Alan, it's long been established that top pruning before digging and transplanting is very counter productive for the plant. It 'sounds' like it makes sense (cut the roots:cut the top to compensate), but plant physiology doesn't back it up. You see, there is only one source of energy for making new roots...actually many sources and they are the leaves. Leaves and only the leaves are what create, through the process of photosynthesis, the carbon resources (energy)required to grow. If you prune off a bunch of the top growth, then the energy production is diminished enormously. Not only that, but the plant will be induced to expend unnecessary energy on the making of new leaves instead of new roots! Located in all of those branch ends (the growing tips) are hormones that dictate to a plant where to initiate new growth. By leaving those tips uncut, the plant is able to devote energy to root production. If you cut back the top, those hormonal pathways will be rerouted to shoot (above ground) development. Even though we can't see the regeneration of new roots, it happens very rapidly and very aggressively, as long as we have followed other proper planting specifications. If you've simply cut here and there, perhaps to remove broken branches and such, that's fine. You've done your homework. By the way, the use of pruning paint has been discarded as good horticultural/arboricultural practice for practically a generation! To add to the problems that your specific plant had is that its root system was ripped from the soil system, rather than being cut cleanly. Big problem. It's size makes it a more difficult transplant, too. There are several 'rule-of-thumb' measurements to go by regarding the size of the root ball required. One that I usually use is simple to remember: for every one inch of trunk DIAMETER (not circumference), you'll need twelve inches of root ball diameter. Take the trunk measurement about 4 inches above the soil level, which will typically be a wide part of the trunk. So, if the trunk of your camellia was, say, three inches across, then you'd want to dig a root ball that was around 36 inches across. The height of the plant makes no difference.

I have had a chance to move some rather large camellias in the past. In fact I moved over a hundred back some years ago. You may be moving them a little early in the year but on the upper Pacific Coast, the weather might be in your favor. First, root prune the camellias at about 36 inches from the trunk. If you can get wider, go as wide away from the trunk as possible. The Camellia has shallow roots and you will get most of them within the top foot of top soil. I would use an 18" sharp shooter. Go all around each plant about 18" deep. Second, prepare the place where you are going to plant the Camellias. I would till up an area about 6 ft. in diameter per plant. After you till the soil to at least 18" to 24"deep, I would add about 3 or 4 cu. ft. of a combination of ground up pine bark and sand. I would till this into the spot and also add some natural fertilizer. If you have cotton seed meal available, I would use that. I would put in about 10 lbs of cotton seed meal into the mixture of pine bark and sand. This will give you a real fluffy mound. It should be about 6 ft. wide. Let it sit for as long as you can before moving the large plants. When you move the plants, the later in the year the better, I would move off the top foot of soil from your prepared bed, sit the large rootball on top of the soil and cover it with the soil mixture that you removed. You will note that you are planting the Camellia on the top of the ground. Do not dig it out so that you are planting the plant in a hole. You want to have it sitck out of the ground at least 8 to 10 inches. Prune the top of the plant back to about 18: from the trunk of the plant. Keep it watered good but do not drown it. Let it settle on its own. Within 3 or 4 months it will settle about six inches and will continue to settle a little more over the next year. Keep at least two inches of the soil mixture over the exposed roots. I would also use some root tone in the hole to stimulate new root growth. I wrote an article for the Camellia Journel several years ago about moving established Camellias. If you would contact Tom Johnson, the chief gardner at the American Camellia Society through their web site, he could probably get you some articles on moving large Camellias. Ann Walton is the Executive Director of the A.C.S. and she may be able to point you to someone in the Washington area who has some experience as well. Bob

Japonicas may suffer if they get too much sun (Sasanquas can handle more sun). Wind can also cause drooping when the leaves loose moisture faster than the plant can absorb moisture through the roots. Protection from the winds can help remedy the dropping problem. Protection from too much sun can help remedy the browning of leaves. Maintaining the soil evenly moist can help a little with both issues. Aim for 4 hours of sun or less. Summer temperatures, summer winds and lack of Spring-like moisture plus transplant shock (an affected root system) are making the shrubs react this way. In Z10, I would have transplanted them during the winter months but I understand that this is something one cannot schedule sometimes. If they get a lot more than 4 hours of sun, you may need to transplant them again. Temporarily, you can help[ by keeping the soil moist as evenly as possible; block the sun with 35% shade cloth or some other object; protect from the winds with some object. And mulch, mulch, mulch. About 3-4" of mulch. Because the area is windy, I would also maintain about 6" of mulch past the drip line. Stressed plant should not be fertilized so I would not fertilize until next year. It would be ok to amend however, if you have to tweak the soil pH, etc. Make sure the plant remains about 1" higher than the surrounding soil. You may also want to use a stake in case there are sudden strong winds.

Hi, unlike most plants camellias are actually in a state of dormancy when beginning to flower, and this is the best time to transplant camellias. Wait until it is covered in buds - usually late this season (autumn). Having said this, pot grown camellias can be planted at any time given enough water and after care. Cheers