Is it doable to uproot big shrubs and move them to replant?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

We are getting our house extended in July and will be knocking down part of the house which is next to a fence with 4 really quite mature shrubs (don't ask me what they are, I have no idea! One with small leaves and red berries, one that had purple flowers about a month ago, one with masses of tiny green leaves and one with light greeny yellow leaves). The shrubs will need to be dug up as that's where the extension is going but I was wondering how practicable it would be to get the builders to try to save the shrubs so they could be planted in another part of the garden. Our garage is getting knocked down and there will therefore be a big bare bit at the fence with no plants, so it would be ideal to move these shrubs there.

Any advice? Thanks!

I would think it may be possible, depending on the shrub, but they'll need lots of tlc and water. I don't think I'd be asking the builders to move them either! Could you get a local gardener in to give you an opinion/quote?

Shrubs are cheap. Just budget an extra £40 on top of the extension and you can get 4 fresh, eager young things all raring to go

and maybe some plants too, if you've time.

Seriously, new plants have much more chance of growing away and looking good than old uprooted ones, and it takes AGES (speaking from experience) to grub up a shrub with enough soil around the roots to keep it alive.

I moved two big philadelphus shrubs a few months ago, from back garden to front. The larger one took a good 2 hours (more or less non stop ) digging to get out. Do not underestimate what 2 hours digging involves. You need to be fit and have zero back problems. The woody stems that it had above ground were mirrored in the roots below, so you can't just yank it up.

Ideally you need to move it straight away to its new spot and water in really well. Ours are doing just fine. It is a lot of extra work, but DH and I hate to see plants being shoved on the scrap heap, so buying new wasn't considered.

Do you like them? If so, snip off some bits and take them to your local garden centre (with photos of the whole plant if possible), and ask for advice - they should be able to identify them and give you and idea of how likely they are to survive being moved and/or how long it will take them to recover.

If you do decide to go for it, the usual advice is to cut them back hard first - plants loose a lot of moisture through their leaves, so if you reduce the leaf volume you reduce the amount of water their (traumatised) root system needs to supply. Have the new hole ready before you start, and then lots and lots and LOTS of water for the rest of the summer.

I'd echo Lancelottie - they'll probably be very hard to dig up with enough roots, and might never look at home in the new place. New plants will grow on much better, especially if you prepare the ground first with lots of dug in richness.
And it'll be exciting to choose new ones. You can check the height and spread they'll grow to, choose which colours you like, whether you need them evergreen etc.

If you like the old ones, as suggested take a snip or photo and get them identified - then buy a replacement!

Good luck with the extension.

To dig up 4 big shrubs with enough earth around them to prevent root damage (crucial at this time of year) and carry them to somewhere else and dig big enough holes for them and improve the soil in those holes - well, you can see that if you pay someone to do it it will cost a lot more than some lovely new shrubs.

And it's especially dodgy at this time of year: if you were going to do it then your best chance would be October last year when they were more dormant and the ground was wetter.

With respect, as you are a self-confessed non gardener I would go the chuck-out route. And it would be a good idea to ask the builders before you chuck them in their skip too.

Thanks all, I hadn't thought about snipping bits off and getting them identified, that would be far easier than digging them and moving them! The builders will be digging them up anyway but I was just a bit on the plants behalf that they will be getting chucked in the skip.

Think we will wait til the builders leave them plant new shrubs when we start to focus on rebuilding the garden. DH says he wants a pear tree too so that will the first thing to plant!

ilikeyoursleeves... they're real big.... sorry i couldn't help that

nagoo oooooo a Napoleon Dynamite fan too?!

Yes, but I don't have any skills