Monday, February 8, 2010

Transplanting Deciduous Shrubs

Plants to be transplanted from a natural stand or from one part of a yard or garden to another are most safely taken with a ball of earth on the roots. The scale of the ball will change with the dimensions of the plant.

The average plant should be transplanted with a ball of earth about half the growth of the branches. This is easy enough for plants growing in a clay or clay loam soil. Plants growing in a sandy or gravelly soil are harder to move with a ball of earth than are those grown in clay or clay loam as the soil will fall away from the roots as the plant is dug. plants growing in light soils can be easier dug with a huge root system. A pick is used to brush the roots, so saving a large portion of the root system.

If this work is done in a clouded day, or in a rain, the roots will not dry out while the plant is being moved. If the plants must be moved on a bright day, the soil should be puddled round the roots so that the tiny roots will be covered with this mud. This care should be bolstered by covering the roots with wet burlap to protect them from the sun and wind. Any plant should be planted in the new location as fast as achievable.

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