Autumn is the ideal time to move woody plants. Here's how to relocate a shrub or tree with success.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
If a shrub has outgrown its spot or a tree has landed badly, autumn is the best time to move it. Plants are slipping into dormancy, the soil is still warm, and the cooler, damper weather helps a transplant settle its roots during the quiet season.
Move shrubs and trees once they have lost their leaves, between late autumn and mid-winter, while the ground is not frozen or waterlogged. With the roots almost dormant, the plant loses less when you lift it and stands the move best.
Dig around the edge of the canopy to take a good, healthy root ball, easing the plant out with a fork and keeping the root ball moist and shaded. Keep it whole and as large as you can manage, and move it to its new home straight away.
Make the new hole a good deal wider than the root ball, soften the base, and set the plant at exactly the depth it grew before. Tread the soil around it, water it in well and add a supporting stake tied to take the strain through the first season.
Keep the plant watered through any dry spells so the new roots stay moist while they spread. Then a generous collar of mulch at the base holds moisture and keeps the roots cool, and fresh growth should appear come spring.
From landscaping to a full landscaping-style overhaul, the JFL Gardens team works across Surrey and London.
