Woods

If you wish to transplant deciduous trees, like maple seedlings, from a nearby wooded area, the very best times to act are spring and fall. The idea is to wait until the tree has entered dormancy or is just finishing its dormant state.

If you prefer spring, you’ll want to act before the tree has leafed. For an autumn transplant, wait until the leaves have fallen. This rule works when transplanting cedar trees from the woods as well, or any other deciduous tree.

The timing – early spring before leaf break or early autumn after leaf-drop – gives a deciduous tree the best chance for doing well in its new location. But you also have to perform the transplant with care.

How to Transplant Pine Trees from Woods

So what about evergreen trees? Evergreens have the advantage of providing year-round color and texture in your backyard. And they make excellent privacy or wind screens that work 12 months a year.

If you wish to transplant a pine sapling or other young evergreen, timing is a little different than for a deciduous tree. Like deciduous trees, evergreens can be dug up and replanted in early spring. But the second period isn’t early fall, but late summer. Think the middle of August to the middle of September.

This timing also works well when transplanting cedar trees from woods, or, for that matter, any young evergreen. But just adhering to this timing won’t be sufficient to make sure the transplant produces a healthy new tree. You’ll also need to follow a few basic transplant rules.

How to Transplant a Tree from the Forest

When you are transplanting trees from the forest, whether deciduous or evergreen, it’s important not to strip the soil from the roots. Dig up the rootball of the young tree. That means you need to dig around the roots and remove them with the soil still clinging to them. This protects the roots from damage and makes it more likely that the young tree will thrive.

You want the soil to be moist when you transplant so that it naturally clings to the roots. In time of drought, water the soil well three or four days before digging up a tree.

How big to make the rootball? That depends on the diameter of the trunk. A tree with a slender trunk – diameter of 1 inch (2.5 cm.) at chest-height – needs a root ball that is between 8 and 12 inches (20 and 30 cm.) in diameter. Double that if the diameter of the trunk at chest-height is 16 to 24 inches (40 and 61 cm.).

Digging and Transplanting the Tree

The actual procedure requires a spade and a small tarp. Use the spade to dig a trench. This should circle the tree and be some 2 feet (61 cm.) deep. At that point, go beneath the rootball with a sharp spade or shovel to cut any remaining small roots and soil at the bottom of the rootball.

Once that is accomplished, tip the young tree to one side. Place the tarp in the trench at the other side, then roll the rootball of the tree onto the tarp without touching the trunk of the tree. Wrap the tarp around the rootball and tie it with twine. This will help it get to its new location without losing soil.

Carry the rootball to the new location. Ideally, you will have already worked the soil to several feet deep and prepared a planting hole for the young tree twice as wide as the rootball itself. Place the rootball in the hole at the same level it sat in the soil at its former location. Fill the hole with water and let it drain into the soil, then fill in the outer edges of the new planting hole with extracted soil. Give the tree water regularly for the first year of its life in the new site.

It's hard to surpass the beauty of a magnolia tree. With their lavish spring flowers, glossy leaves and red cones of fruit, magnolias are prized as both specimen plants and as privacy hedges. Yet, sometimes homeowners find their magnolia isn't planted in an ideal location, which leads them to ask, “Can I transplant a magnolia tree?”

Moving Magnolia Trees

The answer is yes, it's possible to successfully move young magnolia trees. However, it's not an easy task as magnolias have an unusual root system. Unlike most trees, which have roots that grown down into the soil, magnolia roots grow horizontally along the ground and remain near the surface. 

Additionally, the roots of magnolia trees are soft and rope-like, with few fine feeder roots. These qualities lead to a higher risk of magnolia tree transplant shock than with other types of trees. The larger the tree, the more difficult it is to move and transplant a magnolia. Trees with a trunk diameter less than 4 inch (10 cm.) have the best chance of survival. 

To Prune Or Not To Prune

For years, root pruning has been the standard practice for transplanting a magnolia tree. The theory is that root pruning encourages the growth of a finer, more fibrous root system that is more capable of supporting the tree while it becomes established.

As it takes time for the tree to produce these new roots, pruning should be done six months to a year prior to transplanting. This technique is accomplished by inserting a sharp spade shovel 12 inches (30 cm.) deep in a circle around the tree. The diameter of the circle is dependent upon the size of the tree. 

There is some debate as to whether this practice is necessary. A study by the University of Florida demonstrated that root pruning prior to transplanting magnolias only provided a marginal advantage over the unpruned magnolias in the control group. 

How To Transplant A Magnolia Tree

When planting a magnolia, choose the location wisely. These long-lived trees grow between 1 and 2 feet (.3-.6 m.) per year. Some species can reach 60 to 80 feet tall (18-24 m.) and spread 30 to 50 feet (9-15 m.) wide. To reduce transplant shock, follow these guidelines:

• Hydrate – Thoroughly water the magnolia about an hour prior to transplanting. 
• Prepare the hole – To reduce transplant shock, prepare the planting site prior to digging up the magnolia. Dig the hole the same depth as the rootball and plant the top of the rootball level with the soil line.
• Dig wide, not deep - When digging up a magnolia, make the rootball at least twice as wide as it is deep. 
• Keep the root ball intact – Secure the rootball with burlap or cardboard and use a wheelbarrow or wagon when transporting the tree to its new location.
• Stabilize the tree – Use guy wires to prevent a newly-planted tree from leaning while it becomes established. To avoid damaging the bark, slide sections of rubber hose onto the wire where it makes contact with the trunk. Be sure to remove the wires once the tree is stable. 
• Mulch – After planting, spread mulch around the magnolia to retain moisture, but avoid piling mulch against the tree trunk.
• Water regularly – Keep a recently transplanted magnolia hydrated for the first year.

Few gardeners plant a tree with the idea of transplanting it some years later. While planting a young tree is not difficult, transplanting a mature tree is not a small matter. Transplanting mature fruit trees is even more delicate. 

How to transplant an apple tree? What is lemon tree transplant shock? Can mature fruit trees be transplanted? Read on for answers to fruit tree transplant questions. 

Best Time to Transplant Fruit Trees

Transplanting young, newly purchased fruit trees is a matter of getting the timing and the procedure right. The best time to transplant fruit trees is usually spring, but the options depend on the presentation of the tree. 

Bare root, packaged, and field-potted fruit trees must be planted early in spring. Containerized, contain-grown and ball and burlap fruit trees can go into the ground at any time during the growing season. 

How to Plant a Fruit Tree

Preparing the planting site is an essential step to making your new fruit tree happy. Work the soil well, adding mature organic compost. Dig a hole in the worked soil bigger than the root ball, breaking up the sides of the hole to permit the roots to easily establish. Never prune the roots to fit into a smaller hole, but any broken roots or diseased roots should be trimmed off. 

Slightly different planting instructions apply depending on the tree presentation. Bare root trees, for example, require a mound of soil at the bottom of the growing hole on which the roots will be spread. Care must be taken with ball and burlap trees to keep as much of the soil in the rootball as possible.

All trees, however, should be planted at about the same level they were in the ground earlier. Water well to eliminate air bubbles. Add mulch, keeping it a few inches from the trunk itself. If necessary, stake the young tree.

Caring for Your Fruit Tree

The transplant itself can be challenging to a young fruit tree. Termed “transplant shock,” the tree can quickly decline and even die. This usually can be avoided by proper soil preparation and site selection, combined with ample irrigation in the weeks after transplant.

A transplanted fruit tree needs water. Make it a priority to offer the tree between 5 and 7 gallons of water to the root ball area of the tree every week. For the first two weeks, divide this water into three portions on three different days to make sure the root areas stay moist. 

Transplanting Mature Fruit Trees

What if the fruit tree you wish to transplant is not a new, young tree but an established one, a tree that has produced fruit for some years? Generally, large, mature fruit trees do not transplant well, and trying to move them is a real risk. The general rule is that the larger the tree and the older the tree, the more difficult the transplant.

Carefully consider your choices. If the choice is between attempting a transplant or cutting down the tree, you don’t have much to lose by trying. For a large fruit tree, you will do best to call in a professional to dig out the tree and transport it to the new site. 

For a small tree, like a dwarf Meyer lemon for example, you may be able to tackle the digging yourself. Prepare the new site well and lift out the tree’s root ball with utmost care. Place it on a tarp and get help to carry it to the new location. 

Spring's warming temperatures and sunny days signal the beginning of the planting season. Many of our favorite vegetables need a long growing season to produce reliably. For many northern gardeners, that means transplanting seedlings that are started indoors. The best chance of success with these little plants depends upon knowing how to transplant a plant and get it acclimated to the outdoors. Here are some tips on transplanting plants that will help ensure a profitable harvest. 

When to Transplant Seedlings

Starting plants by seed is a simple process. Seeds need warmth to germinate, a friendly soil composition, moisture, and finally light. But once they have a few pairs of true leaves they either need to go into larger containers or get transplanted outdoors to prepared beds. There is a bit more to transplanting plants than just installing them in soil. They need to go outdoors at the right time and after a brief period of exposure, a process called hardening off. 

Many plants do not transplant well and are best directly seeded into soil when all chance of frost has passed. Most seed packets will give advice on whether to seed indoors or sow directly. Long season crops may be seeded inside in flats. Once they have identifiable leaves they can either be moved to larger containers or transplanted outdoors. The United States Department of Agriculture or your local Extension office will have guidance on when the optimal time to transplant is for your zone. The plant needs a strong root system and should be at least the length of its pot. 

Hardening Off Seedling Transplants

One of the more important processes when transplanting anything grown in a greenhouse or indoors, is hardening off. This gives the little plant the time to get used to outside factors such as wind, sun exposure, and temperature. The plant has been pampered, and a sudden transition to outdoor growth would shock it without a period of adjustment. Plants that are not hardened off may wilt or turn white or brown in response to the sudden light, heat, or wind. Move transplants outdoors for gradually longer periods over the course of a week. They will become more adapted to the outdoors and there will be a better chance they will thrive when placed into soil. 

Tips for Transplanting Plants

If a plant has been in its container for too long, it may have a heavy root mass. Cutting off the bottom, or separating the roots well will help the plant spread out in its hole and produce more roots. Loosen the soil in the hole deep enough and wide enough so the roots can spread. Remove any rocks, roots, or other impediments so the tender roots can easily grow. Follow any spacing instructions on the seed packet and install any necessary trellis or stakes at planting time. Some gardeners feel they need a transplant fertilizer. This is not necessary in most cases but could result in hardier plants. A Vitamin B-1 product may help stimulate root growth and prevent stress. Water transplants in well to settle soil and provide regular moisture. 

Transplanting tomatoes isn’t complicated, but there’s more to it than digging a hole and dropping a seedling in. Temperature matters, soil warmth matters, and a few details that seem minor turn out not to be. Miss one and the plants spend the first two weeks just trying to recover instead of growing.

If you're still sorting out the basics of how to grow tomatoes, this is a good one to get down early. So let's take a dive into the ins and outs of tomato transplanting.

When to Transplant Tomato Seedlings

Tomatoes want warmth, and not just in the air. Soil temperatures around 60F (15C) or higher are generally ideal. This takes longer than you might think. Just because you've had some hot days doesn't mean the soil has caught up yet. You should have pretty consistent nighttime temps above 50F (10C), and days in the 60s to low 80s F (15–27C). Often this falls a week or two past the last frost date.

Seedling size is the other half of timing. Six to ten inches (15–25cm) tall with two or three sets of true leaves is about right. Don't worry if your plants have gotten leggy – that's actually a bit of a bonus with tomato transplants, as you'll see below.

Any plant that has flowers or even fruit on it before it’s in the ground, however, is under stress. It may look nice at the nursery, but it's only going to set it back in the long run. Pinch off any fruits or flowers before transplanting – this helps redirect all that energy toward growing roots and getting established.

Hardening Off

Seedlings started indoors have never dealt with direct sun or wind. Put them straight into the garden and there’s a decent chance they spend the first week just surviving – scorched leaves, wilting, maybe even death.

Seven to ten days of hardening off prevents most of that. Simply bring your seedlings outdoors for an hour in filtered shade to start. Once the hour's up, bring them back in until tomorrow. Leave them out for two hours the next day, three the one after, at the same time progressively moving them into more direct sun and breeze. By the end of the week they should be able to handle a full day outside.

It’s less fussy in practice than it sounds. A sheltered porch or the shaded side of a building works fine for the first few days. Plants from a nursery are usually already hardened off – though it’s worth asking, since some aren’t.

Preparing the Site

Full sun is non-negotiable – six hours minimum, eight to ten for solid fruit production. Drainage matters too. Tomato roots in waterlogged soil develop disease fast, so check that before anything goes in. Work compost into heavy ground beforehand, and space plants 2 to 3 feet (0.6–0.9m) apart for decent airflow later.

Supports go in at planting time, not after. Stakes or tomato cages pushed into soil a week post-transplant risk cutting through roots that are just starting to establish – and a tomato that tips over before it’s staked tends to stay that way. Sink your supports into the ground before or just after planting, and the tomato will naturally grow up with it, no harm done.

How to Transplant Tomatoes

The perfect condition for transplanting tomatoes is a late afternoon or a cloudy day. Full midday sun is tough on already-stressed transplants.

1. Water the plants a couple of hours before moving so the root ball holds together.
2. When pulling from the pot, push up from the bottom rather than grabbing the stem – the fine fuzz on tomato stems is protective and worth not crushing.
3. Tomatoes can be planted deep. Remove the leaves from the bottom two thirds of the plant and bury it so the lowest remaining leaves are just above the soil line. The plant will grow new roots all along the buried stem, making for better drought tolerance down the line.
4. Leggy seedlings can be planted in trenches. Remove the leaves from the lower two thirds of the plant. Dig a shallow trench, and lay the plant along it so just the remaining leaves poke above the ground. Roots will grow all along the buried stem, and they'll be extra close to the surface for easy water intake. This will help the seedling establish faster.
5. Backfill, firm, water in. A transplanting trowel from Amazon makes cleaner work of the hole and trench both.

After Transplanting

Water in right after planting and keep things consistently moist until new growth appears – that’s the sign roots have settled. A phosphorus-heavy starter fertilizer like this from Amazon helps early root development. Diluted fish emulsion is gentler on new roots than full-strength feed. Mulch around the base holds moisture and buffers soil temperature through those first weeks.

Cold snaps after planting are worth taking seriously. Even nights dipping toward 50F (10C) can drag establishment out. If the forecast turns cold, cover the seedlings, and skip nighttime watering while it’s cool, since wet soil stays colder longer. Frost protection row covers from Amazon are cheap insurance for early-season transplants and hold

A Few Things Worth Skipping

Transplanting in hot afternoon sun is a mistake that shows up fast – the plants wilt immediately and spend the next day or two just recovering. The same goes for pulling seedlings out by the stem rather than pushing up from the bottom.

Heavy fertilizing right after transplanting can burn tender new roots – hold off on that until the plant shows a week or two of solid new growth. Once it's clearly settled and pushing new leaves, a balanced feed is fine. Before that point it's more risk than reward. Done right, transplanting is less a shock and more a reset – one the plant recovers from quickly and grows stronger because of.

Peonies are long-lived perennial flowering plants which decorate many landscapes. Over time, as surrounding shrubs and trees grow larger, peonies may fail to bloom as they once did. The culprit is often lack of sunlight due to overcrowding and the expanding canopies of nearby trees. Moving established peonies is one solution.

As a gardener, you may be wondering “Can I transplant peonies?” The answer is yes. Successfully moving established peonies is achievable. Knowing how and when to transplant peony is the key.

How Do You Transplant a Peony?

Choose the correct time of the year. Moving established peony plants should be done in the fall, at least six weeks before the ground freezes. This gives the plant time to recover before going dormant for the winter. In many North American locations, September or October will be the ideal month for transplanting a peony. 

• Cut down the stems. If the peony hasn't died back for the winter, trim the peony stems close to ground level. This will make it easier to locate exactly how far the root system extends. Since peonies are susceptible to fungal diseases, it's advisable to properly dispose of the clippings.
• Dig up the peony. Carefully dig in a circle around the plant. Staying 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.) away from the edge of the stems should be sufficient to avoid damaging the root system. Continue digging until the root ball can be lifted out. Prying the roots from the ground can cause breakage which may compromise the peony's ability to recover.
• Divide the peony. Use your shovel or a heavy-duty knife to cut the root system into pieces. (Rinsing excess soil off the root ball will make it easier to see what you're doing.) Each piece should contain three to five eyes. These eyes are the growth shoots for next year.
• Choose the right location for transplanting. Peonies prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Space peonies 24 to 36 inches (61-91 cm.) apart. Allow sufficient spacing between peonies and shrubs or other perennials which may increase in size over time.
• Replant the root divisions. Peony root divisions should be transplanted as soon as possible. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball. Set the eyes no deeper than 2 inches (5 cm.) below the soil level. Planting peony too deep results in poor bloom production. Firmly pack the soil around the root ball and water.
• Mulch the transplanted peony. Apply a thick layer of mulch to protect the newly transplanted flowers over the winter. Remove the mulch prior to the growing season in the spring.

Don't worry if the flowers seem a bit sparse the first spring after moving established peonies. When transplanting a peony, it can take three to four years for it to become reestablished and bloom abundantly.

For gardeners, moving garden plants to pots, and sometimes back again, is a common occurrence. There may be a sudden influx of volunteers or plants may need to be divided. In either case the gardener will be transplanting from ground to pot. If potting a garden plant hasn’t happened to you yet, it will at some point. Therefore, it’s best to understand how to transplant garden plants into containers.

About Potting a Garden Plant

The above reasons are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to transplanting from ground to pot. The seasons may be changing, and you wish to change your garden décor with them, or a plant may not be doing well in its current location.

A change of scenery might be in order or on a whim, with the gardener deciding that “plant A” would look better in a pot or maybe in another corner of the garden.

To keep transplant shock to a minimum when moving garden plants to pots, take a minute and follow a couple of guidelines. After all, the point of moving the garden plants isn’t to kill them.

Transplanting from Ground to Pot

Prior to moving garden plants into containers, be sure that you have enough similar or better soil to transplant into and a container that is large enough, yet not too large, for the plant.

Water the plant or plants that will be moved the night before. Really soak them so the root system is hydrated and can withstand transplant shock. It is often a good idea to remove any stems or foliage that is dying.

If possible, plan to move the garden plant into containers either early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are cooler to reduce the risk of shock. Do not try to move plants during the heat of the day.

Moving Garden Plants into Containers

Unless you are transplanting something truly massive, like a tree, a trowel is generally enough to dig the plant up. Dig around the roots of the plant. Once the root system has been revealed, dig deeper until the entirety of the plant can be lifted from the soil.

Loosen the roots gently and shake excess soil from them. Fill the container a third of the way with potting soil. Settle the roots into the medium and spread them out. Cover the roots with additional potting medium and lightly tamp down around the roots.

Water the plant so the soil is moist but not sodden. Keep the newly transplanted garden plants in containers in a shaded area for a few days to allow them to rest and acclimate to their new home.

Sometimes you’ll want to relocate your precious lavender plants - either from a pot to the ground, or to a different part of the yard. Perhaps what started as a small clump has started blocking a pathway, or maybe it isn't getting the requisite hours of sun it needs. Because these are woody perennials with brittle root systems, transplanting lavender might feel like a high-stakes gamble. However, transplanting lavender is possible – and manageable – if you take the right steps, at the right time.

The key to a successful relocation is a combination of thoughtful timing and handling roots carefully. Of course, basic lavender care relies on a great spot from the start, but garden layouts can evolve, and plants grow, casting new shade where there was once sun. In those cases, transplanting gives the plant another shot.

Find out how to transplant lavender the right way, and you’ll find yours can be surprisingly resilient. Whether you are moving a mature bush or a young starter, the goal is to minimize the amount of time the roots spend exposed to the air. Here’s how and when to transplant lavender right, so it bounces back with more vigor and more fragrant blooms than ever before.

When to Transplant Lavender

Timing is everything. Early spring is the best time for transplanting lavender in most climates (USDA zones 5-9). At this stage, the plant is just waking up from its winter dormancy. The sap is beginning to flow, but the plant hasn't yet diverted its energy into producing flower spikes. Moving it now allows the roots to knit into the new soil before summer heat rolls in.

Fall is also a great time, particularly in the south or places where winters are mild. In this case, aim for at least 4-6 weeks before the first hard frost. This window is critical, as the roots need soil warmth to establish. If you wait too long, the heaving of freezing and thawing soil can pop a newly moved lavender right out of the ground.

Avoid moving lavender in the dead of summer. The combination of high evaporation rates and root disturbance is usually fatal. Furthermore, older, woody lavender (over 5–7 years old) is harder to move than young, flexible plants. If you're moving an older specimen, be extra generous with the size of the root ball you excavate.

How to Transplant Lavender

How do you transplant lavender? Before you dig, evaluate your new location with a critical eye. Lavender requires a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight. In partial shade, the plant becomes leggy, stems weaken, and the oil concentrations that provide that iconic scent will diminish significantly.

Drainage is the non-negotiable factor. More lavender dies from wet feet than from cold or pests. If your soil is heavy clay, you must amend it before you even think about digging up the lavender plant. Do not use pure standard compost, which holds too much moisture. Mix in coarse or horticultural sand, perlite, or fine poultry grit.

Work amendments into the top 12 inches (30cm) of soil. You can get Leca Horticultural Sand from Amazon to improve drainage, ensuring water moves away from the crown of the plant. Soil should feel gritty and crumbly, not dense and sticky.

1. Prepare the Lavender

Preparation begins 24 hours before transplanting. Water your lavender deeply at the base. Moist soil holds together better around plant roots at the time of transplant, preventing them from drying out during the transition. Dry soil simply crumbles away, leaving the sensitive roots naked and exposed to damage.

A light prune can also help your plant before moving it. If your lavender has lingering flower spikes or heavy, leggy growth, trim these slightly. Using snips, garden scissors or pruning shears ensures clean cuts that heal faster. Team favorite Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears is available from Amazon. By reducing top-heavy foliage, you reduce transpiration (water loss) while the lavender puts energy into root establishment.

2. Dig up the Lavender

When it’s time to dig, use a sharp, long-handled spade or a garden fork to dig a circle around the plant. Use the DeWit Perennial Spade from Amazon for controlled digging around neighboring plants. Start your circle 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) away from the base of the main woody stem. Lavender roots are wide reaching. Dig straight down, then angle slightly under the root ball to cut underneath.

Work the spade all the way around the circumference before attempting to pry the plant up. Slide the spade under and lift carefully. You want to lift the entire pancake of soil and roots in one piece. The more soil that stays with the root ball, the less shock the plant takes. If the plant is large, sliding a piece of burlap or tarp under the root ball makes transporting to the new hole easier on your back – and the plant.

3. Plant in the New Spot

Make sure the new planting hole is twice as wide as the root ball, but no deeper. When planting, don’t plant your lavender too deep, which leads to crown rot. The plant should sit at the same level as it was previously, or even slightly higher (on a small mound) if you have drainage concerns.

Fill the space around the root ball with a lean soil mix. While it's tempting to add rich potting soil or manure, lavender thrives in poor, slightly alkaline soil. Too many nutrients will give you a giant green bush with zero flowers. Firm the soil with your hands to remove air pockets. Backfill without compacting the earth too tightly, which can suffocate emerging roots. Water thoroughly to settle soil around roots.

Post-Transplant Care

Water regularly for the first month after transplanting. Aim for once or twice a week, depending on weather and hardiness zone. Established lavender is drought-tolerant, but a lavender transplant is effectively drinking through a straw until roots re-attach. Water based on whether the top two inches (5 cm) of soil is dry. Use a meter like the Yamron 4-in-1 Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon if you are unsure about soil levels.

In terms of mulching, avoid wood chips or dyed bark, which trap moisture against the stems. Instead, use a light layer of pea gravel or white pebbles. This looks beautiful and reflects heat and light back up into the plant, mimicking the rocky hillsides of the Mediterranean. It’s also a good idea to apply a diluted mineral and vitamin top-up to usher the roots to life. Buy Superthrive Liquid Vitamin Solution from Lowe’s to help roots wake up.

Transplanting Into Containers

If you are upsizing a container plant, use a terracotta or clay pot. These types of materials are breathable, allowing moisture to evaporate through the walls of the container. Choose a large terracotta pot or planter to provide the necessary room for a mature root system, while preventing the stagnant humidity plastic pots often trap. We love Deroma Standard Terracotta Pots from Amazon, with their wildlife motifs.

Don’t forget drainage holes. Choose containers at least 12-16 inches (30-40cm) wide and deep to handle lavender's extensive root system. Use a dedicated well-draining potting mix like a cactus and succulent potting mix, or create your own by mixing 50% standard potting soil with 50% perlite or grit. If you’re planting a companion for your lavender, rosemary or thyme share the same tough love requirements for water and sun.

What about Transplant Shock?

Don't panic if your lavender looks a bit sad for the first 48 hours after transplanting. Wilting is a natural response to root disturbance, and you might also see some drooping. However, if the leaves start to turn a greyish-yellow or become brittle, the plant is struggling to move water.

Check the stems, and if they are still flexible, the plant is alive. If they snap like dry kindling, that section is dead. To help a shocked plant, provide temporary shade using a Floating Row Cover from Burpee for the first few afternoons of intense sun until the roots settle. Keep a close eye on watering, taking care not to overwater or underwater, and adjust accordingly. The plant should perk up within a week or two once moisture levels stabilize. New growth from the base signals the plant is recovering and establishing in its new spot.

Patience is your best tool. A transplanted lavender spends its first year sleeping, focusing entirely on its roots. Don't be discouraged if blooms are sparse in the first season. Don’t hard prune until the plant is fully established. By the second year, your lavender will reward careful handling with a profusion of color and that unmistakably calming scent. With the right drainage and a sunny spot, your relocated lavender should thrive for many years, proving that a little move can lead to a big life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lavender Transplant Essentials

Looking to take some of the legwork out of repositioning your lavender? The process of transplanting your plants is a lot simpler with this trio of essentials for optimal conveyance, before, during and after moving:

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Native to South America, pampas grass is a stunning addition to the landscape. This large flowering grass can form mounds around 10 feet (3 m.) in diameter. With its quick growth habit, it is easy to understand why many growers may find themselves asking, “Should I transplant pampas grass?”.

How to Transplant Pampas Grass

In many small gardens, one pampas grass plant may quickly outgrow the area in which it is planted.

Though the process of pampas grass transplanting is relatively simple, it is also quite labor-intensive. Moving pampas grass or dividing it must be done early in the spring before any new growth has started.

To begin transplanting pampas grass, the plants will first need to be pruned. Since the grass can be relatively sharp, carefully remove the foliage down to about 12 inches (30.5 cm.) from the ground with garden shears. When handling pampas grass plant matter, it is always a good idea to wear quality garden gloves, long sleeves, and long pants. This will help to prevent injury as unwanted foliage is removed before and while moving the plant.

After pruning, use a shovel to deeply dig around the base of the plant. Ideally, growers should want to remove as many roots as possible, along with any associated garden soil. Make sure to only remove portions of the plant that are easy to handle, as the large plants can become quite heavy and difficult to manage. This also makes moving pampas grass an excellent time to divide the grass into smaller clumps, if desired.

After digging, pampas grass transplanting can be completed by planting the clumps into a new location where the soil has been worked and amended. Be certain to plant the clumps of pampas grass into holes that are approximately twice as wide and twice as deep as the transplant root ball. When spacing the plants, make certain to factor in the size of the plant when it has reached maturity.

The success rate of transplanting pampas grass is relatively high, as the plant is naturally hardy and robust. Water the new planting well and continue to routinely do so until the transplant has taken root. Within a couple of growing seasons, the new transplants will resume blooming and continue to thrive in the landscape.

Growing sunflowers in your landscape provides big yellow blooms that simply shout summer. Birds flock to the mature plants to enjoy the seeds, so you can use it as part of a plot planted to attract birds, bees, and other pollinators. Do sunflowers transplant well though and should you move them at all? Read on to learn more.

Do Sunflowers Transplant Well?

Put sunflowers in their permanent location when planting. Due to their taproot, moving plants is not advisable. It is nearly impossible to move growing plants with taproots once active growth has started.

Can you transplant sunflowers from a starting pot? If you want to get started early growing this plant, you may grow from seed in a container. Transplanting sunflower seedlings shortly after sprouting is the best practice.

Tips for Moving Sunflower Plants

Since the seeds are large, grow quickly, and have a long taproot, moving sunflower plants from the sprouting container into the ground can be tricky. Do this less than three weeks after planting or as soon as you see leaves developing. If you leave plants in the starting container too long, growth of the long taproot may be stunted.

The best way to grow sunflowers is by planting seeds directly into the ground when soil has warmed and frost danger is passed. If for some reason you must start sunflowers in containers, use pots that are biodegradable and remove them as you’re putting the plant into a hole. Make sure dirt is loosened several inches (8 cm.) underneath to provide room for the taproot to grow.

If you buy a growing sunflower in a pot, look closely to make sure top growth appears healthy and, if you can, take a look at the roots. Don’t purchase this plant if it appears rootbound.

If you want to grow sunflowers in a container, choose a pot that is deep and possibly a dwarf variety of the plant. Sources say a one to two gallon pot is big enough for a dwarf plant and that the mammoth types need at least a five gallon container. Sunflowers growing in a container will likely need staking too.

So, do sunflowers transplant well? Answer: in most cases, not so well. Only attempt to transplant those you’ve started from seed and do that as quickly as the plant allows.

Also known as hummingbird bush, Mexican firebush, firecracker shrub, or scarlet bush, firebush is an eye-catching shrub, appreciated for its attractive foliage and abundance of dazzling, orange-red blooms. This is a fast-growing shrub that reaches heights of 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 m.) fairly quickly and moving a firebush can be tricky. Read below for tips and advice on transplanting a firebush without damaging the roots.

Preparing a Firebush Transplant

Plan ahead if possible, as advance preparation significantly increases the chance of successfully transplanting a firebush. The best option on when to transplant firebush is to prepare in fall and transplant in spring, although you can also prepare in spring and transplant in fall. If the shrub is very large, you may want to prune the roots a year ahead. Preparation involves tying the lower branches to ready the shrub for root pruning, then pruning the roots after tying up the branches. To prune the roots, use a sharp spade to dig a narrow trench around the base of the firebush. A trench measuring approximately 11 inches (28 cm.) deep and 14 inches wide (35.5 cm.) is sufficient for a shrub measuring 3 feet (1 m.) in height, but trenches for larger shrubs should be both deeper and wider. Refill the trench with removed soil mixed with about one-third compost. Remove the twine, then water well. Be sure to water a root-pruned shrub regularly during the summer months.

How to Transplant a Firebush

Tie a brightly colored piece of yarn or ribbon around the plant’s uppermost, north-facing branch. This will help you orient the shrub correctly in its new home. It will also help to draw a line around the trunk, about an inch (2.5 cm.) above the soil. Tie the remaining branches securely with sturdy twine. To dig the firebush, dig a trench around the trench you created a few months ago. Rock the bush from side to side while you ease a shovel underneath. When the shrub is free, slide burlap under the shrub, then pull the burlap up around the firebush. Be sure to use organic burlap so the material will rot into the soil after planting without restricting growth of the roots. Once the roots are wrapped in burlap, place the shrub on a large piece of cardboard to keep the root ball intact while you move the firebush to the new location. Note: Soak the rootball shortly before the big move. Dig a hole in the new location, twice as wide as the width of the root ball and slightly less deep. Place the firebush in the hole, using the north-facing branch as a guide. Be sure the line around the trunk is about an inch (2.5 cm.) above soil level. Water deeply, then apply about 3 inches (7.5 cm.) of mulch. Be sure the mulch doesn’t mound against the trunk. Water regularly for two years. The soil should be consistently moist but not soggy.

When perennials begin to look shabby, straggly, open in the center, or fail to produce their normal amount of blooms, it is usually time to divide them. Different perennials will reach this point at different times, depending on their root structures and growing habits. The perennial bergenia may bloom and grow beautifully for several years, then suddenly stop performing. This could be because it is choking itself out and needs to be divided or because something in its environment changed and it needs to be moved. Continue reading to learn how to transplant bergenia, as well as when to divide bergenia plants.

Dividing and Moving Bergenia Plants

Bergenia is a perennial for shade to part shade in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9. It thrives in dry shady locations where many other plants simply cannot grow. However, if their site suddenly becomes less shady, for example, if large shade trees have been removed, bergenia plants can quickly fry and die out. Unfortunately, sometimes shade trees do need to come down and the plants that relied on their shade, such as bergenia, need to be transplanted. Bergenia will also suffer if the site suddenly becomes more consistently damp. They cannot tolerate soggy soil or wet feet and will fall victim to many fungal diseases and rots in excessively wet conditions. Transplanting bergenia will be necessary for survival. Every three to five years, bergenia plants also need to be divided. You’ll know when to divide bergenia by the overall appearance, health, and vigor of the plant. If they begin to look spindly, are blooming less, or have open spaces in the center, divide them.

How to Transplant Bergenia

Dividing and/or moving bergenia should be done in spring. However, it is sometimes necessary to move plants during other times of the year. If you absolutely have to transplant and divide bergenia in the summer months, it is best to do it on a cool, cloudy day to reduce the risk of transplant shock. Using a clean, sharp spade, dig widely around the plant’s crown to make sure you get all the roots. Once you have lifted the root ball out, remove excess soil. Thick, rhizomatous roots will then be exposed. With a clean sharp knife, you can create bergenia divisions by cutting apart sections of these rhizomes. Be sure each section contains a node or section of the plant crown. Plant your new bergenia divisions or bergenia transplant in shady to part shade locations. Bergenia makes excellent low growing borders or groundcovers for dry, shade gardens. Though they like things a bit on the drier side, you will need to water new transplants well and regularly as they get established.

If you garden for hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators, you probably have lantana plants. Though lantana can be a noxious weed and the bane of citrus growers or other farmers in some areas, it is still a prized garden plant in other regions. Lantana is loved for its long season of abundant, colorful blooms and its quick growth, tolerance of poor soil and drought. However, lantana cannot tolerate too much shade, waterlogged or poorly draining soils, or winter freeze. If you have a lantana that is struggling in its current location or has outgrown its space and is not playing nice with other plants, you may be searching for some tips on how to transplant lantana.

Can You Transplant Lantanas?

First and foremost, if you live in a climate with frost-free winters, be sure to check with your local agencies before bringing lantana plants to a new area. It is considered an invasive weed and serious problem in some parts of the world. There are restrictions on planting lantana in California, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and several other places. Lantana can be transplanted in spring or autumn. Transplanting lantanas in extreme heat or intense sunshine can cause unnecessary stress to them. So if you absolutely have to move a lantana during summer, try to do it on a cloudy, cooler day. It also helps to prepare the lantana new site beforehand. While lantana requires very little besides full sun and well-draining soil, you can help the plants get off to a good start by loosening up the soil in the new area and mixing in compost or other organic matter. Pre-digging the new hole for the lantana plant can also help reduce transplant shock. Though it is hard to guess the size of a plant’s rootball until you dig it up, you can dig the hole approximately as wide as the plant’s drip line and about 12 inches (30 cm.) deep. Pre-digging the hole can also give you an opportunity to test how quickly the soil drains.

Moving a Lantana Plant

To transplant a lantana, use a clean, sharp garden spade to cut around the plant’s drip line or at least 6-8 inches (15-20 cm.) out from the plant crown. Dig down about a foot to get as much of the roots as possible. Gently lift the plant up and out. Lantana roots should be kept moist during the transplanting process. Placing newly dug up plants in a wheelbarrow or bucket filled with some water can help you safely transport them to the new site. At the new planting site, be sure to plant the lantana transplant at the same depth it was planted previously. You can build a small berm of back filled soil in the center of the hole for the roots to spread down to raise the plant up if necessary. Gently tamp down soil over the roots to prevent air pockets and continue to backfill with loose soil to the surrounding soil level. After planting, deeply water your lantana transplant with low water pressure so the water can thoroughly saturate the root zone before draining away. Water newly transplanted lantana daily for the first 2-3 days, then every other day for a week, then once a week until it establishes.

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a lovely medium sized evergreen bush that grows to around 8 feet (2.4 m.) in height. It is naturally an understory shrub and prefers partial shade, so if you have one in full sun, it’s time to think about transplanting your mountain laurel. If you follow some transplant guidelines, moving mountain laurel is a fairly easy task. So how do you transplant a mountain laurel? Read on for tips on how to move a mountain laurel in the landscape.

Moving Mountain Laurels

Mountain laurel, also known as calico bush or ivy-bush, makes a beautiful addition to the understory of a woodland garden or other partially shaded location. If you happen to have one in a sunny area, it likely will not survive and it’s time to move the mountain laurel. Mountain laurels are hardy to USDA zones 5-9. Like other evergreens, mountain laurels should be transplanted in the fall, from late August through late October (or late February to May in Southern Hemisphere). They grow up to 8 feet (2.4 m.) across and as wide, so if you have an existing mature plant you wish to move, you have some work ahead of you; work that might involve a crane to lift the plant out of its current location and then into a new home. Mountain laurels are a bit picky about where they grow. They need well-draining, moist, acidic soil chock full of organic matter. To add acid into the soil prior to transplanting a mountain laurel, amend the soil with plenty of peat moss.

How to Transplant Mountain Laurel

Mountain laurels have a bit of a reputation for being difficult to establish. This difficulty increases if you are moving a mature specimen; young plants tend to adapt more easily. Prior to transplanting a mountain laurel, dig a hole and amend it as above. Be sure to incorporate plenty of organic matter to increase mountain laurel transplant success. Move the mountain laurel, trying to keep as much of the original planting soil intact on the root ball as possible. Lower the plant into the amended hole and back fill with amended soil. Water the plant in well and continue to keep it consistently wet for the first year following the transplant. Then mulch around the root zone of the laurel with a ring of hardwood mulch or acidic pine needles. Be sure to keep the mulch away from the trunk of the laurel. If deer are prominent in your area, protect the mountain laurel with a spray deterrent or fence it off during the fall and winter months when lack of food sources invite deer to nibble on your laurel.

Amsonia is a favorite in perennial gardens because of its sky blue, star-shaped flowers and the interesting foliage of certain varieties. The plant grows best in a site with full sun and well-draining soil. As gardeners, we usually try to follow the proper site recommendations of plants to ensure they grow to their full potential. However, sometimes a plant may struggle in a certain spot and simply moving it to a new site can revive it. If you’ve found yourself asking “can you move an amsonia,” then this article is for you. Read on for tips on transplanting amsonia.

Moving Amsonia Plants

In all my years working in garden centers and landscaping, I noticed a curious thing. When moving to a new home, many gardeners will dig up their favorite perennials, herbs or other landscape plants and take them, rather than purchasing or propagating new plants for the new landscape. While herbs or perennials, such as amsonia, are certainly easier to transplant than trees or shrubs, there are still some risks when transplanting any plant. Whether you are transplanting an amsonia plant miles away from its original site or just a few feet away, these risks are the same. Transplanting any plant can put it through stress. In some cases, this transplant shock can kill a plant. There are a couple steps you can take to reduce the stress amsonia may experience during transplant. First, water the plant deeply 24 hours before digging it up. At this point, you can also cut the stems and foliage of amsonia back to about 6 inches (15 cm.) tall. This pruning will help redirect the plant’s energy into the root structure. Also, planning an amsonia transplant day around the weather will help reduce stress. It is always preferred to transplant on cooler cloudy days, when intense heat and sun will not add more stress to the plant.

Transplanting an Amsonia Flower Clump

To transplant an amsonia plant, first use a clean, sharp garden shovel or trowel to carefully cut around the clump’s root zone. Depending on the size of the amsonia clump, you may be digging up a very large root ball. This may be an excellent time to also divide the root ball of older amsonia plants that are overcrowded and struggling. Once the root ball is dug up, you can determine whether to divide it or not based on its general health and the new site or sites it will be transplanted to. To divide an amsonia root ball, simply cut sections of the root ball containing the plant’s crown and stems with a clean, sharp knife or saw. Dividing plants like this may seem brutal but the cuts to the root ball actually stimulate plant growth both above and below the soil level. Transplanting amsonia plants will also go more smoothly if you have the new planting holes or pots already prepared before moving the plant. Amsonia plants should be planted at the same depth they were previously planted, but the holes should be dug twice as wide as the root section which you are planting. This extra width of the planting hole ensures that the roots will have soft loose dirt to spread out in. Place the amsonia transplant in the new planting holes, then back fill with loose soil, only lightly tamping down the soil as you go to prevent air pockets. After transplanting plants, thoroughly water. I also recommend using a product such as Root & Grow to provide a low dose of rooting fertilizer and help reduce transplant shock.

With long-lasting, beautiful blooms, easy-care crepe myrtle is a garden favorite. Sometimes spelled "crape" myrtle, it is an ideal landscape tree for the high desert and a lovely ornamental in any backyard. 

If your mature crepe myrtle needs to be transplanted, it’s critical to be on top of the procedure. When to transplant crepe myrtle? How to transplant crepe myrtle? Read on for all the information you need to make transplanting a crepe myrtle a snap.

Moving Crepe Myrtles

If you plant a tree, you hope to put in in a “forever” location, where it can live out its life comfortably and in harmony with its surroundings. But life happens all around us, and sometimes these plans don’t work out. If you planted your crepe myrtles in a spot you now regret, you aren’t the only one. 

Crepe myrtles flower best in sun. Perhaps you chose a sunny site but now neighboring trees are throwing shade on the area. Or maybe the crepe myrtle just needs more space. 

Crepe myrtle transplanting involves essentially three steps. These are: digging a hole in an appropriate new site, digging out the rootball, and transplanting a crepe myrtle in the new spot.

When to Transplant Crepe Myrtle

Before you get starting digging, you’ll want to figure out when to transplant crepe myrtle. The best possible time to start moving crepe myrtle is when the tree is dormant. 

That period runs from the time the tree loses its leaves to spring leaf break. Late winter is usually cited as the best time for crepe myrtle transplanting. You’ll need to wait until the soil is workable but act before the first leaves appear.

How to Transplant Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtle transplanting starts with selecting a new location for the tree. Think about its requirements then find the spot that works best. You’ll need a sunny location for best flowering, plus some elbow room for the tree. 

Moving crepe myrtles requires a bit of digging. First, dig out a new planting hole. It has to be large enough to fit all of the tree’s current roots, but somewhat wider, to allow those roots to expand. 

Next, you need to dig out the tree. The bigger your tree, the more friends you should invite to help. Dig around the outside of the roots, taking a root ball that is some 2 to 3 feet (.6-.9 m.) in diameter. This will ensure that the plant moves to its new location with sufficient roots to survive. 

The next step in transplanting a crepe myrtle is to get the root ball out of the soil. With the help of your friends, lift the root ball onto a tarp. Then pull the tarp over to the new planting site and set the root ball in the hole.

During this stage of crepe myrtle transplanting, position the tree so that the top of the root ball is even with the soil surface. F

lood the root area with water. Keep watering regularly during the first few growing seasons at the new location.

Avocado trees (Persea americana) are shallow-rooted plants that can grow to 35 feet (12 m.) tall. They do best in a sunny, wind protected area. If you are thinking of transplanting avocado trees, the younger the tree, the better your chance of success. For more information on transplanting avocado trees, including tips on how to transplant an avocado, read on.

Can You Move a Mature Avocado Tree?

Sometimes it’s necessary to think about moving an avocado tree. Maybe you planted it in the sun and now it’s become a shady area. Or maybe the tree just grew taller than you thought it would. The tree is mature now though and you’d hate to lose it. Can you move a mature avocado tree? You can. Avocado transplanting is indisputably easier when the tree is young, but transplanting an avocado tree is possible even if it’s been in the ground for some years.

When to Start Transplanting Avocado Trees

Undertake avocado transplanting in the spring or early summer. You want to get the task of transplanting avocado trees completed while the ground is warm, but the weather isn’t too hot. Since transplanted trees can’t take in water very well for a while, they can be vulnerable to sun damage. That also makes irrigation important.

How to Transplant an Avocado

When you are ready to start moving an avocado tree, the first step is to select a new location. Pick a sunny location a distance from other trees. If you are hoping to grow avocado fruit, you’ll need the tree to get as much sun as possible. Next, prepare the planting hole. Dig the hole three times as large and deep as the root ball. Once the dirt is dug out, break up the chunks and return it all to the hole. Then dig another hole in the loosened soil about the size of the root ball. Dig a trench around the mature avocado tree. Keep digging deeper, expanding the hole if necessary to accommodate the entire root ball. When you can slip your shovel under the root ball, remove the tree and place it in a tarp. Get help to lift it if necessary. Moving an avocado tree is sometimes easier with two people. The next step in avocado transplanting is to transport the tree to the new location and ease the tree’s root ball into the hole. Add native soil to fill in all spaces. Tamp it down, then water deeply.

Moving a crabapple tree isn’t easy and there are no guarantees of success. However, transplanting crabapples is certainly possible, especially if the tree is still relatively young and small. If the tree is more mature, it may be best to start over with a new tree. If you’re determined to give it a try, read on for tips on crabapple transplanting.

When to Transplant Crabapple Trees

The best time for moving a crabapple tree is when the tree is still dormant in late winter or very early in spring. Make it a point to transplant the tree before bud break.

Before Transplanting Crabapples

Ask a friend to help; moving a crabapple tree is much easier with two people. Prune the tree well, trimming branches back to nodes or new growth points. Remove deadwood, weak growth, and branches that cross or rub on other branches. Place a piece of tape on the north side of the crabapple tree. This way, you can ensure the tree faces the same direction once placed in its new home. Prepare the soil in the new location by cultivating the soil well to a depth of at least 2 feet (61 cm.). Be sure the tree will be in full sunlight and that it will have good air circulation and ample space for growth.

How to Transplant a Crabapple Tree

Dig a wide trench around the tree. As a general rule, figure about 12 inches (31 cm.) for each 1 inch (2.5 cm.) of trunk diameter. Once the trench is established, continue to dig around the tree. Dig as deeply as you can to avoid damage to the roots. Work the shovel under the tree, then lift the tree carefully onto a piece of burlap or a plastic tarp and slide the tree to the new location. When you’re ready for the actual crabapple tree transplanting, dig a hole in the prepared site at least twice as wide as the root ball, or even larger if the soil is compacted. However, it’s important that the tree be planted at the same soil depth as in its previous home, so don’t dig deeper than the root ball. Fill the hole with water, then put the tree in the hole. Fill in the hole with removed soil, watering as you go to eliminate air pockets. Tamp the soil down with the back of a shovel.

Care After Moving a Crabapple Tree

Create a water-holding basin around the tree by building a berm about 2 inches (5 cm.) high and 2 feet (61 cm.) from the trunk. Spread 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) of mulch around the tree, but don’t allow the mulch to pile against the trunk. Smooth out the berm when the roots are well established – usually about a year. Water the tree deeply a couple of times per week, decreasing the amount by about half in autumn. Don’t fertilize until the tree is established.

Bay laurel trees are small evergreens with dense, aromatic foliage. The leaves are often used for flavoring in cooking. If your bay tree has outgrown its planting site, you may be wondering how to transplant bay trees. Read on for tips on transplanting bay trees.

Moving a Bay Tree

Bay trees are relatively small, and some gardeners grow them in containers. You may be thinking of moving a bay tree from one container to a garden site or from one garden site to another. In either case, you’ll want to be sure to do it right. When you are transplanting bay trees, you’ll want to get information on how to transplant bay trees. Before you pick up that shovel though, you need to figure out when to move a bay tree. Experts suggest that you should wait until summer’s heat has cooled to act. The best time for transplanting a bay tree is autumn. In addition to ushering in milder weather, autumn often brings rains that help the bay tree transplant develop its root system in the new site.

How to Transplant Bay Trees

When you are ready to start moving a bay tree, the first thing to do is to prepare the new site. This allows you to set the tree’s rootball into the new site immediately. Select a site protected from strong winds. The bay tree transplant will require a new planting hole. Shovel out a hole considerably larger than the tree’s rootball. The hole should be twice as wide as and somewhat deeper than the rootball. Loosen up the soil in the hole to allow the bay’s roots to easily adjust. Some experts recommend pruning the bay tree transplant before moving it. You might also spray it several hours before transplant with a product called Stressguard. It is said to reduce the risk of transplant shock. The most important thing to remember when you are transplanting bay trees is to dig out and move as much of the root ball as possible. Dig around the outside of the rootball until you are certain of its perimeters. Then dig down until you arrive at the depth where most of the roots lie. Lift the soil with the roots attached, taking care not to damage small feeder roots. When you can, lift out the rootball in one piece. Place it on a tarp and take it to its new location. Slide the tree into the planting hole, then backfill. When the tree is solid and straight, tamp the soil down and water it well. Water regularly for the first year after transplanting bay trees. It’s also a good idea to spread a layer of mulch over the root area. Don’t allow the mulch to get very close to the tree trunk.

Lily of the valley is a lovely, highly fragrant lily. Although the blossoms look small and delicate, they pack an aromatic punch. That isn’t all about lily of the valley that’s tough though. The plant itself is extremely resilient and hardy, so there is no need to worry when transplanting lily of the valley. A rapid spreader, people find themselves moving lily of the valley all the time with no ill effects to the plant. That said, if you’re new to growing this specimen, keep reading to find out when and how to transplant lily of the valley.

About Transplanting Lily of the Valley

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) really is a durable plant. Some folks say a little too durable. As mentioned, lily of the valley has a penchant for spreading. In fact, this aggressive perennial can take over a bed in short order, which is why some people are constantly removing lily of the valley. In fact, I would dare to guarantee that anyone who grows this lily has plenty of lily of the valley transplants to share with those of you who are lacking. The competitive and aggressive nature of this lily should be considered before planting a lily of the valley transplant. Unless you want it all over the garden, it is best to plant it in a contained area or in a container sunk into the soil.

When to Transplant Lily of the Valley

Much valued for its fragrant summer blossoms, lily of the valley is also prized for its low spreading habit, ideal for use as a groundcover. Lily of the valley prefers moist, shaded areas in USDA zones 2 through 9. Rapacious spreaders, lily of the valley should be divided every three to five years for best and healthiest plantings. Ideally, you would be moving lily of the valley in the fall when the plant is dormant. If that isn’t going to happen within your schedule, don’t worry too much. Lily of the valley is very forgiving. Chances are pretty good that it could be transplanted in the summer with no ill effects, as long as you provide it with plenty of irrigation.

How to Transplant Lily of the Valley

Divide lily of the valley when the plant is dormant, or really whenever. Dig up the small rhizomes, called pips. Gently separate them and replant them about 4 inches (10 cm.) apart. Don’t worry about setting them out too far apart, as they will fill in rapidly. Water the pips in well after transplanting and keep them moist, not saturated.

Years ago when I was new to gardening, I planted my first perennial bed with many of the old-time favorites, such as columbine, delphinium, bleeding heart, etc. For the most part, this flower bed was a beautiful success and helped me discover my green thumb. However, my bleeding heart plant always looked spindly, yellow, and barely produced any flowers. After two years of it dragging my garden down with its shabby, sickly appearance, I finally decided to move the bleeding heart to a less noticeable spot. To my surprise, the following spring this same sad little bleeding heart flourished in its new location and was covered with dramatic blooms and healthy lush green foliage. If you find yourself in a similar circumstance and need to move a bleeding heart plant, then read on to learn how.

How to Transplant a Bleeding Heart Plant

Sometimes we have a vision of a perfect flowerbed in our minds, but the plants have ideas of their own. The simple act of transplanting garden plants to a better location can occasionally help them perform better. Transplanting may seem a little scary and risky when you are new to gardening, but when done properly, oftentimes the risk pays off. Had I been afraid to move my bleeding heart, it probably would have continued to suffer until it died out. Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a perennial hardy in zones 3 through 9. It prefers a partially shaded location, where it will have some protection from the intense afternoon sun. Bleeding heart is not too particular about soil type, as long as the location is well draining. When transplanting bleeding heart, choose a site with afternoon shade and well-draining soil.

Caring For Bleeding Heart Transplants

When to transplant bleeding hearts depends on why you are transplanting it. Technically, you can move bleeding heart anytime, but it is less stressful for the plant if you do it in early spring or fall. If the plant is suffering in its current location, cut back any stems and foliage and transplant it to a new location. Bleeding heart plants are typically divided every three to five years. If you find yourself needing to transplant a large, established bleeding heart plant, it may be wise to divide it as well. When transplanting bleeding heart, prepare the new site first. Cultivate and loosen up the soil in the new site and add organic material if necessary. Dig a hole twice as large as the projected root ball. Dig up the bleeding heart, taking care to get as much of the root ball as you can. Plant the bleeding heart in the pre-dug hole and water it thoroughly. Water bleeding heart transplants every day for the first week, then every other day the second week and one to three times a week after that for the first active growing season.

Plumeria, or frangipani, is a fragrant tropical plant that is often used as an ornamental in warm region gardens. Plumeria can develop into large bushes with extensive root systems. Transplanting mature plants may be difficult due to their size and the root mass, but transplanting a plumeria cutting is easy provided you get the soil mixture correct. Knowing when to move a plumeria is also an important aspect. We'll go over some tips on how to transplant plumeria, whether it be cuttings or established plants.

Moving Plumeria Plants

Established plants may suddenly no longer fit where they were growing. If a mature plant needs to be moved, plan a season ahead. At this time, cut around the root mass to sever some of the larger roots–also known as root pruning. This will stimulate new root growth, but roots will be easier to manage the next year when the plant is moved. Moving plumeria plants that are large can take a couple of gardeners. The season after cutting the roots, water the plant well the day before transplant. Spring is when to move a plumeria because the plant is just beginning active growing and it will be less likely to suffer from shock when lifted. Dig around the root zone and lift the plant onto a tarp. Wrap the tarp around the roots to keep moisture in. Prepare the new bed by digging a hole twice as wide and deep as the root mass. Fill the bottom of the hole with loose soil in a cone shape and settle the roots on top of this. Back fill and press soil around the roots. Water the plant in well.

How to Transplant Plumeria Cuttings

Cuttings are the most common method of propagation because they establish quickly and the new plants are true to the parent. If all goes well, new cuttings are ready to transplant in 30 to 45 days. The cutting should have several pairs of true leaves prior to moving. If you are simply moving the plant to a larger container, a nice cactus soil will provide a good growth medium. In-ground planting spaces need to be amended with compost and plenty of grit to keep soil porous. Gently loosen the soil around the cutting and remove it from the pot, being careful not to damage the small roots. Situate the cutting in the container at the same height and depth at which it was growing and fill around with the cactus soil. In-ground plants should be installed in a hole that is twice as deep and wide but then filled to just accommodate the roots. This looser region allows the plant roots to easily spread as they grow.

Care After Transplanting a Plumeria

Once plumeria transplanting is complete, the plant will need to be well watered to settle the soil. Do not water again until soil is dry. Place newly potted cuttings in a sunny location with some protection from the hottest rays of the day. After 30 days, fertilize with 10-50-10 ratio fertilizer. Water this in well. Spread fine bark mulch around the base of the plant to prevent weeds and moisture loss. Cuttings may require staking at the outset. Once rooting has established, the stake may be removed. Larger plants should be pruned the next year after blooming. This will help open the interior, increasing air and minimizing disease and pests. Feed plumeria once annually at the beginning of the growing season. This will encourage the beautiful, scented blooms and healthy, glossy foliage.

The beautiful blooms and dark green evergreen foliage of camellia plants win a gardener’s heart. They add color and texture to your backyard all year long. If your camellias outgrow their planting sites, you’ll want to start thinking about transplanting camellias. Read on for information about camellia transplanting, including tips on how to transplant a camellia and when to move a camellia bush.

When to Move a Camellia Bush

Camellias (Camellia spp.) are woody shrubs that grow best in warmer regions. They thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. You can buy camellias from your garden store during winter. If you are wondering when to transplant or when to move a camellia bush, winter is the perfect time. The plant may not look dormant, but it is.

How to Transplant a Camellia

Camellia transplanting can be easy or it can be more difficult depending on the age and size of the plant. However, camellias generally don’t have very deep roots, which makes the job easier. 

How to transplant a camellia? The first step, if the plant is large, is to do root pruning at least three months before the move. To start transplanting camellias, draw a circle in the soil around each camellia bush that is a little larger than the root ball. 

Press a sharp spade into the soil around the circle, slicing through roots. Alternatively, dig a trench in the soil around the plant. When you are done, refill the area with soil until you are ready to transplant. 

The next step in camellia transplanting is to prepare a new site for each plant. Camellias grow best in a site with part shade. They need well-draining, rich soil. When you are transplanting camellias, remember that the shrubs prefer acidic soil too. 

When you are ready to start, reopen the slices you made around the camellia when you did root pruning and dig them even further down. When you can slip a shovel under the root ball, do so. Then you’ll want to remove the root ball, place it on a tarp, and gently move it to the new site.

If the plant was too small and young to require root pruning before camellia transplanting, just dig around it with a shovel. Remove its root ball and carry it to the new site. Dig a hole in the new site twice as big as the plant’s root ball.

Gently lower the root ball of the plant into the hole, keeping the soil level the same as it was in the original planting.

Hawthorn shrubs are short and gnarly. These native North American trees make excellent defensive hedges with their dense growth pattern and thorny branches. If you want to know how to transplant a hawthorn shrub or when to move a hawthorn hedge, read on. You’ll find lots of good tips for transplanting hawthorn hedges.

Transplanting Hawthorn Hedges

Hawthorns (Crataegus monogyna) are often used for hedges. A dense hawthorn hedge offers great protection for small wildlife and birds and also does a good job at keeping out intruders. Hawthorns produce flowers in early summer, followed by showy berries. These stay on the shrubs into winter, providing birds with food during the cold months. Although the shrubs are happy campers once they are in the soil, the “thorn” part of hawthorn becomes important if you are thinking of hawthorn hedge transplanting or trimming hawthorns for that matter.

When to Move a Hawthorn Hedge

The first thing to figure out is when to transplant your hedge. Some plants survive a move best if transplanted in fall. Others are happier being moved in spring. If you are wondering when to move a hawthorn hedge, do it in the beginning of the growing season. Therefore, in most areas, you’ll do best transplanting hawthorn hedges in spring.

How to Transplant a Hawthorn Shrub

Healthy shrubs have a better chance of surviving a move, so build up your plants before you start transplanting hawthorn hedges. Start this procedure the summer before the move by fertilizing appropriately, providing sufficient irrigation, and pruning out dead wood. The next step in hawthorn hedge transplanting is to root prune the shrubs the autumn before the move. This encourages the shrubs to grow more compact root systems that can move with them to the new location. The way to do this is to draw a circle around each shrub wide enough to include the root ball. Then dig straight down along the circle with a sharp spade, cutting off longer roots as you go. Come spring, pick your new site and prepare the planting holes for the hedge plants. Soak the soil around the hawthorns the day before moving. Reopen the circle around each plant and dig down until your shovel is under the root ball. You’ll want to tie in the branches loosely. This helps prevent getting your eyes raked by thorns. When this is done, lift the shrub’s root ball and place it on a tarp. Keep the roots covered and get it replanted as quickly as possible. To replant the hedge, place each shrub in the hole you dug for it, spreading out the roots. Plant each to the line of the soil mark on the stem. Firm the soil around each hawthorn shrub carefully to eliminate air pockets. Irrigate the newly transplanted hawthorns immediately after planting. Keep watering frequently during their first year in the new location.

In their natural environment, staghorn ferns grow on tree trunks and branches. Fortunately, staghorn ferns also grow in pots – usually a wire or mesh basket, which allows us to enjoy these unique, antler-shaped plants in non-tropical environments. Like all potted plants, staghorn ferns occasionally need repotting. Read on to learn about transplanting staghorn ferns.

Staghorn Fern Repotting

When to repot a staghorn fern is a common question to many but an easy one to answer. Staghorn ferns are happiest when they’re slightly crowded and should only be repotted when they’re nearly busting at the seams – usually once every few years. Staghorn fern repotting is best done in spring.

How to Repot a Staghorn Fern

Here are some tips to follow when you begin transplanting staghorn ferns into another pot. Prepare a container at least 2 inches (5 cm.) wider than the original container. If you’re using a wire basket, line the basket with about an inch (2.5 cm.) of moist, firmly packed sphagnum moss (soak the moss in a bowl or bucket for three or four hours first). Fill the basket (or a regular pot) about half-full of a loose, well-drained, porous potting mixture: preferably something like shredded pine bark, sphagnum moss, or a similar medium. You can use up to one-third regular potting mix, but never use garden soil. Remove the staghorn carefully from its container and move it to the new container as you gently spread the roots. Finish filling the pot with potting mix, so the roots are completely covered but the stem and fronds are exposed. Pat the potting mix gently around the roots. Water the newly transplanted staghorn to soak the potting mix, and then allow it to drain well.

Azaleas are a favorite perennial for many gardeners because of their long lives and reliable flowering. Since they’re such a mainstay, it can be heartbreaking to have to get rid of them. It’s much more preferable to move them if at all possible. Keep reading to learn more about how to move an azalea bush and the best time for relocating azaleas.

When Can I Transplant Azaleas?

The best time for relocating an azalea bush really depends upon your climate. Azaleas are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, which is a very wide range as far as temperature. If you live in a lower numbered zone with cold winters, the best time for azalea transplanting is early spring, before new growth has started. This will give the roots a full growing season to become established before the bitter cold of winter, which can really damage a weak, newly-transplanted bush. If you’re growing in a hot climate, you have the opposite problem. The best time for transplanting azaleas is late summer or early autumn. Instead of bringing possible frost damage, winter provides safe, mild temperatures for your roots to get nice and established before the harsh heat of summer.

How to Move an Azalea Bush

Before you begin to move your azalea, you should find a new site for it and dig a hole there. The less time your plant has to spend out of the ground, the better. Pick a site that’s partially shady, moist, and well draining with a pH that’s slightly acidic. Next, dig a circle 1 foot (31 cm.) out from the trunk. If the shrub is really big, dig farther out. The circle should be at least 1 foot (31 cm.) deep, but probably won’t have to be much deeper. Azalea roots are shallow. Don’t worry if you cut through some roots-- it’s going to happen. Once you’ve dug your circle, use your shovel to lift the root ball out of the ground. Wrap the root ball in burlap to keep it moist and move it to its new hole immediately. The new hole should be the same depth as and twice the width of the root ball. Set the root ball inside and fill it in so the soil line is the same as in its old spot. Water thoroughly and keep watering at a rate of about 10 inches (25 cm.) per week until the plant becomes established.

Zone 9 is a warm climate zone that includes parts of California, Florida, and Texas. Anyone gardening in Zone 9 has a long growing season with a few days of frost. Your garden can run the gamut from cool-season crops to heat-loving veggies, as long as you plant them at the right time. The Mediterranean climate makes living in Zone 9 easy, with dry, warm summers and mild, wet winters.

When you sit down to make a USDA Zone 9 planting schedule, knowing which veggies to plant in when to plant each crop is super important. This climate lets you grow almost anything – including veggies, fruits, herbs, and flowers. Lucky for you, seed starting in Zone 9 can much earlier than in other parts of the country which means more time for growing and harvesting!

This Zone 9 planting guide helps you understand your options for vegetables to plant each month to let you get the best annual harvest possible.

January

We start out the Zone 9 planting calendar with January, the worst of the winter weather is behind you in Zone 9. The days are starting to get longer, but they are still quite cool. Although the top growing season doesn’t begin for several months, you can sow a variety of Zone 9 plants in January.

There are a few products that can help you grow seedlings that will be strong and healthy for transplanting later. Our editors like the AC Infinity humidity dome, Vivosun heat mat, and Barrina grow lights which are available from Amazon.

February

February is a bit warmer than January. The air still holds the memory of a cool winter, but there’s enough sun to make you believe that spring is around the corner. Focus on cool-season crops like leafy greens and root vegetables.

March

Winter is supposed to exit on March 2, and in Zone 9, March means that the soil temperatures have already started to rise a bit. That means that more crops can be planted outside in the garden, and it’s time to focus on warm-season crops. You can still plant cool-season crops that grow to maturity quickly. Keep your eye on the weather, and use row covers if a late frost is expected.

April

April in Zone 9 is a gardener’s version of April in Paris. It’s the prime month for gardening in this mild hardiness zone, and a good month for beginners to get started. All chance of frost is gone, early in the month, and the spring sunshine is utterly enchanting. Focus on warm-season crops.

May

Spring is in full swing in May for those in Zone 9. Outdoor gardens are thriving with some veggies already ready for harvest. When planting, focus on veggies that like summer warmth because it has arrived or is coming.

June

June is almost summer, with hotter weather. Now’s the time to plant heat-loving, warm season veggies and keeping an eye out for pests. You can also succession plant cool-season favorites like beets for fall harvest.

July

July in Zone 9 is big, bold, and dramatic. The sun is hot, pests are aplenty, irrigation a must. This is a month of abundance, and all of the warm-season crops thrive but you can’t stint on irrigation! Try getting up early to enjoy a morning in the cool of the garden while watering your crops.

August

August is the official end of summer but it’s still sunny and hot. You can plant both warm-season veggies for a late crop and root veggies, and heat-tolerant crops like okra. It’s also a great moment to start seeds indoors for autumn planting.

September

There are worse places to be than in Zone 9 during September. This transitional month often offers fantastic weather, as the temperatures cool a bit and the leaves start to turn. The warm days and cool nights are excellent for garden work without all the stress and heat of summer.

October

In October, Zone 9 is in transition, moving away from the hot, dry summer to cooler, wetter fall temperatures. But everyday isn’t chilly – days can still be warm, making it a little tricky for fall crops. This is a great month for planting cool-season vegetables, especially leafy greens. It’s also a fine time to put in an herb garden.

November

For Zone 9 gardeners, November is not the end of the garden. Those who live in colder climates are putting away the tools, but in Zone 9, you can still sow seeds and prune your perennials. This month can be productive and full of contradictions, but it’s still fine to plant leafy greens, root veggies and legumes.

December

December is winter, but in Zone 9, it may not look like winter. It’s a sort of second planting season since you can sow leafy greens, root vegetables and legumes. It’s not toasty warm but the soil is warm enough for seeds to grow. And if you’re dreaming of tomatoes, never fear – spring is just around the corner.

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Sometimes, a plant simply outgrows its location and needs to be moved. In the case of yucca, the timing is as important as the method. Yuccas are full sun plants and need well-draining soil. Other considerations for this large, prickly leaved plant are issues of comfort. It is probably best not to situate the plant where it can make walking or playing uncomfortable due to its sharp leaves. Read on for tips on how to transplant a yucca.

When to Move Yuccas

Moving yucca plants takes preparation and good timing. Some specimens may be very large and old and might need professional help. At the very least, it is a good idea to have an extra hand or two, as these are cumbersome plants with sharp leaves. Choose your site very carefully when transplanting yuccas, as they prefer not to be moved frequently. 

Expect to baby it for a few months and don't be surprised if a bit of transplant shock occurs. The plant will usually shake it off in a week or so. As they say, "timing is everything." Knowing when to move yuccas will give you the best chance of success. For most plants, it is best to transplant when the plant is dormant. Yucca transplanting can technically be done at any time of the year. 

However, in regions with mild winters, it is best to move the plant in fall. That way the roots can establish before the hot temperatures arrive. If you are moving yucca plants in spring, remember they will need extra water as things heat up. Choose a location with at least 8 hours of sunlight in a site with well-draining soil.

How to Transplant a Yucca

Width and depth of the hole are the first concern. Yucca can grow deep roots and have a width of a foot (30 cm.) beyond the widest leaves. Dig out around the plant and gradually deeper under the crown. Set a tarp off to one side and use the shovel to lever the plant out onto it. 

Next, dig a hole as deep as the root system and twice as wide in the transplant location. One tip on moving yucca plants - add a little soil to the very center of the new hole, which will rise the stemless yucca up a bit when planted. This is because, once the soil settles after watering, the yucca may sink into the soil. 

That can cause rot over time. Spread out the roots and settle the plant into the new hole. Backfill with loose soil, tamping around gently.

Post Yucca Transplanting Care

After transplanting yucca, some TLC may be necessary. Yucca moved in fall should be watered once per week if no precipitation is expected. After two weeks, decrease watering to once every other week. In spring, temperatures are warmer and evaporation occurs. 

Keep the plant moderately moist for a month and then decrease watering to every two weeks. Your yucca may experience some shock that could cause discolored leaves. Remove these once new growth begins to show. Use organic mulch around the base of the plant to discourage weeds and conserve moisture while keeping the ground cool in summer and warm in winter. 

In about a month or so, the yucca should be well established in its new home and regular care resumed.

Cannas are tropical plants that are often planted for their colorful foliage varieties, though their bright red, orange or yellow flowers are stunning as well. Despite cannas only being hardy in zones 8-11, they are just as common in northern gardens as they are in southern regions. In cool climates, canna bulbs are planted each spring, then in fall they are dug up, divided and stored away from the winter chill to be replanted in spring. Even in warmer climates, cannas will need to be dug up and divided every 4-5 years. Continue reading to learn about dividing and transplanting cannas.

Can I Transplant Cannas?

Not only can you transplant and divide canna lilies, but you actually should do so every few years to prevent overcrowding, disease and pests. Pests and disease often occur on weak, unhappy plants, and will develop in dense, crowded plant structures with poor air circulation and lots of hiding places. Canna flowers are not true lilies and their root structures are more like irises than lilies. Like iris plants, canna rhizomes multiply quickly and eventually older rhizomes in the center of the mass can be choked out. Dividing perennial grown cannas every 3-5 years will keep them growing in smaller healthier clumps. Transplanting canna lily plants is a great way not only to continually enjoy them but to create dramatic backdrops, borders or privacy screens in the landscape.

How and When to Transplant Canna Lilies

In zones 8-11 where they grow as perennials, dividing and transplanting canna lily plants should be done when they have finished blooming and the foliage begins to die back. Of course, knowing how to move a canna lily without causing damage is important too. Carefully dig up the rhizome mass and cut any remaining stems or foliage back to about an inch (2.5 cm.). Brush off any soil stuck to the rhizomes so you can see the joints where new rhizomes grow from older ones. You can use a sharp, sterile knife to cut these rhizomes apart, but they also usually break apart cleanly and easily. Each section you cut or break off should have at least one eye (similar to potato tubers) and preferably some roots. After digging up cannas and dividing their rhizomes, many gardeners will dip them in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to kill any infectious diseases or pests. In warm climates, divided canna lilies are then transplanted 6 inches (15 cm.) deep, and the rhizomes will settle into their new home through winter. In cooler climates, zone 7 or lower, the rhizomes need to be dried out, then stored indoors throughout winter in a location that does not get colder than 45 degrees F. (7 C.). In spring, when all danger of frost has passed, these stored canna lilies can be replanted outdoors in the garden or containers.

Occasionally, mature cactus plants have to be moved. Moving cacti in the landscape, especially large specimens, can be a challenge. This process poses more danger to you than the plant due to the spines, thorns, and other dangerous armor most of these plants possess. Transplanting a cactus can be done at any time of the year, but the best time is in cool weather. Some tips on how to transplant a cactus without harm to you or the plant will follow.

Before Moving Cacti in the Landscape

Mature cactus plants can get quite large and require professional assistance to minimize plant damage. If you are determined to take on the process yourself, consider site preparation, have several extra hands available and prepare the plant carefully to avoid harming pads, limbs, and causing yourself and your helpers any pain. Only transplant healthy specimens that will have the best chance of re-establishing. A word of caution: wild cactus cannot be harvested legally in most areas, so this information applies to cultivated cacti in the landscape only. Preparation is crucial when moving a cactus plant. Mark the plant so you can situate it in the same orientation in which it is growing. Plants with large pads should be swaddled in an old blanket or something that will cushion the limbs while giving you protection from the spines.

How to Transplant a Cactus

Begin by digging a trench around the plant 1 to 2 feet (31-61 cm.) away and about 18 inches (46 cm.) deep. Then start prying around the plant gently. Cactus roots are usually near the surface but are delicate, so be careful during this process. Once you have excavated the roots, use the shovel to pry out the plant. Wrap a large garden hose around the plant and lift it out of the hole. If the plant is large, you may need more than two people or even a vehicle for pulling. Successfully transplanting a cactus requires careful new site preparation. The cactus roots should air dry for a few days before installing the plant in its new location. During this time, assess the soil and amend as needed. In sandy locations, add 25% compost. In areas with rich or clay soil, add pumice to help assist with drainage. Dig a shallow, wide hole that is the same size as the original planting site. Orient the cactus at the same exposure it experienced in the old planting location. This is one of the more crucial details because it will prevent or minimize sunburn. Carefully lift the plant and settle it in the correct orientation in the prepared hole. Backfill around the roots and tamp down. Water the plant deeply to settle the soil. Some special care is required for several months after moving a cactus plant. Water the plant twice per week for a month unless nighttime temperatures drop below 60 degrees F. (16 C.). In this case, do not water unless up to four months have gone by without precipitation. If the transplant takes place in spring or summer, cover the plant with a shade cloth to prevent burning. Keep the cloth in place for three to four weeks as the plant re-establishes and adapts to its new conditions. Large plants over 5 feet (1.5 m.) in height will benefit from staking. After a month, diminish watering frequency to every two to three weeks in summer and two to three times during winter. Watch for signs of stress and address each symptom individually. Within a few months, your plant should be well established and on its way to recovery from the moving process.

Sometimes a certain plant just doesn't grow right where it’s located and needs to be moved. Other times, a plant may quickly outgrow a landscape. Either way, moving a plant from one site to another can cause stress, or even death, if not done properly. Fast growing mimosa trees can quickly outgrow an area. While the average 25-foot (7.5 m.) height of one mimosa tree doesn't sound that hard to fit into the landscape, mimosa trees seed profusely, and one mimosa tree can quickly turn into a stand of mimosa trees. Continue reading to learn about properly moving mimosa trees and when to transplant a mimosa tree.

Mimosa Tree Transplanting

Many times, mimosa trees are planted as specimen plants in landscape beds near a home or patio. Their sweet-smelling flowers bloom in midsummer and then form into long seed pods that disperse seeds everywhere. As we get busy with other things in the garden in late summer and fall, it's easy to overlook the seeding habits of mimosa until the following year when seedlings pop up all over. With its adaptation to almost any soil type, tolerance of full sun to part shade, and quick growth rate, your one specimen mimosa can quickly turn into a thicket of mimosa. While this may be fine for a windbreak or privacy screen, a dense stand of mimosa can take over a small landscape bed. In time, you may find yourself needing to move mimosa trees to a location where they can be allowed to grow and seed densely.

When to Transplant a Mimosa Tree

Timing is important when transplanting a mimosa tree. Like any tree, mimosa trees are easier to transplant the younger they are. A small sapling will have a much greater survival rate if moved than an older, more established tree. Sometimes, it is necessary to move a bigger tree, though. Either way, safely transplanting a mimosa tree will take a little prep work. Established trees should be transplanted in late fall to early winter after all the leaves have fallen off and gone dormant. Small saplings can be dug up in spring and potted to give away to friends or family, or until a proper site is selected.

How to Transplant Mimosa Trees

First, select the new site for the mimosa. This area should have well-draining soil and be full sun to part shade. Pre-dig the hole in which the mimosa will be going. The hole should be twice as wide as the root ball you will be placing in it, but no deeper than the tree is presently growing. Planting any tree too deeply can cause root girdling and improper root development. Oftentimes, arborists will recommend digging a hole slightly deeper than the plant's root ball, but then creating a small mound of soil in the center for the root ball to sit upon so that the tree itself is not planted any deeper than it should be, but the horizontal roots are encouraged to spread out and down into the deeper area of the hole. Once your site and planting hole are prepared, place a wheelbarrow filled halfway with water and a transplanting fertilizer, like Root & Grow, next to the mimosa tree you are digging up. Depending on the size of the tree you are moving, with a clean, sharp spade, start digging about a foot to two (0.5 m.) out from the base of the tree. An older, larger tree will have a larger root system and will need more of these roots intact to survive the move. A clean, sharp spade will help easily cut through these roots while not damaging them too badly and reduce transplant shock. Established mimosa trees can have long, thick taproots, so it may be necessary to dig down around the tree up to 2 feet (0.5 m.) to get a good portion of this taproot. After digging up the mimosa tree, place it in the so you can easily move the tree to its new location in the landscape. Place the mimosa tree in the prepared, new hole. Be sure that it will not be planted any deeper than it previously was going. Add soil under the root ball, if necessary, to raise it. Fill the area around the roots with soil, gently tamping it down to prevent air pockets. Once the hole is refilled with soil, dump any leftover water and rooting hormone in the wheelbarrow onto the root zone. It will be necessary to water your newly transplanted mimosa tree daily for the first week. Do not use any fertilizer until spring. After the first week, you can water the tree twice a week for the next two weeks. Then drop down to a good, deep watering once per week. When watering any newly planted tree, you should give it about a twenty minute, slow trickle of water for deep watering. Once a mimosa tree is established, they can tolerate drought and will require very little watering.

Like most bulbs, tiger lilies will naturalize over time, creating even more bulbs and plants. Dividing the cluster of bulbs and transplanting tiger lilies will enhance growth and blooming, and further increase your stock of these charming lilies. For best success, you should know when to divide and how to transplant tiger lily plants. The process is easy, and you can even give a few of these stunning flowering bulbs away every few years.

When Should I Transplant Tiger Lilies?

Tiger lilies are vigorous perennial bulbs that bloom in summer. They may be white, yellow, or red, but are usually deeply orange with speckled petals. Plants may grow up to 4 feet (1 m.) tall and over time the number of blooms will increase. Tiger lilies can be propagated through bulbs, scales, bulbils, or seed, but the quickest and easiest method is through division of established bulbs. Transplanting tiger lilies will result in a crop the next year if you time it just right. Transplanting summer-blooming bulbs like tiger lilies can be done at any time of the year, but you might sacrifice flowers if you don't get the timing right. The best time for transplanting tiger lily bulbs is when the foliage has died back. Just remember to mark the area before all the greenery disappears or you may miss the bulbs. The bulbs are quite hardy even in areas with sustained freezes and don't usually need to overwinter indoors. Autumn is generally the time the greenery is dying back and the best time to transplant the bulbs. If you are transplanting live plants, make sure to plant them at the same depth in which they were growing and provide them with adequate water to reestablish.

How to Transplant Tiger Lily Plants

It's not actually the plants you will transplant unless you opt to lose some flowers and move them during the growing season. If you wait until fall, all that is left to move are the bulbs. To remove the bulbs, use a shovel and cut straight down several inches (8 cm.) away from where the plants were. Dig as far out from the main clump of the plant, or plants, as needed to avoid cutting the bulbs. Then, carefully excavate inward until you find the bulbs. Lift the bulbs gently and brush off the soil. If the bulbs are in a big clump, delicately separate them. If any plant material remains on the bulbs, clip it off. After you have lifted and separated the bulbs, check for rotten spots and discoloration. Discard any bulbs which aren't healthy. Prepare the bed by loosening the soil to a depth of 8 inches (20 cm.) and adding in organic matter and bone meal. Plant the bulbs 6 to 10 inches (15-25 cm.) apart at a depth of 6 inches (15 cm.). Bulbs need to be situated with the pointed side up and the roots downward. Press soil around the bulbs and water to settle the soil. If you have snoopy squirrels or other digging animals, place a section of chicken wire over the area until plants sprout in spring. Transplanting tiger lily bulbs is easy and the results will be bigger flowers and more than ever before.

Burning bushes are dramatic, often serving as the centerpiece in a garden or yard. Since they’re so striking, it’s hard to give up on them if they can’t stay in the spot they’re in. Luckily, burning bush relocation is reasonably easy and has a pretty high success rate. Keep reading to learn more about burning bush transplanting and when to move burning bushes.

Burning Bush Relocation

Burning bush transplanting is best done in the fall so the roots have all winter to establish before spring growth starts. It can also be done in very early spring before the plant has woken up from dormancy, but the roots will have much less time to grow and establish before energy is diverted to producing leaves and new branches. The best way to go about transplanting a burning bush is to prune the roots in the spring and then do the actual move in the fall. To prune the roots, drive a shovel or spade straight down in a circle around the bush, somewhere between the drip line and the trunk. It should be at least a foot (31 cm.) from the trunk in every direction. This will cut the roots and form the basis of the root ball that you’ll be moving in the fall. By cutting in the spring, you’re giving the bush time to grow some new, shorter roots within this circle. If your burning bush relocation needs to happen right away, you can move it immediately after this step.

How to Move a Burning Bush

On the day of your burning bush transplanting, prepare the new hole ahead of time. It should be just about as deep as the root ball and at least twice as wide. Get a large sheet of burlap to contain the root ball, and a friend to help carry it – as it’s going to be heavy. Dig up the circle you cut in the spring and hoist the bush into the burlap. Move it quickly to its new home. You want it out of the ground as little as possible. Once it’s in place, fill the hole in halfway with soil, then water generously. Once the water has sunk away, fill the rest of the hole in and water again. If you had to cut away a lot of roots, remove some of the branches closest to the ground-- this will take some burden off the plant and allow for easier root growth. Don’t feed your burning bush since fertilizer at this time can damage new roots. Water moderately, keeping the soil moist but not soggy.

Spirea is a popular flowering shrub hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9. Whether you have one in a container that you want to move to the garden, or you have an established plant that needs to move to a new spot, sometimes spirea bush transplanting is necessary. Keep reading to learn more spirea transplanting info.

Spirea Bush Transplanting

Spirea bush transplanting from a container is easy. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot in your garden. Dig a hole that’s a couple of inches (5 cm.) deeper than your container and twice as wide. It helps to set the container in the hole as you dig to get a feel for the size. Fill the bottom of the hole with a couple of inches (5 cm.) of compost. Slide the root ball out of its container and set it in the hole. Don’t shake out the excess dirt. Fill in the hole with a mix of soil and good compost. Water thoroughly and keep the plant well-watered for the next year. It may take as long as a year for your spirea to get completely established.

Moving a Spirea Shrub in the Garden

Moving a spirea shrub that’s established isn’t necessarily hard, but it can get unwieldy. Spirea shrubs can grow as tall as 10 feet (3 m.) and as wide as 20 feet (6 m.). If your shrub is especially big, you may have to prune back its branches just to get to the trunk. However, if you can reach the trunk, don’t prune it at all. You want to dig up the root ball, which is probably as wide as the drip line, or the outermost edge of the plant’s branches. Start digging down and in at the drip line until you free the root ball. Moving a spirea shrub should be done as quickly as possible so the plant doesn’t dry out. It may help to wrap the root ball in burlap to keep it moist and to stop the soil from falling away. Plant it in a hole prepared just like for container transplanting. If your foliage spread is wider than your root ball, prune it back a bit.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a large, hardy shrub that produces bright showy blossoms that are white, red, pink, violet and blue. The bush blossoms in summer, when only a few other shrubs flower. With a stiff, upright habit and open branches, Rose of Sharon works in both informal and formal garden arrangements. Transplanting a Rose of Sharon shrub is not difficult. Read on for tips on how and when to transplant a Rose of Sharon.

Moving a Rose of Sharon

You may decide that moving Rose of Sharons is the best idea if you find that they are planted in shade or in an inconvenient location. Rose of Sharon transplanting is most successful if you undertake the task at the optimal time.

When do you transplant a Rose of Sharon? Not in the summer or winter. Your plants will be stressed if you try to transplant them when the weather is too hot or cold. Moving Rose of Sharon bushes at these times can kill them.

If you want to know when to transplant a Rose of Sharon, the best time to do it is while the shrubs are dormant. This is generally November through March. It stresses a plant to move it during the growing season, and it will take longer to establish in the new location.

It's best to plan on transplanting a Rose of Sharon shrub in autumn. Moving the shrubs in the fall gives them all winter and spring to establish a strong root system before their flowering period. It is also possible to transplant in spring.

How to Transplant Rose of Sharon

When you are transplanting a Rose of Sharon, preparation of the new site is important. Remove all of the grass and weeds from the new planting location, and amend the soil with organic compost. You can do this toward summer’s end.

When you are done preparing the soil, dig a planting hole. Make it twice as big as you expect the shrub’s root ball to be.

November is a good Rose of Sharon transplanting time. If the plant is very big, trim it back to make transplanting a Rose of Sharon easier. You can also tie up the lower branches if you are afraid you will injure them.

Gently dig around the plant’s roots and try to keep as many of them as you can in the root ball. Lift out the root ball carefully.

Place the plant in its new planting hole so that it is sitting at the same depth as it was in the prior planting location. Pat extracted earth around the sides of the root ball, then water well.

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With leathery green leaves and pink, white, yellow, or red flowers, oleander certainly qualifies as an ornamental, worthy of your backyard or garden. It is an evergreen and can grow to 25 feet (8 m.) tall. If the site you planted oleanders isn’t working out, questions might arise about transplanting oleanders. How to transplant an oleander bush? When to move an oleander? Will transplanting oleanders kill them? Read on for information about the ins and outs of moving oleander shrubs.

Oleander Transplanting

Gardeners choose to plant oleander for its showy blossoms and easy-going ways. It’s a tolerant, forgiving shrub, accepting many different types of soil and exposition. It is drought tolerant but will drink a lot if given a choice. Transplanting oleanders is also an easy, uneventful process. It’s not difficult to learn how to transplant an oleander bush.

When to Move an Oleander

Don’t undertake a transplant in summer. Moving oleander shrubs is easiest on the plant if you do it in November. The cooling temperatures make the process less stressful for the shrub.

How to Transplant an Oleander Bush

Moving oleander shrubs is a matter of using common sense and a shovel at the same time. The first step in oleander transplanting is to give the shrub a long drink of water. Do this 48 hours before you intend to move it. While you are doing the transplant, keep in mind that oleander leaves can irritate your skin. Pull on garden gloves, then tie up the lower branches of the shrubs to make sure they don’t get snapped in the process. Before you begin moving oleander shrubs, prepare a new planting hole for each transplant. Remove all weeds from the new area and dig a planting hole 12 or 15 inches (31-38 cm.) deep and about twice that wide. Here’s how to transplant an oleander shrub. Shovel around the shrub, digging a trench the same depth as the planting hole. Work the roots free, then lift the plant’s root ball from the soil. Trim any damaged roots, then place the root ball in its new hole at the same level it grew previously. The next step in oleander transplanting is to fill the hole around the root ball about halfway with the soil you removed. Next, add water to settle the soil. Finish filling up the hole with dirt and then water again. Add 3 inches (8 cm.) of mulch over the root area, keeping it at least 4 inches (10 cm.) from the plant’s trunk. Release the lower branches. Water regularly for the plant’s first year in its new site.

Transplanting hydrangeas can be stressful for plants. Don’t believe that? Just think of the last time you moved and transplanted your life from one spot to another. Sure, some things about your new place are better—maybe now you have more room to grow or more sunlight in your new home—but the process was almost certainly stressful.

Moving is stressful for plants, too. That’s why learning how and when to transplant hydrangeas the right way and at the right time is so critical. You want your hydrangeas to not only survive the transition, but thrive in their new home. You also want to make sure to find the right location and ways to use hydrangeas in your landscape so you don’t have to transplant your shrubs again one day.

In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to transplant a hydrangea, including how to pick a new site, dig up your shrub, replant it, and care for your hydrangea after the big move.

Best Time to Transplant Hydrangeas

When is the best time for transplanting hydrangeas? It is possible to transplant at any time of year other than the height of summer, but exact timing can vary depending on your local climate.

In general, the best time to transplant hydrangeas is just after the bushes have gone dormant in the autumn. This means the flowers have all died back and most or all of the leaves have dropped.

Gardeners living in milder growing zones should transplant in late winter or early spring before hydrangeas start to develop buds. In warmer climates where the ground doesn’t freeze, you can transplant hydrangeas between December and February.

In cooler climates, the best time to plant hydrangeas is fall. Move shrubs in October or November when the bush is dormant but the ground is not yet frozen solid or you can wait and move them in early spring.

While these are the best times for moving hydrangea bushes, you can really do it any time during the year without killing the plant, provided it’s not in the heat of summer.

What to Do Before Transplanting Hydrangeas

There are many reasons for moving hydrangeas, but the most common one is not planting your shrub in the right location from the start. In fact, it’s one of the most common hydrangea care mistakes inexperienced gardeners make. Perhaps your hydrangea is crowding out other plants or it’s struggling to thrive in its current location.

Hydrangeas can grow fast, and if not given enough room to expand, your shrub may outgrow its spot in a few years. Or maybe your hydrangea was planted in deep shade and it won’t produce flowers. Both issues may lead you to replant a hydrangea. But before you do anything, keep in mind that taller shrubs have heavy rootballs and may require expert attention.

Always transplant trees and shrubs when they are well hydrated. Water hydrangeas well the week before the move to help it with the transition. If your hydrangea bush is big and unwieldy, prune it back a little before moving it. Less flowers and foliage mean less work for the roots.

Read up on hydrangea’s cultural requirements, then select an appropriate spot for transplanting. Pick a location that receives at least some shade during the course of the day. Generally hydrangeas prefer morning sun and some afternoon shade plus acidic, well-draining soil. You can test your soil acidity using a 4-in-1 Soil Moisture & PH meter from Amazon.

How to Transplant a Hydrangea

Transplanting hydrangeas can be a stressful experience for plants, but for the smoothest transition and the greatest chances of success just follow these four simple steps.

1. Dig a New Hole

When transplanting hydrangeas, the first step is to dig a hole in your new location. Moving hydrangea bushes requires a lot of digging, and you don’t want your poor plant to wait out of the ground for you to dig a big hole. It should be at least 1-1.5 feet (30-45 cm) deep and twice as wide, depending on the size of your shrub. This innovative, highly rated spade from Amazon should do the trick and make digging your hole a breeze.

2. Lift the Shrub

Next, it’s time to dig up your hydrangea. Sink your shovel straight down into the ground in a circle around the bush to free the root ball. You need to dig a circular trench around the rootball of your hydrangea. It should be 1-1.5 feet (30-45cm) deep and at least as wide as the hydrangea’s drip line.

Once the trench is complete, slice off the roots at the bottom of the rootball. Allow the shrub to fall to one side and lay burlap in the trench on the other side, then move the plant so that the rootball is on the burlap. Hydrangea rootballs can be quite large and heavy, so it may take more than one person and a crowbar to pry it out of the ground.

Once the hydrangea is out of the hole, wrap the burlap around the rootball and carefully move it to its new location. You can get gardening burlap from Amazon.

3. Replant the Hydrangea

Check the depth of the new planting hole and ensure that it’s the same height as the rootball and twice as wide. Carefully lower the shrub into the hole, position it so the top of the rootball is level with the ground, and backfill the hole with soil.

Before the hole is completely filled in, cut away the burlap from the top of the root ball. Then fill in with the remaining soil, lightly tamp it down, and water well.

4. Water and Care for Transplanted Shrub

Don’t let your hydrangea get dehydrated! Water deeply once a week for several months following transplant. If you’ve moved it in spring or early summer, the bush will need lots of water while the roots establish themselves in their new environment.

If it’s autumn or winter, however, you shouldn’t have to water it again until spring. Put down a few inches (8 cm) of compost on top of the soil, like this compost and manure blend from Home Depot. When spring comes, water it frequently all through the growing season to help your plant get established in its new home.

Transplanting Hydrangeas From Pots

Transplanting a container-grown hydrangea is simpler since removing a plant from a pot is easier than digging up an entire shrub.

The same rules apply about the size of the new hole and replanting the hydrangea. Check the roots to make sure they don’t circle the inside of the container. If they do, gently loosen them before placing the rootball in the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

No matter how careful you are to put the right shrub in the right spot, sometimes the placement doesn’t work. Maybe the “dwarf” tree grows too tall. Maybe the bushes behind block out the sun. Whatever the reason, it is transplant time.

 Transplanting isn’t easy on a tree or shrub, so it’s important to select the optimal time to dig it out. When is a good time to transplant? Opinions differ on the best times for transplanting. Here are some tips on transplanting times for gardeners.

When is a Good Time to Transplant?

Experts agree that fall is one of the best times for transplanting, but spring is also considered good. Each season has advantages that the other lacks. Many claim that fall is the best time to transplant trees and shrubs. 

Fall transplants can benefit from the months of cooler, moister weather ahead. Thanks to autumn rains, the plant’s roots get a chance to grow before summer’s heat dries up the earth. Strong roots anchor a new transplant into its new location and help stock up on needed nutrients. 

Compare this to spring planted trees that will have few roots out into the yard when the summer heat arrives so soon after planting. You’ll certainly have to irrigate early and often with spring planting. 

On the other hand, those who consider spring the best time to transplant trees and shrubs note that the new transplants don’t have to deal with winter right away. Trees transplanted in fall must face winter winds and cold temperatures before they get settled in their new location.

When to Move Perennials?

The key to moving perennials is not to choose a bad time. You should never move perennials when they are in flower. Wait at least a few weeks after a plant flowers to pick up the shovel. One rule of thumb is to transplant fall-blooming perennials in spring and spring flowering perennials in fall. 

Don’t transplant perennials where the weather is hot, either. Every time you dig up a plant, it loses some roots. In hot weather, this root deficit may make it impossible for a transplant to cool itself. The best times for transplanting perennials are the months when the weather is cool. Spring often works well, and fall is one of the transplanting seasons of choice.

Best Time to Transplant Trees and Shrubs

One factor to consider, when you are thinking about the best time for transplanting big plants, is whether you will need to root prune. Root pruning is one way a gardener can help a shrub or tree make up for lost feeder roots that help supply it with nutrients and water. 

When you root prune, you cut off the roots a short distance from the trunk in order to allow new groups of feeder roots to form. These roots can be incorporated into the root ball when you move the tree and provide the tree with new roots in its new destination. 

One way to root prune is to use a sharp spade to cut through existing roots in a circle, around the plant. Another is to dig a trench around the plant, cutting the roots as you go.

Transplanting times for gardeners need to take root pruning into account. Generally, it is best to root prune in fall. If you root prune in fall, you should transplant in spring, giving the new roots a chance to get started. If you root prune in spring, transplant in fall.

There are so many reasons to plant blueberries in your garden. I put in a berry patch in France to provide food for wild birds when I am not around to fill the feeders. I grow blueberries in San Francisco because organic blueberries are so expensive at the farmers’ market. Some people even grow extras to gift or sell to neighbors Everybody loves blueberries these days, as word spreads of more and more health benefits.They are packed with heart-healthy antioxidants, they support brain function and they aid digestion, they reduce inflammation, and they lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Growing blueberries isn’t difficult as long as you know what they need and are ready and able to provide it. Knowing how and when to transplant blueberries gives you a golden opportunity to revitalize your shrubs and boost their health and vitality. Whether you are moving established shrubs or transplanting container plants, the steps are the same. So don't let transplant shock kill your crop. Follow our guide on how to transplant blueberry bushes the right way.

What Do Blueberry Plants Need?

I think of blueberry plants as hardy, easy-going plants. But that’s because mine are already installed in a situation that meets their needs. If you are just getting started with your blueberry patch, or are relocating your shrubs, you’ll find that their requirements are few, but definitely non-negotiable. Blueberries need a full sun location (at least 6 hours) and well-draining soil. They will not grow in heavy or clay soil. Finally, they must have acidic soil, with a soil pH of 4-5.

It’s also important to consider the buddy system if you are thinking of transplanting blueberry bushes. Most blueberries require a pollination partner (another variety that blooms at the same time) to produce a good crop. If you are moving one bush, make sure its partner is relocated nearby, within around 50 feet (15 m), so the bees can still do their work.

When to Transplant Blueberries

Are you wondering when to move blueberry bushes? Like most shrubs, blueberries are best transplanted while they are dormant. In the US, this timing depends on your USDA hardiness zone. For northern gardeners (USDA zones 3-6), early spring just as the ground thaws is ideal. For those in the south (zones 7-10), late fall or early winter is often better, as it allows roots to settle before the summer heat arrives.

Transplanting blueberry bushes in the summer would be a bad idea. A plant dug out on a balmy July day would not establish very well (or maybe not at all) when replanted. It would require daily, deep watering just to survive. While transplanting during the growing season causes major stress, moving them during dormancy builds in a recovery period. Note that container-based blueberries offer more wiggle room, since their roots aren't being severed. That said, aiming for spring or fall is still the safest bet.

How to Transplant Blueberry Bushes

While moving a shrub might seem like a daunting task, learning how to transplant blueberry bushes is straightforward if you break it down into 3 phases: preparation, extraction, and installation. The key is to move quickly and gently. By having your new site ready before you touch your shovel, you minimize the amount of time the roots are exposed to the air, which is the best way to prevent transplant shock. Grab your flat-head spade, and follow these steps to give your shrub a seamless move.

1. Prepare the Site

Before you bring out the shovel, you need to pick your new planting site. Test the soil pH to be sure it’s in the acidic sweet spot. Use a home-test kit or a Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil pH Meter from Amazon.

If your soil isn't acidic enough, you can mix in some peat moss or elemental sulfur, or a product like Down to Earth Organic Sulfur Acidifier from Amazon. Verify the location gets at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. Dig out any weeds and loosen the soil to a depth of 12 inches (30 cm).

2. Prepare the Plant

The next step is to dig out the blueberry plant. Blueberries have fine, shallow feeder roots that sit close to the surface. To protect them, use a flat-head shovel like the Fiskars D-Handle Square Shovel from Amazon. Place 12 inches (30 cm) away from the main stem and dig straight down into the soil. A foot deep is fine, given these shallow roots.

Continue until the cut surrounds the plant. You want to keep as much of the original root ball and soil intact as possible. Slide the shovel under the roots and lift gently. If you are using a container-grown plant, simply tip it out, using a garden knife to loosen the edges if it's root-bound.

3. Plant the Shrub

Replant immediately to prevent the roots from drying out, and give it the best chance to establish quickly. Dig a planting hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper than the plant was originally sitting. Set the plant’s roots in the hole, backfill with soil, and firm down gently. Cover the soil with an acidic mulch like pine needles or pine bark. This mimics the acidic forest floor where blueberries naturally thrive.

The next step is vital: water the blueberry shrub well immediately after transplanting. Prevent transplant shock by watering every day for the next few days, then watering regularly. The goal is to keep the top of the soil moist. Remember, the root system is not deep, and shallow roots dry out more easily. These plants need an inch of water (2.5cm) every week, sometimes more.

What Happens After Transplanting

The first few weeks after a move are the most critical for a blueberry bush. Immediately after transplanting, the plant’s primary goal is to re-establish its delicate root system. You may notice some slight drooping or pouty leaves. To help it bounce back, focus entirely on hydration. Water the base of the plant daily for the first 2 weeks, aiming for consistently moist but not soggy soil. Resist the urge to fertilize right away, as fresh salts can burn recovering roots.

Give your blueberry a little TLC to help it recover. Mulching blueberries at this time is a good idea. Spread a layer, 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) thick, around the base. Use pine needles or a pine-based mulch. You can buy Natural Pine Bark Mulch Nuggets from Amazon. It keeps roots cozy, retains water, and lowers the soil pH into the 4.5-5.5 range. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the stems to prevent rot.

Between 1-3 months later, your blueberry bush should show signs of life, such as new leaf buds or greening stems. At this stage, you can transition to a weekly deep watering schedule, aiming for an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. A light application of an acid-loving fertilizer can be applied once you see active new growth. Use a product meant for blueberries, like Down to Earth Acid Mix from Amazon.

If your bush tries to produce flowers in its first year after moving, pinch them off. This feels heartbreaking, but it forces the plant to pour its energy into roots rather than fruit, ensuring a bigger harvest next year.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Beautiful, easy care agapanthus plants are perfect choices to decorate the borders along your driveway or fence. With their tall, slender stems, lush foliage and bright blue or white flowers, agapanthus are about as attractive and low-maintenance as it gets. Another great thing about agapanthus is that if you have one, you can get extra plants free by dividing and transplanting agapanthus clumps. Read on to learn more about dividing agapanthus plants.

Can I Divide Agapanthus?

The answer is yes, you can and you should. As the plants mature, they crowd against each other underground, and this overcrowding limits their flowering. The best way to remedy the problem is to start dividing and transplanting agapanthus. But you’ll want to learn how and when to split agapanthus to be sure you do it right.

When to Split Agapanthus

Don’t think about dividing agapanthus plants while they are offering you those lovely blossoms, even if the flowering seems less than last year due to overcrowding. If you want to know when to split agapanthus, you’ll need to know whether your variety is evergreen or deciduous. For evergreen varieties, you should think about dividing and transplanting agapanthus every 4 to 5 years. Do the actual division when new growth emerges in spring, or else in early autumn after the plants have finished flowering. This timing works for deciduous plants too. However, these should only be divided every 6 to 8 years.

How to Divide an Agapanthus

Dividing agapanthus plants is easy. All you need is a garden fork or shovel, a large kitchen knife, and a new garden site prepared to receive the transplants. Here’s how to divide an agapanthus:

• Press the garden fork or shovel into the ground just at the outside of the root ball of the plant. Pressing gently, lift the whole clump of agapanthus roots out of the soil.
• Once the root clump is out of the ground, clip off the remaining flower stems right at the base, and trim off any old or faded leaves.
• Divide the main clump into several smaller clumps with your big kitchen knife. Keep in mind, though, that the smaller the new clumps, the longer they will take to flower.
• Before you start transplanting the clumps, prune back the foliage by about two thirds and clip back any dead roots.
• Replant them in the sunny, well-drained location you have prepared for them, and irrigate them thoroughly.

Most perennial plants can be divided and transplanted, and astilbe is no exception. You don’t need to think about transplanting astilbe or dividing astilbe plants every year but calendar the task for every two to four years. For more information on dividing astilbe plants, read on.

Astilbe Transplanting

You can transplant most flowers, including astilbe, whenever you want to give them more advantageous positions in the garden. Moving astilbe plants is the right thing to do when the flowers have been planted in inappropriate spots or have been overshadowed by neighboring plants. Perennials that bloom in the spring, including astilbe, should be transplanted in late summer or fall. This is the right time to divide too, if necessary.

Dividing Astilbe Plants

Astilbe, like many perennials, can be divided if the root clump gets too large. Astilbes do best when they are divided about every three years. This means that you dig up the plant’s root ball and literally divide it by cutting it into several pieces. Dividing astilbe plants is good for the plants because it eliminates the formation of overcrowded clumps, and helps the plants stay healthy. The new plants created by dividing astilbe plants can be transplanted to other garden flower beds.

How to Transplant Astilbe

When transplanting an astilbe, whether or not you divide the clump, you want to reduce the plant’s shock by making sure to site it in good soil and be generous with irrigation. If you want to know how to transplant an astilbe, start by watering the plant thoroughly until the soil is completely saturated. This is an important step in astilbe transplanting since watering loosens the roots, making it easier to remove them from the ground. Before you start astilbe transplanting, dig generous holes for the transplants. The holes should be some 8 inches (20 cm.) deep and as wide as the root balls of the new transplants. The next step in moving astilbe plants is to shovel out the root balls, working a few inches (8 cm.) away from the plant. Remove the astilbe plant from the soil, keeping the root ball attached to the plant. Slice through the roots with a sharp shovel blade, cutting from the top. Create at least four transplants from each plant. Replant each in a prepared hole, then repack the soil around it. Water the plants well.

I love salvias! They are colorful with abundant flowers. They are great habitat plants too. The bees really enjoy their nectar. Some salvias stay relatively low to the ground while others can grow over 5 feet (1.5 m.) tall. In areas with cold winters, most salvias are herbaceous perennials. They die to the ground in winter and grow back the following spring. In warm winter climates, you can find a mix of perennial and woody evergreen salvias. If you are like me and want to enjoy even more of these beautiful plants, then transplanting salvia to other areas of the garden may be of some interest.

How to Transplant Salvia in the Garden

If you are wondering how to transplant salvias, the answer varies. Choose a day that is not too hot or too cold. In other words – transplanting salvia plants during a heat wave is not a good idea. Transplanting salvia plants during winter is hard on them too. Your salvia plant will need to re-establish its roots in new soil. Excessive heat makes it difficult to keep those roots moist. Really cold weather inhibits new growth and can negatively impact the severed roots when transplanting. Dig the new planting hole first when transplanting salvia plants. That way you can move the salvia to its new location quickly. Choose a location that is correct for your salvia variety. Some salvias prefer full sun. Others can take partial shade. Make sure the new location has good drainage. Dig out as much of the root ball as you can and install it so the root crown is slightly above grade. If you are going to add amendments to your native soil, then choose a good quality potting soil. If there are any long roots, do not bend and wrap them around the planting hole. It is better to snip them off so they are more or less even with the other roots.

Dividing Salvia Plants

As you transplant, you may wonder, “Can you divide salvia plants?” Yes. But dividing salvia is riskier than simply transplanting the whole plant. This is because you are ripping apart a larger percentage of the roots. Woody evergreen salvias are a bit fussier about transplanting than herbaceous perennials. First, dig out the whole plant. Tip prune any excessively long roots so the root ball is relatively even. Remove some of the soil near the root crown so you can inspect the plant to figure out the sections or clumps. Use a serrated knife when dividing salvia. Split your salvia in between the sections. It is essential that you keep the salvia segment evenly moist but not boggy after dividing and replanting.

When to Split Salvia

Choose a day with moderate temperatures or when the plant is dormant. Late autumn is a good time in California because you can get some assistance with root re-establishment from the winter rains. Spring is a good time in both cold winter climates and mild winter climates.

Trumpet vine is only one of several common names for Campsis radicans. The plant is also called the hummingbird vine, trumpet creeper, and cow's itch. This woody vine is a perennial plant native to North America and thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 9. The orange flowers are trumpet-shaped and appear on the vine from the middle of summer into fall. They attract hummingbirds and butterflies. If you propagate the plant by taking cuttings, it is important to transplant those rooted cuttings at the correct time to give them the best chance of survival. Likewise, if you are thinking of moving a trumpet vine that is mature, timing is important. Read on for information on how to transplant a trumpet vine.

Moving a Trumpet Vine

Don’t get too worried about transplanting trumpet vine plants. The plants are very resilient, so resilient, in fact, that more people are concerned about their aggressive growth pattern than about them not doing well. It is important to know when to transplant trumpet vines. Your best time for trumpet vine transplanting is in early spring before significant growth happens.

How to Transplant a Trumpet Vine

If you decide to go ahead and start transplanting trumpet vine plants in spring, you’ll want to cut each vine back quite a bit just before the move. Leave a few feet (1 m.) of the leafy growth, however, so that each plant has resources to work with. Reducing the height of the plant helps make trumpet vine transplanting manageable. When you are moving a trumpet vine, dig in a circle around the plant’s root area to create a ball of soil and roots that will travel with the plant to its new location. Dig out a large root ball, trying to keep as much dirt attached to the roots as possible. Place your trumpet vine’s root ball in the hole you dug in its new location. Tuck soil around the root ball and water it well. Take good care of your vine as it works to reestablish itself.

When to Transplant Trumpet Vines’ Rooted Cuttings

The timing is the same whether you are transplanting a mature plant or a rooted cutting: you want to place the plant in its new location in early spring. Deciduous plants adapt better to a new site when they are dormant, without leaves and flowers.

Baptisia, or false indigo, is a spectacular native wild flowering bush that adds lustrous blue tones to the perennial garden. These plants send out deep taproots, so you should give some thought to the location of the plant at installation because transplanting Baptisia plants can be tricky. If you already have a plant that needs to be moved, it can be quite an undertaking because the taproot may become damaged and the plant will suffer transplant shock. Here are a few tips on how to transplant Baptisia for an enhanced success rate. Timing is everything, as are the right tools and techniques.

Should You Try Moving a Baptisia Plant?

Baptisia is one of those easy to care for herbaceous perennials that attract beneficial insects, provide cut flowers, require little maintenance, and don't usually need to be divided. After about 10 years, some plants do get floppy at the center and it may make sense to try to divide the root mass. This can be quite tricky due to the fragile, fibrous root system and deep taproot. Transplanting false indigo or division attempts should be made in the earliest of spring when the soil is just workable. Most experts, however, don't recommend moving a Baptisia plant. This is due to the thick taproot and a wildly spread root system. Incorrect practices could result in the loss of the plant. In most instances, it is best to just let the plant abide where it is located and try management with pruning. If you are truly desperate to get your false indigo into another location, Baptisia transplanting should be undertaken with caution. Failure to get the majority of the taproot and a good portion of the fibrous root system will result in the inability of the plant to re-establish itself.

How to Transplant Baptisia

Baptisia can grow 3 to 4 feet (1 m.) tall and just as wide. This is a rather large bundle of sticks to try to move, so the best thing to do is cut some of the growth back in early spring to make the plant easier to manage. Avoid any new shoots that might be popping up, but remove the dead material for an easier form to wrangle. Prepare the new planting site by tilling the soil deeply and adding in organic plant material. Dig deeply and around the root ball of the plant carefully. Unearth as much root as possible. Once the plant is removed, trim any broken roots off with clean, sharp shears. Wrap the root ball in a moist burlap bag if there is any delay in Baptisia transplanting. As soon as possible, install the plant in its new bed at the same depth it was originally planted. Keep the area moist until the plant re-establishes.

Division of Baptisia

Transplanting Baptisia plants may not be the answer if you want the plant to be less woody and have more blooms. Transplanting false indigo will result in a plant the same size but division will create a slightly smaller plant for a few years and give you two for the price of one. The steps are the same as those for moving the plant. The only difference is that you will be cutting the root mass into 2 or 3 pieces. Use a clean sharp root saw or thick serrated knife to cut between the tangled roots. Each piece of false indigo should have plenty of healthy intact roots and numerous bud nodes. Replant as soon as possible into a prepared bed. Keep the plants moderately moist and watch for signs of distress. When new growth appears, use a high nitrogen fertilizer or dress around the root zone with compost. Use two inches of mulch over the roots to conserve moisture and prevent competitive weeds. The plants should establish in a couple of months and require less attention. Expect minimal blooms the first year but by the second year, the plant should be at full flower production.

Passion fruit vines are vigorous growers that send out twirling shoots in every direction. The plants are so energetic that they can take over an area that doesn’t offer enough vertical support. Transplanting passionflower vines may be necessary to afford them enough growing space and scaffolding for vertical growth and training. You must know first when to move a passionflower vine and finally how to transplant a passion vine to ensure the plant’s continued health. Soil type, lighting, and vine protection are the final considerations. A step-by-step analysis of how to transplant a passion vine will have you on the road to success and see a future filled with juicy fruit.

Can You Transplant Passion Vines?

There are around 400 species of Passiflora, most of which are tropical to sub-tropical. Passion fruit vines produce rampant growth that swirls in an eddy of attractive foliage and delicate, wiry stems. The most common are the purple and yellow fruited varieties. The purple form is often grown on rootstock to increase its cold tolerance but can produce suckers. Passion fruit has a deep taproot, which must be part of any transplant for the best outcome. Plants that have been grown off of rootstocks should not be transplanted, as the disturbance can trigger more annoying and unproductive suckers. Some growers recommend removing these suckers or offshoots and transplanting them to make new vines. The resulting vines will either not produce any fruit, or the fruit will be inedible. Can you transplant passion vines grown from seed? The answer is yes indeed. These are the perfect specimens to move and, with proper preparation, even a mature vine should establish quickly and well to its new home.

When to Move a Passionflower Vine

Whether your objective is to take a vine with you to a new home or change the location of a poorly situated vine, transplanting passionflower vines should take place when the weather is mild but not cold. This reduces the stress on the plant during the transition. The best time of year is just before the vine begins actively growing. In temperate climates, this is early spring. In year-round warm regions, choose a period in winter when growth has slowed. Do not fertilize the plant for six to eight weeks before transplanting or it will have tender new growth which may be disturbed by the transplanting process. You may choose to cut the vines back for ease of handling or leave them intact.

How to Transplant a Passionflower Vine

The roots of these Passiflora can grow quite deep so it is necessary to excavate deeply and around the root zone. In older plants, this can be quite an undertaking and may require you to beg some assistance. Larger root balls can be transported by moving them out of their old planting site onto a tarp. Choose a site that is sunny with wind protection and well-draining soil with average to slightly acidic pH. Dig a hole as big as the root ball and incorporate some compost or aged manure. Push in a trellis, stakes, or other support. Plant the vine as deep as it was growing previously, filling in around the roots carefully and tamping the soil. Use plant ties on vines to help them adhere to the new support. Over time the tendrils will wind around and self-support.

Care of Transplanted Passion Flowers

Water the plant well and keep it consistently moist. Do not fertilize until the plant has established itself, usually about a month later. Passionflower vines need a lot of water, but for the most efficient irrigation, it is best to water deeply to help plants develop a deeper root base. Allow the surface of soil to dry out before applying more moisture. Newly transplanted vines will have to be watched and trained as they re-establish themselves. Occasional pruning of errant vines will help form a stronger plant. Additionally, on younger vines, pinch off the top of new growth to encourage branching. If cold weather threatens, apply 2 inches (5 cm.) of mulch around the root zone of the plant, taking care to keep it from the lower stems. In a month, use a 10-5-20 fertilizer to promote new growth and help the plant start forming flowers and fruit.

Sturdy, long-lived, and low maintenance, sago palms are excellent houseplants. They are relatively slow growing and may only need repotting every one or two years. When the time comes, however, it’s important to move your sago palm to a new container to ensure its healthy growth. Keep reading to learn how to repot a sago palm plant.

When to Repot a Sago Palm

How do you know when to repot a sago palm? Often, the plant itself will tell you. Sago palms’ roots are surprisingly large for the size of their foliage. Even if your palm looks modest above ground, you may notice roots escaping through drainage holes, water taking a long time to drain, or even the sides of your container bulging out. This means it’s time to repot! In warm areas, you can do this any time during the growing season. In areas with short summers, late winter or early spring is optimal. If your palm is really bursting out of its container, however, repotting it right away is more important than waiting for the right time of year.

Repotting Sago Palm Trees

When choosing a new container for sago palm transplanting, go for depth rather than width so your roots have more space to grow down. Look for a container that’s 3 inches (8 cm.) wider and/or deeper than your current one. An ideal sago palm potting mix drains very quickly. Mix your regular potting soil with plenty of grit such as pumice, sand, or peat moss. Once your potting mix is prepared, it’s time to transplant. Due to their large, tight, root balls and sturdy trunks, repotting sago palm trees is easy. Turn your current container on its side and grip the trunk firmly in one hand. With the other hand, pull on the container. It should come away easily, but if it doesn’t, try squeezing and shaking it gently. Be careful not to bend the trunk of the palm though, as this can break the heart of the palm in the center of the trunk. Once the plant is free, hold it in the new container and pile sago palm potting mix under and around it so that the soil reaches the same level on the plant as before. Water liberally, then place it in a sunny spot.

Sometimes you have to think about moving mature trees if they are inappropriately planted. Moving full-grown trees allows you to change your landscape dramatically and relatively quickly. Read on for information about how to transplant a big tree.

Moving Mature Trees

Transplanting a big tree from the field to the garden provides immediate shade, a visual focal point, and vertical interest. Although the effect is much quicker than waiting for a seedling to grow, a transplant doesn’t happen overnight, so plan far in advance when you are transplanting a big tree. Transplanting an established tree takes effort on your part and causes the tree some stress. However, moving mature trees doesn’t have to be a nightmare for either you or the tree. Generally, a big tree loses a significant portion of its roots in a transplant. This makes it hard for the tree to bounce back once it is replanted in a new location. The key to successfully transplanting a big tree is to help the tree grow roots that can travel with it to its new location.

When to Move Big Trees

If you are wondering when to move big trees, read on. You can transplant mature trees either in fall or in late winter/early spring. The tree transplant has the best chance of success if you act during these periods. Only transplant mature trees after the leaves fall in autumn or before bud break in spring.

How to Transplant a Large Tree

Learn how to transplant a large tree before you start digging. The first step is root pruning. This procedure involves trimming the roots of the tree six months before the transplant. Root pruning encourages new roots to appear close to the tree, within the area of root ball that will travel with the tree. If you will be transplanting a big tree in October, root prune in March. If you are moving mature trees in March, root prune in October. Never root prune a deciduous tree unless it has lost its leaves in dormancy.

How to Root Prune

First, figure out the size of the root ball by looking at the charts prepared by the American Association of Nurserymen or talking to an arborist. Then, dig a trench around the tree in a circle that is the appropriate size for the tree’s root ball. Tie up the lowest branches of the tree to protect them. Cut the roots below the trench by inserting a sharp-edged spade into the earth repeatedly until the roots beneath the circle of the trench have all been cut. Replace the earth in the trench and water the area when you are done. Untie the branches.

Transplanting a Big Tree

Six months after root pruning, return to the tree and tie up the branches again. Dig a trench about a foot (31 cm.) outside the root pruning trench in order to capture the new roots that formed after pruning. Dig down until you can undercut the soil ball at an angle of about 45 degrees. Wrap the soil ball in burlap and move it to the new planting location. If it is too heavy, hire professional help to move it. Remove the burlap and place in the new planting hole. This should be the same depth as the root ball and 50 to 100 percent wider. Backfill with soil and water thoroughly.