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Old 18-11-2018, 11:03 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Jeff Layman[_2_] Jeff Layman[_2_] is offline
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Default Viburum Fragrans - when to transplant?

On 18/11/18 10:35, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 18 Nov 2018 09:43:53 +0000, Another John
wrote:

I have a small viburnum fragrans, which has grown up beside a much
larger one (therefore I assume a 'sucker').

I'd like to plant this somewhere else in the garden: when is the best
time to do this? It has flowers at present of course, but neither do I
like the idea of doing it in Spring, when it's leafing out!

Cheers
John


Viburnums have a reputation for being pretty tough and
death-resistant.

If it were mine, I'd cut down with a spade across a line between it
and the parent, deep enough to sever the suckering root and force the
sucker to get used to being on its own roots. Do it now.

In late winter, decide where you want to put it, dig a decent sized
hole, break up the bottom to encourage good drainage, and add some
compost and bone meal or hoof and horn, to give it a good start.

If the sucker is quite large, trench all round it, about 8-12" out
from the trunk depending on how big the plant is, and about a spit
deep. Then cut under the root ball with a sharp spade. Work an old
fertiliser bag or hessian sack under the root ball and tie it up
around the trunk, to hold the root ball together. Move it to its new
position and remove the fertiliser bag. Make sure that you plant it no
deeper than the original soil level. Water it well after planting.

If the sucker isn't very big, you can probably get away with simply
cutting down all round it with a spade, say four to six cuts, four to
six inches out from the stem, and lever it out on the spade after the
last cut.


Chris has nailed it for you. The only other thing I would consider is if
the sucker is pretty small, and that is an intermediate stage in a pot
first, to allow it time to grow new roots and recover from the insult.
That would also be true if you intend it to be in a sunny spot, where it
might have a tendency to dry out. You could keep the pot in s shady spot
until the plant shows healthy growth, then plant it in its final place.

--

Jeff