Hi all,

After removing an overgrown Eleagnus ebbingei I'd now like to sort the
cleared area out and thinking about moving an established Choisya - it's
about 3' x 3' or so. Was wondering if I'm on a hiding to nothing and
likely to kill it stone dead, or whether it's something that wouldn't
object too much to being transplanted.

At the moment it's in flower, so I thought I'd wait til it's finished,
then cut the shrub back before removal to its new home. Any thoughts or
helpful hints?



--
Sue

On 16/04/2017 18:25, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 16 Apr 2017 17:28:11 +0100, Indigo
wrote:
After removing an overgrown Eleagnus ebbingei I'd now like to sort the
cleared area out and thinking about moving an established Choisya - it's
about 3' x 3' or so. Was wondering if I'm on a hiding to nothing and
likely to kill it stone dead, or whether it's something that wouldn't
object too much to being transplanted.
snip

AIUI Choisya will take hard pruning, and after flowering is the best
time to do it. This will also relieve the stress on the roots, as they
will be disturbed by the move and not functioning as well, so the less
leafy growth they have to support, the better. Choisyas also move
easily, so no real problems there. But if it were mine, after cutting
it hard back and before attempting to move it, I'd go all round it
with a sharp spade, and cut straight down, about 18 inches out from
the main stem, to sever long roots. Then I'd water it and leave it a
few weeks to recover and perhaps make fresh roots within the circle.
snip

Thanks for the detailed advice, Chris - much appreciated.

I've cut this Choisya fairly hard back a couple of times before and it's
always responded well, so I think it could bounce back from pruning
again, but I was a bit nervous about actually digging up and replanting
such an established shrub. I'll do my best to follow instructions.

In the meantime I'd better do some soil improvement as the now departed
Eleagnus must have depleted that area; it used to grow like the clappers!

--
Sue

On 16/04/2017 18:25, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 16 Apr 2017 17:28:11 +0100, Indigo
wrote:

Hi all,

After removing an overgrown Eleagnus ebbingei I'd now like to sort the
cleared area out and thinking about moving an established Choisya - it's
about 3' x 3' or so. Was wondering if I'm on a hiding to nothing and
likely to kill it stone dead, or whether it's something that wouldn't
object too much to being transplanted.

At the moment it's in flower, so I thought I'd wait til it's finished,
then cut the shrub back before removal to its new home. Any thoughts or
helpful hints?

AIUI Choisya will take hard pruning, and after flowering is the best
time to do it. This will also relieve the stress on the roots, as they
will be disturbed by the move and not functioning as well, so the less
leafy growth they have to support, the better. Choisyas also move
easily, so no real problems there. But if it were mine, after cutting
it hard back and before attempting to move it, I'd go all round it
with a sharp spade, and cut straight down, about 18 inches out from
the main stem, to sever long roots. Then I'd water it and leave it a
few weeks to recover and perhaps make fresh roots within the circle.

Before actually starting to move it, you should dig the hole where you
intend to plant it. Dig it about three feet across and a spade's depth
deep. Fork over the bottom of the hole and dig in some compost while
you're at it. Adding a generous amount of slow-release fertiliser such
as Hoof & Horn or bone-meal would do no harm. Pour several buckets of
water into the hole to make sure the soil is good and moist.

After that, dig a narrow trench all around the choisya, following the
cut line you made earlier, and then start to cut under the root ball
with the spade, the object now being to sever deep roots. When you've
gone all round undercutting, and the plant is loose and detached from
the soil, work an old compost bag under the root ball and bring the
edges up, bunch them and tie them round the stem with twine or
whatever. You can then lift or drag out the plant, root ball and all,
without disturbing the soil too much. It will be heavy and you might
need help to do this.

Plant it in it's new position, remembering to remove the compost bag,
and back-fill around the roots with a mix of soil and compost. Don't
plant it any deeper than it was before, i.e. keep the soil level the
same. Firm the soil well as you go. Water well, and mulch generously
with more loose compost. Keep it watered in periods of dry weather for
the rest of the summer.

I expect someone will say all that is unnecessary: just put a fork
under it, haul it out and plonk it in the new position, but it's what
I would do.


I dread the thought of using Hoof and horn or blood fish and bone.
If you are in an area like I am with Foxes roaming then they get just a
wiff of those fertilizers and they will dig the whole area up looking
for the food they smell.
Better off with Vitax Q4
David @ a rain free side of Swansea Bay

On 17/04/2017 00:34, David wrote:

I dread the thought of using Hoof and horn or blood fish and bone.
If you are in an area like I am with Foxes roaming then they get just a
wiff of those fertilizers and they will dig the whole area up looking
for the food they smell.
Better off with Vitax Q4
David @ a rain free side of Swansea Bay

We're in the countryside here and certainly have rabbits in the field
behind us, so there might well be foxes scouting around for a meal
although I've never actually spotted one very close by. If bonemeal
could be a draw for foxes I suppose it might attract rats as well.

I do need some plant feed so I'll look out for Vitax. Thanks David.

--
Sue