Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
valeriepa

Transplanting large hibiscuses

valeriepa
18 years ago

I'm moving 30 miles away and want to take several hardy hibiscuse with me. I have 3 weeks and am not sure what steps to take. Should I cut them down now or wait until after I move them? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I can't take cuttings-I always kill them. Help!

Comment (1)

  • bruggirl100
    18 years ago

    Cut them down by at least 1/3, and get as much root as you can, even if you have to just wrap them in black plastic until you get there. Water them well before and after you dig them, and plant them as soon as possible after they are moved.

    When you plant them, dig the hole twice the diameter of the rootball and 3 inches deeper. Fill with water, and let it soak into the surrounding soil. Place 3 inches of manure into the bottom of the hole, then fill with water again, and place the plant in, filling alternately with the soil you took out and composted manure.

    Build a berm around the outside, put a cup of epsom salts around the plant inside the berm, and fill the berm three times with water. The epsom salts help the roots survive, and to make new feeder roots.

    Water every other day for two weeks, twice a week for two weeks, then once a week for two weeks. Unfortunately, in your climate, this time of year, the plant will go dormant before you can see if it took, so you won't know until next spring if it really survived. It may actually be best to keep them in large pots until next spring, if that's possible.

    Good luck!