Question
I have a cottoneaster that I want to dig up and plant in a different place in my yard but I don't know when the best time is to move it.  Is now a good time or should I wait until fall or spring?  I live in Michigan about 10 miles in from Lake Michigan.

Answer
Hey, Marcia.

Generally, you want to move any plant when all, or most of its sap, is in the roots. That allows it to immediately start creating a new root system in the new location, so I would wait until the spring. When you see new shoots starting to come out, that would be the best time to transplant.

If you find that you cannot wait until the spring, you can move plants at other times of the year. Generally, though, when you do that, you'll need to prune most of the branches back, and you'll probably need to fertilize and water a little more than you normally would to help the plant get established in its new location.