How to Transplant Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Bushes are showy perennials that brighten any garden. Sometimes, however, they grow too big for their original locations, or garden plans change and you need to move them. Luckily, these hardy plants survive transplanting well as long as you take appropriate care in the relocation process.
Materials
- Sharp spade
- Tarp
- Mulch
- Tape measure
- Garden hose
Procedure
- Choose a new spot for your Butterfly Bush. For the best results, select an area that receives partial to full sun and has moist soil with good drainage.
- Estimate the size of the root ball of your Butterfly Bush. You may have to dig a little around the shrub to determine the extent and depth of the roots. Do not, however, dig up the bush yet. Make sure you have the new space prepared before taking up the plant. You want to minimize the time the roots are exposed in order to maximize the likelihood that the plant will survive its move.
- Dig a hole for your plant in the new location. Use the tape measure to define an area that is two to three times the width of your root size estimate from step 3.
- Leave the soil in the bottom of the new hole intact. Breaking this soil may cause the bush to sink and predispose your shrub to rot. If the soil is very dry, water the hole before transplanting.
- Dig up your butterfly bush with the spade. Start digging a trench about 3 feet from the plant to make sure you don't sever the roots. Continue around the plant until you have made a ring that is deep enough to undercut the root ball. Carefully dislodge the plant, preserving as much of the root system as possible.
- Spread the tarp next to the plant. Carefully move the Butterfly Bush onto the tarp, being sure not to damage any roots.
- Drag the tarp with the Butterfly Bush to the new site, and slide the bush off the tarp into the prepared hole. Straighten the plant.
- Back-fill the hole with the soil you removed, tamping it down to eliminate air pockets. Water the plant until the soil is moist.
- Spread mulch around your shrub to a depth of 4 inches. This will help keep the roots moist. Leave a small area around the stem mulch free to improve air circulation.
- Water your shrub as needed to keep the soil moist and help reestablish the root system. Be careful not to over water the plant; you want the soil moist but not muddy.