transplanting a box hedge ball

I was wondering if it is a good idea to transplant a fairly well established box hedge clipped ball it is in the ground probably three years if not four and is doing well but I need to move it. What to you think, if is approx two foot high by three foot wide? Many thanks


Hi, Kimberly here from landscape solutions for you. Thank you for asking the question on planting your Box Hedge ball.

Once a shrub is in the ground for over two years and established, it becomes very tricky to be able to transplant it.

I would recommend that you dig around the base of the shrub and loosen the soil. You will be checking to see if you can see the large root, which is called a tap or mother root.

You can continue to dig and loosen the dirt so you can find the root system. Most likely the root system is well established and will be difficult to transplant. Many Box shrubs have deep base root systems. My crew and I have had to take out these with a truck and chains to ensure we got all the roots.

If you have to take the shrub out, the chances may not be too good for survival. You can prepare a new hole, add such mushroom compost to the hole, and transplant the shrub. Water the shrub around the base with just a trickle for the first week, every few days.

As a professional, I do believe the chances for surviving are not real good. Do the above steps and let us know what you find.

Thanks again for asking the question and feel free to ask anytime. The best of luck to you and this landscape project. Have a great day!
Kimberly