Not too bad..I took mine out without my husband's help..mine were old too..giving them the boot huh?..if you aren't saving them it will be easy to just hack into them!..yours could be more work..only 1 of mine was big..4 were pathetic..

Thanks Nichols

mind are all 4x4 plus... I'll give it a try ...maybe I'll try potting a portion of a few

Outright, sounds like soil consistency or nutrient issues to me.

If you're getting rid of them, try finding local flea market or buy/sell/trade pages to join on Facebook. Many people post "you dig / you haul" ads all the time - for that size you could actually make money. If letting go free, some local landscaper will probably take them and sell them to someone else.

I have had some great years but the last 5 have been very iffy maybe a couple of flowers on each, where I use to get 50/100 flowers. With a dozen or more plants(4'x4') trying to cage and fill with leaves every Fall then removing each Spring,no thank you,there are too many Great Hys out there....maybe I'll spray paint( blue) a few Annabelles LOL

Mary..I had the same disappointing experience..

LMAO @ spraypaint. That's damn near half-tempting!!

Any that are to be replanted elsewhere should be dig when not in leaf.

DEFINITELY tougher to get out than mine..pace yourself..ES are aggravating from beginning to end aren't they?..lol