Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - June 09, 2005
From: Ridgeland, SC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Transplants
Title: Transplanting native azaleas in South Carolina
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
When is the best time to transplant azaleas in South Carolina Low Country?ANSWER:
There are many wonderful native azaleas in South Carolina and they can usually be transplanted with success. The best time to transplant azaleas and nearly any other woody species is in the fall. To increase your chances of success and to give your transplanted azaleas the best start is to "pre-dig" them a few months to one year before you are ready to move them. Here's is how you do it. With a shovel or sharpshooter (a long-bladed spade) dig straight down all the way around the plant to be moved, forming a complete circle the desired size of the root ball. It is not necessary to remove soil at this point, you simply want to sever the roots at the edge of the root ball. In the ensuing months, the plant will develop new feeder roots within the root ball and thus will be much more likely to survive the move. It is a good idea to remove some of the top of the plant when transplanting. This will also reduce the stress of the move and help your azalea recover more quickly.
More Transplants Questions
Wax myrtle problems from Driftwood TX
September 04, 2010 - We planted 27 wax myrtles on the perimeter of our property last year and were diligent about watering them throughout the drought. They are in very rocky soil (we had to use a jackhammer to dig the ho...
view the full question and answer
Native wildflower garden for Pennsylvania
May 21, 2008 - Hello, I am interested in making a garden, and I would like to use only or mostly native wildflowers in it. Do you have any good suggestions for wildflowers that I can transplant from places where the...
view the full question and answer
Best Time for Dividing and Transplanting Native Bunch Grasses in Jarrell, Texas
February 02, 2011 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
What time of the year is the best for dividing and transplanting native bunch grasses like Gulf muhly, and Miscanthus?
view the full question and answer
Transplanting Blueberries in NY State
November 03, 2011 - I would like to ask you about transplanting blueberry bushes. When can I move them? 3 of them are at least 10 years old and haven't done well in their current location. I have built a fence to keep t...
view the full question and answer
Moving a red oak away from the house foundation
January 24, 2008 - About a 3 weeks ago I noticed a 5 ft. red oak growing in my flower bed. I hadn't noticed it growing up through my shrubs until the leaves turned bright red. The problem is that its coming up about tw...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |