How to prepare/transplant a deciduous hedge during spring in Zone 5?

Question

I am wanting to transplant a deciduous hedge from my familys home to mine. I have read alot of articles saying I shouldn't transplant now (end of march) in zone 5. The hedge has buds on it, but no leaves yet. What is the best way to prepare the ground in order to get good results?Or do I have no chance? I hear to much composte or watering can kill it.

They are about 4' tall and I have no idea what type of bush it is.

Answer 1

if you have some time, dig a garden spade straight into the ground all around the "drip line" of the bush a few weeks before you actually plan to transplant. the drip line is where water would fall off the branches at it's outermost point.

make sure you sink the spade atleast one food down for every two to three feet of above soil height. do this and water well.

also prune the plant back (by absolutely no more than 1/3) to slow down transpiration. that'll mean less shock to the plant when you actually do transplant it.

then a month or so later start digging up the plant getting as big (and deep) a root ball as possible. try to keep as much of the soil around the roots. depending on the size of the rootball, you will need another person to help.

roll (gently) the rootball into a big burlap sheet (or any other big sheet of something that will help to hold it together during transportation) and tie it up.

make sure you prepare the new planting site well. a nice deep hole dug deeper than the root ball and then backfilled with lovely things like compost and sand (for drainage) and garden soil. sprinkle a couple of handfulls of bonemeal in the base of the planting hole.

if at all possible, plant the bush in a similar situation (sun, shade) as it was in at it's first home.

water the hole well, put the rootball in gently after removing the tarp or burlap sheet (although burlap does decompose if you wish to leave it around the ball... but just loosen the top) and fill in well with soil leaving no air pockets around the rootball.

firm in the soil with your foot (not harshly or wimpily (!) but firmly so that there is contact between the rootball and the new soil around it.

support the bush with stakes (if it's taller) and water really well for the first while... maybe every day until you see the leaves are showing signs of turgidity (getting perky, less limp).

hopefully that'll do it!

good luck.

ps: what kind of plant is it? how big is it?

Answer 2

I am not sure, but I wanted to pass on kudo's for spelling deciduous correctly.

But you left out the apostrophe in "family's", indicating a possesive noun, and also failed to capitalize March.

Why am I like this?