transplanting an old Rhododendron

7 years ago

hello

i have a very old Rhododendron next to my house, its at least 20 years old and about 10' tall.

i am doing work on my foundation and the tree will have to be removed or relocated.

i will attempt relocation but i dont know how successful the transplant will be considering its so old and already blooming for the season.

any advice or thoughts will be appreciated.

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

7 years ago

Mature rhododendrons are really rather easy to transplant. They have a wide but quite flat root system, so you can almost pop them out of the ground like a pancake.

Dig out all around the drip line, then gently undercut the rootball with your garden spade. Have a plastic tarp nearby and roll or slide the plant onto the tarp to transport to the new location. Make sure the plant has been well watered before hand (soil quite moist but not wet) and ideally I'd move on a cool, overcast day or very early in the day. Prepare the new location before you move so you can slide the plant in ASAP after digging. If the plant is good sized, a second pair of hands will prove useful :-)

Very large rhodies are dead common in my area and as part of my design business I have overseen the moving of a dozen or more mature rhodies at all time of the year and virtually none even blink at the disruption.

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Comments (6)

Huggorm
7 years ago
Wrong time of the year but otherwise rhododendron use to be relatively easy to transplant
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
you gotta do ..what you gotta do.. because of the project ...

if you lose it ... its part of the cost of the project.. so be it ...

at ten feet tall ... and so close to the house ... it is probably improperly planted .... too close to the house ... and as such.. it will be hard to properly dig it out with a big enough ball of soil .. to have high success in moving it ...

as such.. i would wonder.. if it is worth the effort ... would you be doing this yourself??? .. could you actually lift and drag a 2 or 3 foot ball of soil ??? ... would the hired dudes be able to do it with a backhoe???.. right next to the house ...

without actually seeing the situation.. i would probably not bother .. and stress myself out for 2 years worrying about it ...

it would be a lot easier.. and cheaper.. to just budget buying a replacement ... in the future ... in the next best planting time .. dont know where you are ... as to whether now is the best time for planting or moving a new plant ...

focus on fixing your house.. the plant is a minor concern... imo .. can it be done.. sure ... is it worthwhile doing it .... probably not...

ken
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Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
7 years ago
This is how it's done.

Moving Rhododendron maximum
kitasei
7 years ago
I have moved rhodies this size with very small rootballs. They looked weak the next year but eventually took hold. It was worth the effort to have a 10 ft specimen in a year!
Embothrium
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
If the tender new growth wilts after the move snip it off, keep the specimen well mulched and watered. Also be sure to move it to a position that if anything is more shady than the one it came from. And certainly not a lot sunnier.