Tricky Transplant Help

14 years ago

I have a 4-6 inch wide area of dirt between the concrete driveway and the privacy fence that is entirely overgrown weeds and ivy. Some of the vines I suspected were Clematis, so I've let the area grow and have been waiting to see. In the last day or so I've got buds popping, and it's definitely Clematis.

I'd like to transplant these to a bed that I've started under a tree in the yard, so that I can Round-Up that area along the driveway and plant a ground cover to control the weeds. With the area that I have to dig, do I have any hope of saving enough roots? Is there anything that I can do to ensure a successful transplant?

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Comments (5)

grow_darnit
14 years ago
I definitely wouldn't do anything now. Wait till it cools down - when I lived in MI I did most of my plantings in October. Then you can try digging them up and moving them. They are not going to be happy the next year and possibly the year after that no matter what. Clematis hates being moved and with the tiny strip of land you have there there will be damage to the roots. I had success moving clematis plants that had their roots damaged pretty badly during remodeling and they survived the ordeal, so there's hope. Try to go as deep and wide under the concrete as you can. Trim all the stems, leaving no more than a foot (in spring trim again to the first pair of good buds). Give them a nice spot with plenty of good soil and compost, making sure to plant them deeper than they were planted before and hope for the best. How big are the plants? The bigger they are the harder it will be to move them. Good luck!
Grow
whiteforest
Original Author
14 years ago
They are small, because when we moved in in the fall the yard hadn't been touched in over a year. We mowed, cut or weed whacked everything but the trees and shrubs just to get back to a workable area. The clematis that's blooming now is about 2 feet long at best.
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opheliathornvt zone 5
14 years ago
I would also wait, especially if they're getting ready to bloom. I've moved lots of clematis with good results, but you are only going to be able to get a small part of the roots. Be sure to water them before you dig and then give them lots of water after transplanting. I'll bet you'll have more success than you think.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
14 years ago
How tall or big the vine is has little to do with the root spread -- that's much more a factor of how old the plant is/how long it's been in the ground. A well-established clematis can have a rather impressive root system regardless of size of the top growth. It is important to try and remove as much of the root system intact as possible.

I too would recommend waiting for fall and cooler weather.
whiteforest
Original Author
14 years ago
I will plan to transplant in September. I'll save as much root as possible (which isn't going to be much, I'm sure) and just hope for the best. They'll be planted near to newly planted hydrangeas, so they'll get plenty of water because I water the hydrangeas at the base for about 10-20 minutes every other day.