There are many reasons why a summer lilac has to move from its location: be it because you want to redesign the space, you no longer like the plant or it has simply become too big and is therefore taking up a lot of space. When digging up the summer lilac - which, by the way, is not related to the common lilac! - you should always remove the rootstock as well, otherwise the stubborn plant will keep sprouting out of it again and again.

If a summer lilac is not removed with its roots, it will come back

Why you have to remove a summer lilac along with the roots

Buddleja davidii in particular is difficult to get rid of in this respect, as this species reliably sprout again and again even after a hard winter in which all parts of the plant above ground have frozen back. The roots of the summer lilac are therefore very vital and will always look for a new way to the surface of the earth after the bush has been cut. So if you want to get rid of the summer lilac for good, you can't avoid clearing the rootstock.

Digging up summer lilacs: Here's how

The best way to do this is as follows:

  • First, cut off all above-ground parts of the plant to just above the ground.
  • Measure the height and width of the bush beforehand.
  • Now mark the radius of the grave with the help of a piece of string and a few pegs.
  • This should have the height of the bush as a diameter.
  • Now use a spade to prick the earth leaf-deep all around.
  • Cut off all the roots.
  • The older the summer lilac is, the broader its root network.
  • You probably won't be able to remove all of them anyway.
  • Now take a digging fork and loosen the root ball.
  • This is done by vigorously jerking back and forth.
  • Finally, pry out the rootstock.

You should then fill the resulting hole with fresh topsoil. If possible, you should wait another year or two before planting another plant in this place. This is especially true if the summer lilac has been in this location for a long time. During this time, the soil has adapted to the plant, so other plants will have difficulty growing due to the composition of the organisms in the soil.

tips

If the summer lilac is not only to be dug up, but also moved, only cut it back by about a third.

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Herbs