Moving my outdoor plants?

Question

I have 3 fairly large gardens, no flowering plants, except for snow on the mountain plants. I live in a mobile home and I am buying a house just down the street. I have spent a lot of time and money on my plants and want to dig them up and take them with me. I thought I would prepare the soil at the new place, and then dig my plants up. Should I wait until the soil is wet. What will be the least stressfull time/conditions to move my plants?

Answer 1

The fall would be a good time. If you have any hostas you can move them anytime, other foilage plants should do okay if you move them in the fall. I have a large perinnial garden and we just bought another house also; so I will be moving alot of plants. I agree with you they cost alot and I have alot and like you I don't want to leave them all behind. I hate the thought of digging but my husband will do most of that. Anyway we are going to dig ours in the fall while they are dormant. Good luck with your new place and your new garden.

Answer 2

I don't know your time frame, but now is the time to start. Your idea of preparing the soil ahead of time is great, but go one more step and predig the holes as well. Moving is going to be stressful for you and your plants and this will be one less thing to worry about. Ideally you should wait until the plants go dormant this fall. But if you can't wait, start root pruning now. All this amounts to is using the spade to cut a few of the roots that will eventually get cut during transplanting. This tricks the plant into early dormancy. Cut a few more every week until the move. If it is a tree or woody shrub it's also a good idea to prune and remove about a 1/3 of the plants branches before the move. RScott

Answer 3

anytime as long as you can keep them fairly moist until they have good root growth

Answer 4

Autumn, I would think.