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.

Lynda

"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

On Thu, 26 May 2005 10:19:15 +0000 (UTC), Lynda Thornton
wrote:

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.

Lynda


Some suggestions/ideas:

Cut it back a bit before you start (remember that leaves transpire and
the roots have to supply the water; fewer leaves so less transpiration
for damaged roots to cope with). Dig up as big a root ball as you can
(get help moving it if it's at all heavy, which it will be if you've
got a big enough root ball!). Work some hessian or similar under the
root ball before you actually start lifting it and tie it up around
the stem/trunk. Do all your lifting, pulling etc. on this sacking, not
on the stem/trunk. Use a bit of old corrugated iron or a heavy plastic
sack as a sledge to tow it around on, rather than carrying it between
the two sites (these points are all intended to keep root disturbance
to a minimum). Have the new location well prepared before you dig up
the weigela (so that it's not sitting around out of the ground). Water
the hole very well before you put the plant in, and water the plant
after it's gone in (in effect, puddle it in). Mulch well with compost
or peat. Spray the foliage regularly after planting, say two or three
times a day, especially in hot weather. Arrange some shade.

Can't think of anything else off hand. Good luck.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

In article , Chris Hogg
writes
On Thu, 26 May 2005 10:19:15 +0000 (UTC), Lynda Thornton
wrote:

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.

Lynda


Some suggestions/ideas:

Cut it back a bit before you start (remember that leaves transpire and
the roots have to supply the water; fewer leaves so less transpiration
for damaged roots to cope with). Dig up as big a root ball as you can
(get help moving it if it's at all heavy, which it will be if you've
got a big enough root ball!). Work some hessian or similar under the
root ball before you actually start lifting it and tie it up around
the stem/trunk. Do all your lifting, pulling etc. on this sacking, not
on the stem/trunk. Use a bit of old corrugated iron or a heavy plastic
sack as a sledge to tow it around on, rather than carrying it between
the two sites (these points are all intended to keep root disturbance
to a minimum). Have the new location well prepared before you dig up
the weigela (so that it's not sitting around out of the ground). Water
the hole very well before you put the plant in, and water the plant
after it's gone in (in effect, puddle it in). Mulch well with compost
or peat. Spray the foliage regularly after planting, say two or three
times a day, especially in hot weather. Arrange some shade.

Can't think of anything else off hand. Good luck.


Thanks for such a detailed guide - very helpful!

Lynda

In article , Des Higgins
writes

I have never taken cuttings of Weigela so a key piece of information from
other posters here would be how easily they take.


If I ever want a difficult plant to 'take' from a cutting I used to hack
a piece off the Weigela or Viburnum and put it next to the cutting . Not
sure why but the Weigela is so easy to root that it #apparently'
influences the speed of the cuttings in its vicinity and makes them
more likely to produce roots.
I am sure it's probably on coincidence but it shows how easy Weigela is
from a cutting.
I take them at any time and they seem to rot with very little effort.

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article , Janet Tweedy
writes

If I ever want a difficult plant to 'take' from a cutting I used to
hack a piece off the Weigela or Viburnum and put it next to the cutting
. Not sure why but the Weigela is so easy to root that it #apparently'
influences the speed of the cuttings in its vicinity and makes them
more likely to produce roots.
I am sure it's probably on coincidence but it shows how easy Weigela is
from a cutting.
I take them at any time and they seem to rot with very little effort.

janet

Oh pooh, blast spelling checkers................
that should read
".....they seem to ROOT with very little effort....."

Honest not a Freudian slip
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article , Janet Tweedy
writes
In article , Janet Tweedy
writes

If I ever want a difficult plant to 'take' from a cutting I used to
hack a piece off the Weigela or Viburnum and put it next to the cutting
. Not sure why but the Weigela is so easy to root that it #apparently'
influences the speed of the cuttings in its vicinity and makes them
more likely to produce roots.
I am sure it's probably on coincidence but it shows how easy Weigela is
from a cutting.
I take them at any time and they seem to rot with very little effort.

janet

Oh pooh, blast spelling checkers................
that should read
".....they seem to ROOT with very little effort....."

Honest not a Freudian slip

I was wondering Janet, I thought it might be some rare and wonderful
horticultural slang that I hadn't heard of

Lynda