Springtime Tips - Moving a Shrub in Your Garden

Ideally, shrubs should be placed in a position where they can stay for years to come as they grow into their full size. However, this may not always be possible. You may have inherited a badly positioned shrub when you bought your property or the colour of the flowering shrub might clash with the colour you have chosen for your fencing or, if your garden's borders are outlined by black aluminum fencing, a shrub with rather dark foliage and stems might be too sombre a spectre.

Moving a well-established Shrub into a new Position

If moving the shrub is part of a long-term strategy, there may be time to prune the roots a few months prior to the actual move. This requires a trench to be dug or slicing with a sharp spade into the soil surrounding the shrub to sever the roots. Far from seeing this as a sign its time to die, the shrub will be encouraged to grow new fibrous feeding roots on the remaining root system, making it far easier for the shrub to become re-established, once it is moved.

The actual move, depending on the size of the shrub in question, requires at least two people. Dig a trench around the shrub and sever any roots to release the root ball of your shrub. Dig under the shrub to cut through any tap roots still holding firm. Rocking the plant from side to side will loosen it, then rock it to one side and place a piece of hessian sacking or strong plastic sheeting underneath as far as it will go. Push several folds of the fabric under the root ball. Rock the plant back into position and pull the hessian or plastic sheeting through, so that all of it is now under the shrub.

Pull the hessian or sheeting around the root ball, covering all the soil, and secure this bundle firmly at the neck with string. Now the plant is ready to be moved to its new position, where it can show off its bright flowers against your black aluminum fencing or against the red of a brick wall.

Preparing the New Home

If your plant is rather heavy or large, two people will be needed to carry it to its new home in front of your black aluminum fencing, and this task is best performed by tying a bar of wood or metal horizontally to the trunk of the shrub or to the sacking. The bar will become a carrying post and the shrub will be much easier moved.

The ground and the hole for the shrub should be prepared as for any new plant, adding compost or bonemeal or slow-release fertiliser to poor soil and ensuring any drainage issues are dealt with prior to re-homing the shrub. Now the reverse procedure needs to be followed to remove the hessian sacking or plastic sheeting. Untie the bar, unwrap the shrub and rock the plant into position, until the sheeting can be safely removed and pulled from under the root ball.

Once the shrub is in its correct position, refill the hole with soil, firm the plant in and water well. It is best to mulch the soil around the shrub.

For more exposed positions it is good to place netting around the plant to prevent the shrub from drying out in windy conditions or from fierce sunlight in summer, as the plant will get scorched.

Moving a shrub in either autumn or winter will allow the plant to become established, ready for a new growing season.

Remember, getting a highly quality fence for your property will improve its aesthetic appeal, add an extra layer of security, and even raise your property values. I highly recommend Aluminum Fence Depot for any of your fencing needs.

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