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Conifers California Gardening

Is it too late to transplant Picea pungens ‘St Mary’s Broom’?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

I had to dig out and discard a very large “dwarf” Chamaecyparis pisifera cultivar that I have cherished for decades because it was getting way overcrowded. It’s left quite an empty spot in the garden and I *finally* decided which of my many dwarf conifers would look just right for that empty spot. It is a very blue St Mary’s Broom’ that is already looking fairly crowded in the narrow planting spot it now calls home. It is about 15“ high and about 24” wide. I wish I had this inspiration in November, but I didn’t. Dare I transplant it now?

I should add that I am in Zone 9 or Sunset zone 16. It’s a fairly cold microclimate. I once visited a nearby garden that was at a higher elevation and their deciduous shrubs and trees were well leafed out while mine were barely showing swelling buds.

I once got a large Picea pungens globosa as a mail order plant. no doubt to save space and shipping cost the vendor had shaved the root ball to almost nothing. I was Upset because I was sure it wouldn’t live! But it did and I have had a lot more confidence in moving conifers ever since and I have moved quite a few. But never this late.

Featured Answer

echolane
Original Author

4 years ago

We moved the plant. Fingers crossed it survives. We moved it just before it started to rain so timing was good. Then we had rain here for three, almost four days and since then it’s been mostly cold and fairly overcast, so I feel a little comforted by this cooperative weather. It was not an ideal transplant though because the soil was so porous, it just fell off the roots.

i struggle all the time with giving plants room to grow. I have a tendency to space plants way too close. I have a small property and a lot of plants and they all keep growing so it gets harder and harder to find a spot where a plant can comfortably grow on, I think this one will be good for at least another five to seven years.

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
has it budded out?

if need be..could you shade it for a few weeks?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
i have a few more minutes now ...

if you dig it up .... you will interfere with water movement in the plant ...

if its already budded out.. those buds might wilt ... depending on how impacted ... wilt during the sunny day .. recover at night.. etc ....

if you could shade it a bit.. during the heat of the day ... it might help during the transitional phase .. until its roots can pump the requisite water ...

its a bit different between planting a potted plant with little or no root damage .. compared to digging it up.. and cutting off roots.. or doing serious root surgery on a potted plant ...

if its needs to be done.. just do it .... if it can wait until fall or winter.. just wait ... i just cant give exact opinion based on your zone ...

at 24 inches wide.. and its not flexible... it might be hard to dig a smaller root ball .. and a 24 inch root ball is going to be heavy ... good luck

ken
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Thanks for all of the advise, much appreciated. I will be removing two additional 60ft maple trees that contribute significantly to the shade situation. This should increase the direct sun hours to at least 3hrs during summer months and near full sun when the leaves drop as the shade is caused my nearly by all deciduous maple trees. My drainage is pretty good. Right next to this planting I did the 1x1ft hole, fill/drain, and then fill and time. It completed in 45minutes, which indicates fast to very fast drainage. Ken, not sure if you have done this test, I'm curious what you would get in your pure sands, 20min? Additionally, I actually used a hammer drill to increase the space between these two rocks and installed a drain at the bottom using a 1ft vertical PVC pipe with screen on top and rocks in the middle, so I don't think draining should be a problem. I'm starting to think now, that shade can in fact kill a tree all by itself (assuming there is no disease on mine). If it can't retain it's needles, it won't just have stunted growth, but will eventually die.... Damm shade...I need to cut down more of these mature trees.
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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
4 years ago
How much room do you have in the new spot? My 15 year old plant is nearing 6 feet in diameter.

tj
plantkiller_il_5
4 years ago
if you do move..

when you dig , use the shovel in a perpendicular way..when you encounter roots you can save their length and fold them over the ball...rather than shearing them to establish your ball dia.

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
it wouldnt hurt.. if you could rig up some shade for a month or two ... just so it doesnt have to deal with such ... especially during the heat of the day ... it will take a while for the roots to start working again ...

i have basically beach sand type oil... i can never create and move a rootball ... so i know ...

ken

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