I say pot them up and make sure they don't dry out or get too much water. You have some nice plants and I would move them!!

Nannerbelle,
By any chance did you save some containers after
you planted all those plants?
You will need containers to store them.
I would definately take them with me too.
Use potting soil, wash the roots as good as you
can. I know, it will be alot of soil, but you can
take your time after moving to figure out where you
want them.
Didnt' you live in Aiken county? Mabey I have you
mixed up with someone else. Well, if you live in Aiken
and need help at all with digging up and potting, email me.
I would be glad to help you, you have a lot to do.
Good Luck!

Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely going to pot them for the transport. I'll go buy containers if necessary. I've found those plastic storage bins you can get at the dollar store works real well for large planters. I do have a couple that are going to be tough. One Magnolia I put out last year is now over 8 ft tall. It's skinny but has really grown like crazy and one of my Bananas is as tall as the gutters on the house. Butterfly4u, thanks for the offer but I'm over in Lancaster county and going to Sumter county. I've also got a great guy who helps with the tilling and maintains my lawn for me. I've already told him to plan on spending a few days with me. Should I wait until things go more dormant in the fall? I'm thinking if the weather is cooler, that may be easier on the plants. And they are all going. The property is being sold for a commercial interest and after we have moved out, the house will be sold and moved off the property and it will be incorporated into their commercial plans.

The only things on your list that failed at being transplanted by me during my move were the palms (and the two that died took a year to do it - had me fooled).

I would dig up the smallest plants you have and pot them up in nice fluffy soil-less potting media (do not use garden soil unless you plan to immediately plant them). I would keep them in pots until they are actively growing next year and then plant them (except things like roses and cannas - which are tough as nails).

Some of my plants did much better if I kept them in pots for one full year before I planted them. I don't know why.

From now on I only plan on rooting cuttings and grow them up for a year or so and never dig the big mama plants again. Too many of them suffered with the move whereas the babies did fine. Bigger isn't always better.

Hi Nannerbelle! Good luck with that move. I have to agree with Trianglejohn that I've had better luck with cuttings. Since you have time, maybe that will be a way to go.
What happened with all those white pines you planted a few years ago? I remember that you gave me a great idea with those pines!

Thanks John and Wilson1, I think I will start some cuttings to have an "insurance" policy. I've never done cuttings before, any words of wisdom for a complete novice? I'm going to take all of them, even the big Mama's. After I leave and they move the house out, the bulldozer will come in. At least they have a chance if I dig them up and take them. Wilson1, out of 100+ of the white pines, about 20 or 25 of them made it. I must have picked the worst year in the world to plant pine. But the ones who did are coming up and going with me. They are about 4 years old now and shrub size. I should be able to containerize them pretty well. Thank goodness I do have some time. I've got a LOT To do to get ready. Then let the games begin on the other end of the move.

The hottest and most humid time of summer is the best time to root cuttings of tropical or subtropical plants - no need for bottom heat or hourly spritzing like the pro's do.

I would root prune now, just go around the plants with a shovel and chop one shovel depth down to cut roots around half of each plant. In a month or so, chop the other half. Then after a month you can dig up the plant with less stress.

Hi Nannerbelle,
If you and your helper have time, you might want to skive off that topsoil you've been building for so long and put it in tubs to incorporate into your new garden soil.
It takes years to build up a really good soil and this will give you a head start or at least a source of soil your plants know if some of your pots tip over in transport.

Can you store a kona coffee bupb over winter or do you have tobring it in and leave it in a pot to grow during winter