Replanting shrubs in summer

Goal or Problem

Autumn and spring are good periods to replant shrubs. The wet and mild conditions help to prevent drying out of the plant. However, is it possible to replant shrubs in summer, without taking to much risk that the plant runs dry?

Idea

When field-grown shrubs are transplanted, they suffer shock caused by root loss. The plant cannot absorb as much water from the ground anymore as it used to before replanting. While this cannot be fixed below the ground, it is possible to compensate above the ground. The water absorbed from the ground mainly evaporates through the leaves. Therefore, the branches of the shrub need to be trimmed to reduce the evaporation. Trim about one third of the length of the branches (i.e. not too much) so that the plant does not suffer from yet another shock. Treat the wounds in case you had to make larger cuts.

A newly replanted shrub must be watered more than usual for about two weeks. This keeps the roots from drying out. For the first couple of days, pour the water until it starts pooling around the shrub. Best time for watering is after sunset.

Obey other best practices of replanting shrubs:

• Do least possible damage to the root system.
• Minimize out-of-ground time.
• Place the shrub to a place where it thrives the most. For example, if the shrub thrives in a sunny area, don't move it to a shady place.
• On the new place, dig a hole that is slightly larger than the root system. Fill the gaps with a new soil, mixture of old and new soil, or mix fertilizer into the old soil that you put back to the hole.

References

How To Replant a Shrub

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