Transplanting a desert shrub

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prr

Member
I have a shrub growing in SoCal desert region right by the street. These suckers get 15-20 feet high, this growth is just in the past year. I would like to plant it several feet back, away from the street.

(1) How much root structure do I need to dig up (and transplant with the tree)? How many feet of roots? The plant that you see in the pic is, say, 5-6 feet across.

(2) What sort of soil amend would you recommend that I mix in with the desert soil? The spot where I'll plant it gets sun almost most of the day, almost every day of the year, but nothing else grows there. Should I mix in some garden soil, potting soil, or what?

PIC.jpg
 
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RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Hi Paul!
Interesting shrub/tree!
From the info you gave and with my experience with shrubby suckering woody plants I found that they are invasive by way of suckering. and probably sending out long subsurface roots! Are you sure you want to deal with a species that will not stay put?
 

prr

Member
You know, we have wild brush all over the place, I suppose every year or two I'll roam around and take out a new sprout. Now that you've said what you did, I'll be on the lookout. It has sprouted up about 20 feet away from a taller shrub that I will uproot (or just use brush buster on).

Do you know about how much root structure I'd need to take with it, to its new home?
 

RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Paul,
Good question. The only way to know for sure is to dig around the one you want to move....go around 12-14 inches and sever any surface roots...dig down a good 12-14 inches, then you can lift the plant out....you may have a problem with roots that go downwards...carefully sever these root as you find them.....there maybe a taproot ....sever this also leaving a good 12-14 inches.
Since you are in a high desert location thrubs will naturally have roots that grow downwards.
 

prr

Member
OK, I can handle 12-14 inches. I was hoping you weren't going to tell me that I had to take 4 feet in a radius around the center of the plant, or else it would die. That would have been a lot of digging. :confused:
 

prr

Member
Oh one last thing--is there any particular type of soil you'd recommend that I add to it? Since it is a desert shrub (native), it obviously grows without any, but would you recommend I mix in garden or potting soil, into the hole I dig out?
 

RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
What comes to mind is perhaps a triple mix! Mix it well with the some of the existing soil from the hole you dig! The organic matter should give it a kick start!
 

prr

Member
OK I can buy some, but I'm not sure what to get. I went to the scotts website and their search didn't give me anything, and I didn't see anything in their mulch & topsoil section. Lowes & Homedepot aren't giving me anything marked triple mix.

Is something like this (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Soil-Bl...Plant-Food-and-Soil-Amendment-SBSC8/308649645) what you had in mind?

Or were you just thinking I could buy any ol' organic mulch, and mix it with some original soil & fertilizer?
 
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RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
A triple mix is usually one part each of peat moss, compost (can contain composted manure from cattle and or sheep), and loam (can be black loam)
Might be easier just to make your own since the composition depends on availability of ingredients! It'll be a lot cheaper for you too!
 

prr

Member
OK I'll get something similar at Lowes/Home Depot. I need to buy a small rake there anyways.

OK thanks for all your help. It should be transplanted in this coming week.
 


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