"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
Hi

We are going to have to remove a mature weigela shrub due to some garden
work starting the first week of July. It is a large plant, very well
rooted with large woody stems and I'm dreading trying to dig it up!! Is
it going to kill the plant to do this at this time of year - it is about
to start flowering and I'm hoping that the flowers might be on the way
out by July?

Any advice appreciated as I'd like to try and save the plant if I can.

Hi Linda:

the clicheed answer is to try and take cuttings of any big hard to move
plants rather than move the entire thing.
Maybe you could do both (i.e. take cuttings as insurance in case of
problems) and try to move it anyway by digging it up.
I have never taken cuttings of Weigela so a key piece of information from
other posters here would be how easily they take. It looks like something
that should be easy to take cuttings from. Then the issue is what kind of
cuttings (again other posters may be able to help): whether it is from new
growth or older bits etc.

As regards moving, it seems to help if you prune first to cut down on the
amount of foiage that has to be supported and then dig as big a root ball as
you can. This is hard work, hence the usual recommendation to take
cuttings.

Des



Lynda