Transplanting a Fatsia

Transplanting - I really hate it but it is a task that I find myself doing more and more these days. It always fills me with dread anytime I have to move a plant. It is a stressful event for the plant as well as myself but fortunately I have found that the mild climate here generally favors a good success rate. Still, larger plants can be problematic. 

For most plants (and there are always exceptions), it is best to move a larger plant right before the roots are beginning to grow. So, late winter or early spring is ideal. Fall is also a good time but allow time for the plant to grow a bit before the first freeze.

Of course, I never follow that logic. Case in point, the Fatsia (Japanese Aralia) (you can see it right in the lower center of the photo) was planted in too much sun. I'm not sure what I was thinking but I must have assumed that the Photinia would shade it and wasn't considering how much the sun moves to the north in summer. I meant to move it at the appropriate time but did not get around to it until late May.

Here are some pointers that I have learned along the way. First, water the plant really good the day before you plan to dig it up. Get your new location ready so you can get the plant in quickly. When ready to dig, try to get as much of the root ball as you can and hope that it will stay intact. If the roots are long, some root pruning may be needed. In this case, the Fatsia roots were very short.

I had no idea how large a Fatsia rootball would be but apparently it isn't that much -

If the plant is too large to move to a wheelbarrow, use a tarp to slide it along the ground to its new location. After replanting - water the plant well and continue to do so every day until you know it has made the move okay. Do not fertilize! 

Some plants may need cutting back (like roses) before transplanting and some may not. I usually play the "wait and see" game to determine if I need to trim back. In this case, never having moved this particular plant before, I did not cut it back. As expected, the leaves wilted (the following photo was taken the next day after moving). 

After frequent watering, however, they started to perk up again and about a week later, it started to look good again. A few months later and it is looking great.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy