Moving plants

HI,

I am moving house in the second week in january. I am goint to take some plants out of the garden with me. Ones a rose the others are perenials, I dont know what they are called but i imagine they will be ok.

The reason i am posting is that i also want to take a maple with us too. Its quite large, about chest height with a similar circumference. Any advice on the best way to do this. I will take as much of the roots and earth around them as i can.

George

 

The first thing that comes to mind is how cold will the ground be when you decide to remove your plants? During the last week-end the ground here was reasonably soft, but a few days before and since it's been rock-hard. If it is rock-hard you could damage your plants lifting them.

I'd get some cheap plastic pots of suitable sizes for them and dig the plants up whenever the ground conditions are soft enough. The plants will be dormant so as long as you take most of the root they should be OK.
Same for the maple.

 

Doghouse Riley is right - the soil conditions are not good at the moment for lifting and transplanting. I moved house in February a few years ago and had put my favourite plants in big plastic pots since the late autumn, ready to go.

If your soil is like mine at the moment, you'll need a pickaxe to get them out and the risk of root damage will be high. That said, established plants will probably recover in time but may need a whole growing season to get over it if they've had a "rough ride".

Good luck with the house move.