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Must relocate hydrangea #872689

Asked June 11, 2024, 6:45 PM EDT

Due to construction, I have to move the hydrangea shown in the attached photo. If I leave it there, it will surely die, and in the first place, there's going to be driveway added where it now resides. End of discretion... it has to move. I'm sure this is a really bad time to transplant it. It will only be going a few yards away. Do you have any advice for moving it, with regard to watering, pruning and anything else you can think of? As always, thanks in advance.

Baltimore County Maryland

Expert Response

Shrubs are fine to transplant now as long as they can be checked for watering needs after the move. Feel the soil before assuming they need water in case you see wilting, since plants can wilt from both being too dry and being too wet. Hydrangeas of this type are also notorious for wilting in high heat even if they are sufficiently moist, so probing the soil is a good way to tell if a distressed-looking plant is actually dry enough to water. If the soil feels damp around five inches below the surface, watering is probably not needed, and a wilting plant on a hot day should perk up around nightfall or by the next morning. If somewhat dry to the touch at that depth, water thoroughly. You do not need to prune it back, and doing so might actually slow down new root establishment, though if any stems break during the move, it's of course fine to cut them off just past the broken spot at that point.

Miri
Great! Thanks, Miri.

-- Jack
The Question Asker Replied June 12, 2024, 11:50 AM EDT

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