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| Q. Can I move a shrub that's in the wrong place? |
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| A. All of us end up moving a shrub
sometime or another. Perhaps a sunny spot is now shady, or the plant
turned out to be bigger than we thought and has outgrown its location.
This is the best time of year to move a shrub—when it’s
dormant. Moving it now also allows its roots to grow back so that
it can handle next summer’s heat.
If it’s a large shrub, avoid a trip to the chiropractor with
these tips. Dig wide around the plant, rather than deep. Once you’ve
cut the roots all the way around, you can cut the bottom roots.
Have a tarp ready so that you can slide the plant onto it. Drag
it to its new location and gently slide into the hole you’ve
already dug. Do not add soil amendments. Water in well, and keep
evenly moist all winter.
Next spring and summer, remember that the shrub still has a limited
root system, so don’t neglect its water needs. If it’s
been a self-sufficient plant that never needed the water hose, it’ll
be so again, but give it time to get firmly established in its new
location.
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|  Fragrant
Sumac (Rhus aromatica) Fragrant sumac, also called aromatic
sumac, is a native shrub that naturally stays within a manageable
size of about 5 feet. The glossy green foliage turns a beautiful
orange/red in fall. This plant is tolerant of a variety of soil
conditions, and while it loves full sun will also tolerate some
shade. Remember, fall is prime time for planting trees and shrubs!
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<<view past Plants
of the Week
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- As leaves begin to fall, rake them for the compost pile or to
mulch the flowerbeds. Leaves contain 50-80% of the nutrients they’ve
taken up from the tree, so are a valuable, free, and natural way
to improve our soil. It’s important not to leave them on
the lawn, however. Turf under trees may already be weakened by
the shade; if covered by leaves, the grass cannot receive the
sunlight that is critical to its growth. So, rake them up, or
if you wish, mow over them and spread around, or mulch the flower
beds to keep down the weeds and improve the soil for next year.
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