Transplanting Mock Orange and Duranta

[princess_sunbeam]

We will be moving from our rental property to our new house in a couple of months time. The garden here is quite overgrown and we want to thin it out a bit before we put it back out there for rental. Anyway, there are several quite mature Mock Orange and Durantas (Sheenas Gold and Geisha Girl) that have been trimmed to form a couple of hedges approx 3 ft high. They look like they have been in the ground for several years as they are bushy and well established. I have some 300mm pots laying around that I believe would be suitable, but now need to find out the best way to prepare/ remove them and put them into the pots. Any ideas? Once they are in the pots, how long should I leave them there before planting them out at their new home?? I will attempt to post some pics soon.

[Pam]

I have never attempted to move a mock orange so couldn't say. As for the duranta, if it's a reasonably mature plant I would question whether a 300mm pot would be big enough. Is it an option at all to leave them where they are and take them immediately to their new home when the time is right? You could of course use the time in between to do the shovel down the sides of the plant thing to reduce the transplant shock at the time.

[abwal]

If the murrayas(mock orange) have flowered, there are sure to be seedlings under them. We are forever removing unwanted ones from under ours. The plants are extremely hardy and could probably be easily moved.

Duranta is also very hardy and grows very readily from cutting so again there there should be no problem moving them.

Both plants will withstand root damage, but I would follow Pam's advice and move them directly to their new position if possible. Potting would be an option, but not the preferred one. Using a spade, as suggested by Pam, to trim some of the roots now will allow for some root regrowth close to the plant prior to the move.

[mariaga]

that is a very hard job!

[gardenlen]

you probably would need 400mm or even 500mm pots to do what you want to do, but from what i know of the mock orange their root system is very large and very many, we removed 4 from a garden here they where about 1 meter high it took a bob cat to do it. swore i'd never grow them again they are drought hardy but take all moisture from the soil making it hard for other plants.

surely they can't be too expensive to buy?

len

[princess_sunbeam]

Thanks all. I will have a go at putting the shovel down the side to start new roots. THey arent expensive to buy but these are quite advanced and need to be dug out anyway, so it seems a shame to waste them! May as well give it a go!