....and I'm finding a surprising amount of resistance as I try to dig it
out. This is only its second year and it's about four feet tall; how
widely do the roots spread? Yes, I know it's not a good time, what with
this drought and the fact that it's just started to bloom, but does
anyone know how big a root ball I should look for?

TIA!

On Jun 16, 12:09 pm, spampot ""spampot\"@NO SPAM orph.org" wrote:
...and I'm finding a surprising amount of resistance as I try to dig it
out. This is only its second year and it's about four feet tall; how
widely do the roots spread? Yes, I know it's not a good time, what with
this drought and the fact that it's just started to bloom, but does
anyone know how big a root ball I should look for?

TIA!

Go out about 4" from stem material with a sharp spade and plunge it
straight down all the way around and then pop the plant up and
transplant it. Water it well and give it a few days of partial shade
and wind protection. If at all possible remove about 1/3 of the top
growth.

beecrofter wrote:
On Jun 16, 12:09 pm, spampot ""spampot\"@NO SPAM orph.org" wrote:
...and I'm finding a surprising amount of resistance as I try to dig it
out. This is only its second year and it's about four feet tall; how
widely do the roots spread? Yes, I know it's not a good time, what with
this drought and the fact that it's just started to bloom, but does
anyone know how big a root ball I should look for?

TIA!

Go out about 4" from stem material with a sharp spade and plunge it
straight down all the way around and then pop the plant up and
transplant it. Water it well and give it a few days of partial shade
and wind protection. If at all possible remove about 1/3 of the top
growth.


Oh dear. You were right about the four inches out; that worked. But I
put it in a full-sun spot (I'd have to rig up an umbrella or something
to provide any shade, and it's in the 90s here now). I DID dig in a ton
of compost and watered it well (I moved it to a spot with heavier clay
soil). The top of each stem is drooping a little; I never thought of
cutting it back, so thanks for that advice.