Gardening: Transplantation

One of my favorite plants in my yard is called a Texas Star Hibiscus. As you can see in the picture to the right (not taken in my yard), it produces large 5-point flowers. Not only is it a beautiful plant, but it's very unusual.

The flowers are very large, and the leaves almost look like marijuana leaves in shape! Ha! My uncle Jerry gave me one of these several years ago. Funny story: He lives in Port Neches (Beaumont area) and I was driving through Houston back to Dallas. Someone pulled up next to me and started making signs like they were smoking a joint - they really thought I was transporting a marijuana plant!

Ok, while I could probably go on and on about how much I enjoy this plant (no, I don't smoke it!), I want to talk about transplantation. You see, right now is the best time to move plants in your yard from one spot to another. Late winter/early spring (before the plant starts to produce leaves, etc.) is ideal because the plant will undergo less shock. And when I say "plant," I want you to think about trees, bushes, or other plants within your yard.

If you are a gardener, you know how your plants produced last year. And, if you've noticed "crowding" or "less production," maybe it's time to think about moving that plant to a better location.

Thus, I bring up the Texas Star Hibiscus. My uncle gave me one, and now I have 3 in my yard. How did that happen? A few years ago I took my shovel and split the root-ball of the original plant. I took the remainder and planted that part into another location. Last year, I did the same with the 2nd one.

Now, most people might not want to take a blade and cut up a prized plant. So, let's say you want to just move a plant from one location to another? Here are some steps that I typically follow...

First, I dig a VERY large hole in my new location. What that means is it's much larger (width) than the actual plant I'm going to move. This allows for the roots to spread out when the plant has been planted.

Next, I start to dig up the root ball. There are several schools of thought on how best to do this. If it's a bush, I typically dig as far out as I can typically carry. For example, let's say the bush is about 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. I would plan to dig out at least the width of the plant - so 2 feet all around. That way, you can probably gather a significant amount of the root ball.

If it's a tree, here is a simple measuring method: Take a tape measure and measure up from the base 18 inches. Next, take a measure of the width of the trunk. Let's say it's 2 inches wide at that point. You should multiply that by 18. So, your root ball should be dug at 36 inches.

So now that you have some simple tips, think about what needs to be moved around in your yard. February is the perfect time... try and take care of "maintenance items" before March and April hit!

As you can see, I can't wait until I can start planting again!!! Oh, and the Texas Star Hibiscus? It's a fantastic plant for any yard. It will produce great blooms (FULL SUN) throughout the summer, and die off in the winter. Once I cut it down to the base (typically this time of year), it comes back fuller and larger than the previous year. Try one out - you'll find them at your local nursery. I've actually seen them down at the Farmer's Market in downtown Dallas.