Question
We just moved into a new house.  The previous owners created a lovely garden environment in the backyard.  While it is beautiful, we need to create some room for our active daughters (6 & 7) to play.  While we are ok tearing up a lot of the plantings, we would like to save the mature holies and transplant them to the front of the house.  Can this be done and is it a dyi project.  If it is a dyi project (have strong back, friends, and only 10 to 15 feet to move the plantings.  Can this me done now (middle of summer in Newton MA?)  We left a large play structure at our previous property and have told the new owners we would move it within the month. Should we trim them back before we transplant them or just leave them as is?  How large will the root system be and how large do we need to ball the roots to increase our chances of success.  Please help us save these plants.

Answer
Bruce,

I would not recommend moving the plants at this time. Root growth will be diminished and there is a better chance of the plants going into transplant shock. Waiting until the fall would be prefered.

If you need to do it now, I would try to keep the root balls as large as you can handle. Have the holes predug so you can just place the trees into them. Use Plant Health Care's Tree Saver in the holes to stimulate fiberous root growth, and water them well for the rest of the summer.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen