Transplanting - Ask Extension
Hello, we are moving from Portland to Bend this January.
I have 3 small boxwoods (12" tall, roughly) and a small sword fern I've become attached...
Knowledgebase
Transplanting #923386
Asked January 06, 2026, 7:33 PM EST
Hello, we are moving from Portland to Bend this January.
I have 3 small boxwoods (12" tall, roughly) and a small sword fern I've become attached to.
What's the best way I can move these 4 friends to our new home?
What advice do you have for helping these guys through the transition?
The new landlord says I can't plant things in the yard, so my transplants will have to stay potted for now.
Hopefully in a year or so we will be transitioning into a home where I can start fresh with planting in the yard.
Thanks for your help!
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
This is a good time of year to dig plants. Take as much root as you can, and plant in pots that are good potting mix all the way down. Don't add gravel or Styrofoam or anything at the bottoms, and be sure there are drainage holes.
I'm not so sure these plants will do well with the very different climate in Bend. Contact the Central Oregon Master Gardener Volunteers, as listed here. You are not only moving to a colder area, but the dry air can change which plants grow well, no matter how much they are watered.
I'm not so sure these plants will do well with the very different climate in Bend. Contact the Central Oregon Master Gardener Volunteers, as listed here. You are not only moving to a colder area, but the dry air can change which plants grow well, no matter how much they are watered.
Thank you!
This has been helpful, and I appreciate your time.
On Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 06:02:22 PM PST, Ask Extension wrote:
