If I dug up a Nandina shrub yesterday and it is in a wheel barrel now, and it is raining , will it be okay?

Answer 1

yes it will as long as the roots dont freeze and there is enough dirt on the roots to keep the air from drying them out

Answer 2

Not sure what a Nandina shrub is but the general rules are the same.

Don't damage the root ball if you can help it. If its a fair size shrub (and I guess if its in a wheel barrow then it will be).

Once plants are taken from the ground their roots stop taking up water for a time until they recover - however, wind and sun will still evaporate the water from their leaves - so they wilt. So the thing to do is get it into the ground as soon as you can. If its new position is in full sun then expect the leaves to wilt even if you water it. if possible put something in front of the plant when its in its new home to keep it in shadow for a while until it recovers. Obviously same applies while its in its wheel barrow.

If it has no leaves on at the moment then even better - but it might shoot later and take a season to recover fully be patient with it. Don't think of trying to do something similar in Summer.

Answer 3

I agree with the others; the roots are the most important part and you need to make sure they are protected from too much or too little water, and of course from light. Nandinas are pretty tough, though, so if you think there is any root damage, wait until spring and prune down the corresponding amount of the top branches. That way the roots are not under strain to both heal themselves and support too much shrub for their size.

Interesting factoid: The amount of color in Nandina's leaves depends on how much sun it gets.

Answer 4

Usually placing into a trash bag and keeping the roots moist until replanting is a good thing to do. A wheel barrow will hold the rain and may "drown" the plant. Overwatering is known to kill plants---so using the trash bag and pulling the ties loosely around the trunk can keep moisture in, but too much water out. I have kept plants for several days like this with no ill effects.

Answer 5

I presume you want to transplant it. Hopefully you have not damaged the root-ball. Keep the roots damp but not totally waterlogged (perhaps wrap them in damp sacking). It should be OK for a week or so if kept moist. When you replant it, place plenty of compost in the new hole and water in thoroughly.