Wait a bit for the weather to cool down and dampen. The mild conditions of late September into October may help prevent transplant shock. Root damage or loss is a leading cause of transplant shock in small trees or shrubs.
In many parts of the country, trees and shrubs can be transplanted all year, but no matter where you live, fall is the very best time. The cool air and warm soil temperatures are the perfect combination for establishment.
The recommended time for moving trees and shrubs is during the dormant season. Early spring is generally the best time to transplant; conditions should be ideal for rapid root growth. Digging should be done when the soil is moist and when the plant is not under moisture stress.
For most deciduous shrubs and trees, including our blueberry bushes – late fall is a great time for transplanting! The crisp autumn air and a few hard freezes at night have allowed the plants to shut down their root systems and begin their dormant stage.
You can transplant perennials anytime until the ground freezes in the fall, or wait to transplant them in the spring. Fall is an excellent time to transplant herbaceous perennials because your plants will then have three seasons to establish a good root system before hot summer weather sets in next year.
The optimum time for fall transplants is 4-6 weeks before first frost, which corresponds with the time when tree leaves begin to drop. Roots will take longer to establish in clay soil than loam or sand so allow for that as well.
An old sheet or burlap material makes it easy to move the bush without exposing the roots to the sun and wind or losing soil from around the root system. A bag or two of garden soil will fill in the new hole around the root ball.
The best time of the year to transplant trees and plants is autumn. This is because of cool temperatures and warm moist soil. Plants also require less energy as they begin to enter the early stages of dormancy. They are no longer focusing on above ground growth.
Fertilization. Fertilization at the time of planting is generally not recommended. It is ineffective until the root system has a chance to reestablish. It is usually advisable to wait two or three years before applying fertilizer, and then it is recommended to get a soil test first.
While fall isn't the only time to plant or transplant trees and shrubs, it's an optimal time. Why? Because after the leaves begin to fall from a tree, for instance, the plant becomes dormant and less active.
Fall is the Best Time to Plant
In the fall, trees and shrubs are either sold in containers or with root balls, where the root and soil is wrapped in burlap (often called "balled-and-burlapped"). Planting them is easy.
1 For most trees and shrubs, late winter or early spring is the best time for transplanting. Fall is the second-best time. However, trees and shrubs with thick, fleshy roots often don't react well to transplanting in the fall.
It's never too late to plant, or transplant, trees and shrubs unless the soil is frozen.
DON'T prune during fall.
This can weaken and damage the plant—especially if there's an early frost.
Never shear a shrub in fall (or ever, actually, but that's another article) and leave major pruning or renovation for late winter/early spring, or immediately after bloom for spring-flowering shrubs.
September/October is the ideal time to take cuttings from your favourite strains of tender perennials to increase your stock for next spring or to make sure they live on if the parent plants do not survive the winter.
Sugar water does not do anything to help plants with transplant shock, and it can make it worse. Often, plants recover on their own. Just give them time, keep them well-watered and protect them from too much sun to prevent more leaf scorch.
We recommend watering heavily right after getting the plant in the ground, waiting 30 minutes for the water to soak into the ground, then watering heavily again. The deeper the water gets into the ground the better.
Winter is usually the best time.
If you live in an area with distinct winters, the time when shrubs have lost their leaves and become dormant is an excellent time to prune them. Without the leaves, you can easily see the branching structure of the shrub and decide what to cut.
Fall is the second best time, toward the end of October or in November, if the soil is still reasonably warm. The plant will do better the longer it has to reestablish itself before winter cold arrives. You can transplant roses in mid-season, say June or July, but it's risky.
Shrubs establish in 1-2 years. How long does it take for tree and shrub roots to establish? Newly planted shrubs are considered established when their root spread equals the spread of the above-ground canopy.
Removing dead or dying branches will not only help to prevent the spread of disease to other parts of the plant, but it will also help the tree or shrub to focus on producing new, healthy growth. Older wood that no longer flowers can also be removed.
Follow these tips to prune your bush without killing it: Prune in the late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Cut back no more than one-third of the total length of each branch. Ensure all cuts are clean and sharp, angling them slightly away from the bush's centre.
Dig the hole two to three times as wide and only as deep as the root ball. With a garden knife or the side of a trowel, break up the root ball on the shrub and settle the plant into the hole. Position the plant so the top of the root ball is slightly above grade. Fill in with native soil to the top of the root ball.