Hi Anne, I have lived in my home for 15 yrs, and have 3 gardenia bushes that were here when we moved in. Each one is positioned between two azalea bushes, and all were planted in a row, too close together. The gardenias never should have been put where they are, and I would love to move them. Keeping them where they are means I have to trim them to about 2 1/2 ft wide, and the azaleas to about 4-5 ft wide. Can you advise me regarding the root system, how difficult it would be to relocate them?
Linda H., Mobile, AL
Anne's response:
You could root prune the gardenias now by using a spade and cutting through the roots at the outside edges of the plants. Prune the plants to a manageable size in March and move them to a new location. They will have to be watered on a weekly basis after they are moved. The easiest solution is to remove the gardenias now and find new ones to add to your landscape next spring. Gardenias are fairly inexpensive shrubs and if you want to continue to have them in your landscape new plants will have a better shape and growth pattern than ones that have been severely pruned most of their life.
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I have a very old dwarf gardenia that is positioned between two pine beetle infested trees. The trees must come down and I want to remove this shrub, protect it, and then put it back in the same area, if not exactly in the same spot. How can I most safely dig up this plant and best protect it for a week or so until I can replant the bed?
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