Question
My son wants to remove a forsythia bush which must be at least 10 years old. It has never really thrived, but it has never hand any real care to it life. He want to pull it out with a tractor. I want the bush, but I want to be ready for it when he does this.  My question is this, "how big of a root ball will this thing have?"  How big should my hole be to drop it right into?  Any advice would be appreciated, as I always wanted a forsythia bush, and this one was my mother-in-laws which would have special meaning for me. Thank you.

Answer
Wanda,

If you pull it out with a tractor, the Forsythia will not be able to saved. If you really want to save the plant, I would recommend hand digging the plant leaving a root ball at least 1/2 the size of the plant.

The hole that you dig for it should be 2 to 3 times the size of the root ball and sloped on the sides. This will allow a stronger root system to develop quickly. Keep it well watered for the first 6 months after transplanting.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen