Moving Plants
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2002
The 1st thing that you want to do is dig out from the base of the plant, about a foot or a foot and a half. Making your entire root ball about 2 to 3 feet across. Make your hole about 15 to 20 inches deep. The more roots you collect the better for the plant. While doing this try to keep the soil tight to the roots. ( this makes it much easier and better for the plant) Slip a old bed sheet or a piece of burlap under the root ball and lift it out.
Bring it over to the site where you are going to transplant it. Your hole should already be dug and prepared. If you have a heavy clay soil you may want to mix some peat moss in with the soil. Dig your hole about one foot deeper and wider then the size of the rootball which you plan on digging out. Mix some peat to the soil at a rate of 25% peat to 75% soil, refill the hole as so when yo set the palnt in it, the palnt will be no deeper then it was originally. ( that is extreamly important )
The place the plant in the hole and refill the hole with the soil mixture. By the way if you use burlap to contain your roots you can leave it, if you use a bed sheet, you will want to remove it. You may choose to also mix a bit of bone meal into the soil as well, but do NOT fertilize this plant for at least one month. If you are in a northern climate, don't fert it until the spring. Keep it well watered, but don't drown it.
I hope this helps, If you have any other questions ask away!
Mike
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I would also like to move some purple coneflowers.
I am really new to gardening and would really appreciate any help I could get.
Thanks,
Robin