On 9 Oct 2004 10:48:12 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
Steve Jackson wrote:
Anyone care to conjecture on the earliest date upon which it would be
safe to move shrubs in the Midlands of England?

I'm champing at the bit atm and would like to get on with tidying up the
garden and rearranging the position of some of my shrubs that have
outgrown their space allocation.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions of when they might shut down for
winter, though I know really that it should be as late as possible to
ensure survival, so I'm answering my own question really.

The main reason for waiting is to ensure that they are not stressed
too hard for water, in the hot, dry summer weather that occasionally
occurs. No more than that. As we are well into autumn, most shrubs
will move perfectly well now.

A few are pernickety for other reasons, but are as likely to object
to being moved when dormant or in early spring as to being moved now.
I suggest posting a list of any you are unsure about. Generally,
deciduous ones are easier than evergreen, because they are usually
happier to be cut back at this time of year.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

What about hardy fuchsias? All mine seem to be in the midst of flower
right now and I had to plant them way earlier than this to ensure
hardiness in the first place. Would I be better to move these when they
start to grow again in spring?

Liz