Moving Hibiscus

[DeathMetalMum]

We have someone coming to remove some huge Leylandii next week, they have recommended we remove any plants nearby as they can't guarantee the will not get damaged. I have a rose which I'm not worried about morning but I also have a hibiscus, it has been very happy where it is and flowers every year late june, I have never pruned it it's about 3ft high (quite narrow). Any suggestions on what is the best way to move? Do I need to cut it back a bit first? Could I pot it and then replace once the work is done or is moving twice to risky?

Take it out with as big a rootball as you can manage and keep it in a large pot for now. You don't need to prune it at the moment as it won't be in leaf yet so its water requirements will be lower. Pruning is only necessary when moving shrubs in full leaf because the reduced quantity of roots will not be able to supply enough water to all the foliage, so you prune some off to reduce stress.

Get it back in the ground as soon as you can and don't let the soil dry out this summer. Treat it as you would a newly-planted shrub again.

Thanks I've got the hibiscus in a pot and it will be replanted on Thursday once the trees have been dealt with. The rose I have re-planted in the front garden, the roots were much deeper and I felt I had damaged them more so re-planted it straight away. Hopefully it will survive.

I now have to decide what I can plant at the end of the garden now that it will no longer be under the tree canopy. I'm actually upset that the trees are having to be removed, as they are so full of wildlife. However the branches are less than 6ft away from our house and the trees are damaging each other as they continue to grow and are a risk of damaging multiple houses. It's going to feel extremely exposed, as they block any houses backing onto us from seeing in the garden.

Are you absolutely certain there are no nesting birds as it is illegal to disturb them?

This has been arranged by the local housing authority. We haven't decided when it should be carried out but have been in conversation with them for over 12 months. The trees are so dense the only way to confirm that would be to get into the trees which I don't have equipment or ability to do.

Is there any way you can keep it in a pot until November? That would be a better time to replant. If we have a repeat of last year’s drought conditions (and if has been pretty dry since the winter rain period eased off), then it will struggle to establish over the summer.

It’s highly likely they’ll be nesting birds in there. Nesting bird season is March-August, and unless there’s immediate danger to safety, it is illegal to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird whilst it’s in use or being built under the wildlife and countryside act 1981.