Tony Fawcett’s tips on how to dig up and move plants in your backyard
If you’re not happy with where that bush or small tree is, this is the perfect time to move it. But there are some important steps to take to ensure the plant survives.
THE COVID-19 lockdown might have curtailed your movements, but it need not be the case for your plants.
If you’re not happy with where you have planted that bush or small tree, this is the perfect time to move it.
As growth slows down from now into winter, there are many plants — particularly the deciduous ones — that can be safely moved.
Maybe it’s the rose that is not getting enough sun, or the Japanese maple you planted last year which is just not happy in its current spot.
Most gardeners have one or two plants they would dearly love moved.
Some of the easiest plants to move are those with fibrous roots, such as camellias and azaleas.
You’re not going to be able to move that 20-year-old eucalypt, unless of course you have professional equipment and lots of patience, but it’s amazing just what can be moved.
Whatever you move, the first rule is to get your plant into top condition. It’s a lot like going into hospital for an operation. You need to get yourself as fit as possible beforehand.
With plants, that means regular feeding and watering for several weeks before the relocation.
Old-time gardeners once pruned back the plant beforehand to compensate for the reduction in root mass, but modern thinking is that this is unnecessary and can hinder the plant’s re-establishment.
Planning is vital for successful relocation. Water the plant well the day before the transplant and prepare the new hole, about twice the size of the plant’s eventual rootball.
It can pay to first secure branches or foliage to the trunk with twine to minimise damage during the move.
With a sharp spade, dig a circular trench outside the rootball.
Inevitably you will need to cut some roots.
With recently planted shrubs the trench can be quite close to the trunk, but this distance will need to be greater for small trees.
Some like to first hose the soil from around the roots but, so long as the soil is good, I prefer to keep it in place.
Any broken or damaged roots can be trimmed with secateurs to leave clean cuts that heal rapidly.
As a rough guide for trees, the diameter of the eventual rootball should be about half the distance between the trunk and the edge of the dripline.
Once your trench is in place, dig in and under the rootball and gently pry it loose.
Cut away any damaged roots.
Hessian or heavy-duty plastic should be worked in under the rootball and secured around the lower trunk for easy lifting.
Get the plant into its new hole as quickly as possible, siting it to the same depth as it was previously and backfill with good quality soil.
Water in well with a seaweed soil tonic such as Seasol, mulch and stake if necessary.
Even when you stick to the rules there can be failures, so it pays to take a few cuttings as insurance before the move.
VIRUS DAYS VIBRANCY
WHEN times are tough, a little garden vibrancy works wonders for the soul. A cheer-me-up favourite of mine heading toward winter is the old-fashioned pansy, available in a fabulous range of colours and mixes.
Seedlings are available now and, restrictions allowing, you can buy a couple of punnets for planting up pots. At the time of writing, many gardening outlets were still open.
Sadly, in many parts of the world this is not the case. In the UK, for example, it’s feared millions of trees and shrubs might be destroyed because nurseries and garden centres have been forced to close.
If you still have a seedling source, the big things to plant now in the vegie garden are nutritious broccoli and cauliflower, and leafy greens such as spinach and lettuce.
MORE GARDENING
BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GROWING VEGIES FROM SEED
Possum problem in the backyard
Having problems with possums devouring your fruit trees or waging WWIII through the night? Our gardening columnist Tony Fawcett has put some control measures to the test.
Grow your own corn
Growing delicious corn can be tricky in parts of Victoria that don’t have the ideal climate or soil. So you just need to be garden smart with these tips.