moving virburnum
 

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:175110

I have a virburnum bodnantense "dawn" in the garden which has been there
just over 3 years and is about 5 foot high, a foot and a half across. Will I
be able to move it without killing it? If so is there a best way? (I'd want
to if we moved house so could not be too picky about timing - it would
probably be in spring, but I could move it to a pot before hand - have also
heard that I should try cutting round the roots now - is this true? I know
that these things are supposed to be done when plant is dormant but as it is
flowering now was not sure when the plant was dormant :) ).
Hayley

moving virburnum
 

The message
from "H Ryder" contains these words:

I have a virburnum bodnantense "dawn" in the garden which has been there
just over 3 years and is about 5 foot high, a foot and a half across. Will I
be able to move it without killing it? If so is there a best way? (I'd want
to if we moved house so could not be too picky about timing - it would
probably be in spring, but I could move it to a pot before hand - have also
heard that I should try cutting round the roots now - is this true? I know
that these things are supposed to be done when plant is dormant but as it is
flowering now was not sure when the plant was dormant :) ).

They do move quite easily, as the root ball tends to be dense and
shallow, but don't expect much growth for a couple of years afterwards.
This may negate the motive for moving a larger plant :-) Has it made any
sucker growths from the base yet? If so, I'd pot up the sucker instead.
In a few years time, a well fed youngster will be a bigger, faster
growing plant than its transplanted parent.

Janet.