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Rocky Mountain Gardening

Too late to move shrubs now?

9 years ago

Hey guys! Long time no see... I hope you're all doing well!

I should come here more often. So, here's my question: I have a couple of shrubs in my backyard that I meant to move as soon as fall came, and sadly, I didn't get to it. Now I'm wondering if I can still do that. The ground isn't really frozen yet, but it did get to 10 degrees here one night last week, and it's been freezing hard every night for a few weeks. What do you think?

Comments (3)

Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
9 years ago
Hi Steve,

Welcome home! Believe it or not I was thinking about you a little over a week ago! I collected seed from the Lavatera this year, and when I googled it to be sure I was remembering the right species, guess what popped up! Your site! Was glad to see you were posting more again--and wondering how your Commuting Relationship is going--and, do you have gardens on both ends now?

I really just came to say, hi! Not sure I can help you with your question since I'm not a Shrub Person, but with perennials, they can be planted absolutely any time the soil's not frozen, so I'd be inclined to say that if they're not too big, I don't see why you couldn't move them now. If it were me I'd probably watch the weather and look for a time when you should be getting at least a couple nites that will be above freezing right after you transplant them, but I'm not sure if that would make any difference or not! Hopefully somebody with a little more shrub-sense will show up with some additional/better advice!

Hope all is going well with you, and that we'll see you around here a little more,
Skybird
digit
9 years ago
Steve!

.

Steve
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Hey Radd, Those shrubs are, likely, dead. Unless everyone involved knew (and did) exactly the right things ... when moving these shrubs, ... it was quite a risky venture. I halfway know what I am doing planting and caring for more than 200 trees and shrubs ... but I've watched some 20 or so die on me. The good news is ... you can replace these dead shrubs ... with live (and healthy) replacements. Take some time to go and see what's available at the plant nurseries around town. Even box hardware stores like LOWES and/or Home Depot ... might have something you would like. I also recommend getting yourself some books on landscape trees and shrubs. This will help you to see what's available to you ... and will enlighten you on proper planting and care for the plants. You might take a look at this one. You can get it cheap as dirt at the link provided below. Lots of folks get interested in landscaping ... after they've put something they liked in the ground ... and watched it die. Don't think of it as a loss ... think of it as an opportunity. Here is a link that might be useful: Tree/Shrub book
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You should have plenty of time, but you never know with Momma Nature. :) I would mulch well around all of them and make sure to cut your hostas and daylilies down to the ground after the first frost, moving the mulch over the top of the plant. For the shrubs, if it appears you will have ice or really frigid, drying wind, I would make sure to have some plant covers on hand. (I always keep some handy, but make sure to take them off when you have sunny, less frigid days again) Snow, of course, will insulate, but new shrubs are susceptible to winter kill with hard frosts, ice and really cold temperatures without the snow. Have fun! I love planting this time of year! Here is a link that might be useful: Plant covers for your shrubs
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pm2, I was just listening to an older (early September) podcast from Ken Druse on transplanting in the fall and he was insistent that you don't want to be planting/transplanting grasses, broad-leaf evergreens, or conifers. I myself have moved oakleaf hydrangea in the late winter as well as spring and in both cases they were surprisingly very unhappy. Here is a link that might be useful: Ken Druse Real Dirt
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My experience is that crape myrtles are not particularly sensitive in being dug up and moved so I'd try to move them before the root ball has grown any larger or they are fully leafed out. Of course you probably already know to have the hole they are going into be dug first and to get all the root ball you can and then water in well. You might want to use a root stimulater solution also. It may set them back a little as some of the little feeder roots will break, but they'll soon catch up and be okay.
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stevation
Original Author
9 years ago
Well, hello there Dee and Steve! Nice to see you guys are still here! Yes, Dee, Santia and I are still commuting but we are down to 9 months left of it. Can't wait till my wife finally shacks up with me! We do garden in both places, although it's hard to put a lot of creative energy into two homes, and the California house is a rental, so more effort goes into the Utah house. This is where we'll stay until my little guy grows up, and then we'll move to the west coast somewhere after that.

I'm glad my lavatera posts have helped. I had trouble getting those seeds to start but then winter sowed them last winter and I got a bunch to work.

Anyway, I did not get to my shrub moving yesterday, and now we are blanketed in snow. I'm thinking this will be a project for early spring.

Dee, we are coming to Denver for a conference early next August. We'll have to get together. Finally!

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