ᐅ Planting a cherry laurel in a container and moving it with you when relocating
Created on: 5 Jan 2019 18:16
A
anat79Hello everyone,
three years ago, we planted seven cherry laurel shrubs, variety Genolia, in our currently rented house, and we would like to take them with us when we move. The laurels have now grown to about 2m (6.5 ft) tall. The move is planned for February. The idea is to temporarily place them in 60-liter (16 US gallons) mortar buckets and replant them in the new garden in spring or early summer.
However, we would only want to go through this effort if there is a good chance the plants will survive.
Does anyone have experience with plants and can offer advice on this, or would it be pointless?
By the way, the landlord has no objection.
Thank you :-)
three years ago, we planted seven cherry laurel shrubs, variety Genolia, in our currently rented house, and we would like to take them with us when we move. The laurels have now grown to about 2m (6.5 ft) tall. The move is planned for February. The idea is to temporarily place them in 60-liter (16 US gallons) mortar buckets and replant them in the new garden in spring or early summer.
However, we would only want to go through this effort if there is a good chance the plants will survive.
Does anyone have experience with plants and can offer advice on this, or would it be pointless?
By the way, the landlord has no objection.
Thank you :-)
How long are they supposed to stay in the container, and where?
The problem with outdoor plants is that inside the house it’s usually too dry and warm, so they quickly die. But outside in a container, the pot can freeze through quickly, and then that’s the end of it.
So the best option would actually be to dig them up and replant them immediately. And then water, water, water.
February, however, is not exactly the ideal month for digging. It might be a lot of effort for nothing.
Aside from that, you probably want to plant a native bird-friendly hedge with a variety of shrubs in your new natural garden, right? 😉
The problem with outdoor plants is that inside the house it’s usually too dry and warm, so they quickly die. But outside in a container, the pot can freeze through quickly, and then that’s the end of it.
So the best option would actually be to dig them up and replant them immediately. And then water, water, water.
February, however, is not exactly the ideal month for digging. It might be a lot of effort for nothing.
Aside from that, you probably want to plant a native bird-friendly hedge with a variety of shrubs in your new natural garden, right? 😉
I’m quite relaxed about this. Just plant them in a corner of the new property and that’s it. Ideally, plant them all in a small depression so the water can collect more easily.
A plant can handle a lot, including being transplanted multiple times. As long as you can remove the root ball intact, everything will be fine.
A plant can handle a lot, including being transplanted multiple times. As long as you can remove the root ball intact, everything will be fine.
The original plan was to keep them in pots until the garden is ready, so they can be placed in their final positions—probably around May. The pots will be kept outside and arranged around the bedroom window to reduce visibility until the garden provides natural screening.
As I understand it, transplanting is possible as long as the root ball remains mostly intact, and the plants should be well watered. The pots must not freeze. It would be better to plant them directly in the ground right away, but unfortunately, that’s not possible because the garden is still a construction site. So, we might wrap the lower part of the plants in the pots with frost protection fleece and hope for favorable weather.
Regarding the bird protection hedge, we have already read the posts about it and think it’s a good idea! However, we haven’t had the time to focus on it yet. I’m hoping to get to it after the move.
Thank you both very much!
As I understand it, transplanting is possible as long as the root ball remains mostly intact, and the plants should be well watered. The pots must not freeze. It would be better to plant them directly in the ground right away, but unfortunately, that’s not possible because the garden is still a construction site. So, we might wrap the lower part of the plants in the pots with frost protection fleece and hope for favorable weather.
Regarding the bird protection hedge, we have already read the posts about it and think it’s a good idea! However, we haven’t had the time to focus on it yet. I’m hoping to get to it after the move.
Thank you both very much!
G
Gartenfreund7 Jan 2019 06:13@anat79
You’re already thinking along the right lines.
Use containers as small as the root volume allows, to keep the weight manageable. Then drill one or more holes about 12 mm (0.5 inches) or slightly larger on the side at roughly 3 cm (1 inch) above the bottom. Dig a hole, place the container in it, put the plant and soil inside, tamp the soil down well, and then fill the rest of the hole with soil.
This way, the plants stay in containers and the roots are also protected from frost.
On frost-free days, you should water them occasionally.
Once you’re at the new place, you can take your time with planting. Since you’ll have something similar to container-grown plants, you could even plant them in their final location as late as August.
By the way, the containers can of course be reused for other planting. And if you insert a round, wedge-shaped piece of wood into the holes, they will be sealed again, allowing you to fill them completely with water without leakage. That’s what I always do here.
You’re already thinking along the right lines.
Use containers as small as the root volume allows, to keep the weight manageable. Then drill one or more holes about 12 mm (0.5 inches) or slightly larger on the side at roughly 3 cm (1 inch) above the bottom. Dig a hole, place the container in it, put the plant and soil inside, tamp the soil down well, and then fill the rest of the hole with soil.
This way, the plants stay in containers and the roots are also protected from frost.
On frost-free days, you should water them occasionally.
Once you’re at the new place, you can take your time with planting. Since you’ll have something similar to container-grown plants, you could even plant them in their final location as late as August.
By the way, the containers can of course be reused for other planting. And if you insert a round, wedge-shaped piece of wood into the holes, they will be sealed again, allowing you to fill them completely with water without leakage. That’s what I always do here.
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