Rhododendrons take up a lot of space over time. If they've gotten too big, they're easy to relocate. You have to pay attention to the right preparation and prepare the new location well.
Rhododendrons are easy to transplant
useful information
Rhododendrons are transplanted in autumn. At this point, the trees have enough time to develop suction roots before the first frost. If you missed this date, you can also transplant the flowering plants in April. It is important that the leaf sprouting has not yet started.
Relocate - up to what size?
Rhododendrons are flat-rooted plants that develop a compact root ball. They do not have strong main roots and are therefore easy to dig up. You can transplant one meter tall specimens to another location just as well as three meter tall plants.
method
So that the branches do not break off during transport, tie them up with a string. Alternatively, you can put a jute bag (€10.99) over smaller shrubs to protect them. Cut out a sufficiently large root ball, the width of which is about three quarters of the height of the plant.
hole size
Dig a pit twice the width of the bale at the desired location. The hole should only be so deep that the rhododendron later sits on the same ground level as before. Ideally, place the earth ball a little higher so that the top protrudes slightly from the earth. This ensures that the roots get enough oxygen.
floor
The improvement of the subsoil creates optimal conditions for the ornamental plant to grow well in the new place. The roots do not like waterlogging and need a good supply of nutrients. Equally important is a slightly acidic environment.
Ideal conditions:
- PH value: between 5.0 and 6.0
- structure: drainage of sand or gravel
- fertilization: Deciduous humus and bark compost provide nutrients
tips
Gardeners like to use well-decomposed cattle manure (€18.80) to improve the new location.
postprocessing
After transplanting, stamp the substrate with your foot and water the soil. Horn shavings (32.93€) serve as a long-term nitrogen supply. Cover the ground around the base of the trunk with bark humus or mulch about five centimeters high so that the soil does not dry out too quickly.