Moving Box hedge

[d000hg]

I've some well-established box hedging as well as individual shaped plants dotted around. The hedge is in the 'wrong' place, I want to remove it to open up some space for a seating area. I will need a hedge around the new area as one edge is a steep slope and I wondered if I can dig up and move my existing hedge plants.

I understand Box is about the most versatile and resilient shrub one can hope for but I imagine the roots may be all tied up together meaning I will lose some. Is it worth a go and see what survives?

 

[r896neo]

Yes it will move no problem but to be safe you should do it in autumn. Doing it in the height of summer is the absolute worst time. If you must move it now get it in and out within a few hours and water it well both before and after moving.

They have a mass of finer roots rather than a few big ones like a woody shrub/tree so you need to dig out a good sized root ball intact.

 

[d000hg]

Should've done it earlier this week then, it rained for 3 days straight

 

[JohnD]

if you are moving them, you'll need to cut back the tops to balance the root loss.

Some bits might die, but it takes easily from cuttings

When I trim mine, I take a handful of twigs, strip off all but the terminal leaves, and poke them in the ground or a pot of damp compost for any gaps or future needs.

They take a long time to root, but you will end up with plenty. Plants them unusually close in two rows so they soon mass into a new hedge. They are get bushy but are slow to add height.

 

[d000hg]

Yeah I was reading an article about how crazy-easy it is to take cuttings. And how you can cut them right back to the middle and they'll just start growing again. Given my local garden centre is selling them for £30 a pop, moving existing ones seems worth a shot... and cultivating some cuttings in spare space as you say for future use.