Question
Mike, I live on Galveston Island, TX. My wife planted a split-leaf philodendron under our deck and it is so big, I would like to move out into the open. It is about 5 feet high, probably 6 feet across and has long roots that appear to be running radially just under the surface of the ground. Does this plant have any long, tap roots that i could damage if I try to move it? Could you give me some pointers of moving this plant without damaging it severly and what time of year would be the best time?  This is a beautiful plant and I would hate to lose it.

Answer
James, anytime you move a plant, there are risks that the plant will be damaged to some extent.  Normally, a plant will just go into a short dormancy while it recovers from the shock.  But when you move a plant with long tap roots, the risk increases dramatically.

The root system is generally as long as a plant is wide.  This is true of most plants, including the philodendron.  You would need to dig along the same radius as the end of the branches and take as much of the root ball as possible. Dig a hole large enough to accomodate the size of the root ball.  Fill it completely with water and allow it to drain, prior to transplanting.  Then move the plant and fill the hole once again with water.  This will minimize the shock.

Fall is the best time to move a plant.  If you decide to proceed, I would definitely transplant it sometime this week.  That will give the plant time to recover prior to the winter months.  Although, where you live, that is not as big an issue as it is up north.

I wish I could give you a guarantee, but as I said, there is always a risk involved when uprooting an established plant with long roots.  The good news is that the success rate is still moderately high.

Have a great week, and good luck with your project.

Regards,

Mike