Moving holly bushes

[Bodger the badger]

Hello,

I have several self-seeded holly bushes in my garden. The tallest is about 4/5 foot now.

I need to move them as they're not in ideal places before they get too big.

Rather than just chop them down I'd like to move them to wooded and wildlife areas in my local area.

When is the best time of years to move them and does anyone have any tips for when I do move them?

Thanks very much

 

[Anniekay]

Good luck with that !! I moved one in late December last year. It was a Nellie Moser holly. I dug 2 foot outside of and below the trunk so as to try and take the entire rootball. It was 4' tall and 3' wide. I had to move it because it was growing right next to my Pecan which was destroyed by the hurricane and had to be removed. If I didn't, the stump grinder would kill it.

I did everything by the book without success.

 

[Bodger the badger]

Thanks Annie, like I said they are all self-seeders so if it doesn't work no great loss.

 

[Anniekay]

I would save myself the work and just cut them down, really.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Agreed, they make big deep root systems, it's a lot of work and local destruction. I try to catch seedling ones when they are two or three inches tall and move them to along the back edge of the garden. Even at two leaves their root goes down three or four inches. Sometimes they survive the move, some hang on for a year or two, some just die, but I keep finding them and moving them up there, along with other odd trees and a honeysuckle.

 

[Bodger the badger]

Agreed, they make big deep root systems, it's a lot of work and local destruction. I try to catch seedling ones when they are two or three inches tall and move them to along the back edge of the garden. Even at two leaves their root goes down three or four inches. Sometimes they survive the move, some hang on for a year or two, some just die, but I keep finding them and moving them up there, along with other odd trees and a honeysuckle.

Thanks for the advice Oliver