Moving a sweet broom shrub ... too late?

RegisteredMice

Just wondering has anyone any experience with the “sweet broom” shrub?
http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1317/sweet-broom/
I have one that’s ~10 years old and placed in the centre of my garden…in bloom it’s an amazing yellow that lasts ages.
I was thinking about moving her to another part of the garden … Has anyone experience in moving this type of plant?
Googling it, I came across this page http://homeguides.sfgate.com/transplant-broom-bush-84350.html that suggests moving it in the ‘fall’!
The website is from the States! Does the same apply here? Have I left it too late???
Any ideas?
Thanks!

macraignil

RegisteredMice wrote: »

Just wondering has anyone any experience with the “sweet broom” shrub?
http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1317/sweet-broom/
I have one that’s ~10 years old and placed in the centre of my garden…in bloom it’s an amazing yellow that lasts ages.
I was thinking about moving her to another part of the garden … Has anyone experience in moving this type of plant?
Googling it, I came across this page http://homeguides.sfgate.com/transplant-broom-bush-84350.html that suggests moving it in the ‘fall’!
The website is from the States! Does the same apply here? Have I left it too late???
Any ideas?
Thanks!

It would be a risk moving an evergreen shrub that has been in the same spot of soil for the last ten years. Growing in the one spot it will likely have sent some roots deep into the soil. Companies that sell mature trees for landscaping have machinery to cut the roots that stretch into the soil and promote denser root growth near the trunk of the tree and allow movement of a root-balled tree to be more successful. I have read advice of doing this on a smaller scale if you can allow more time for the transplant with the suggestion being to dig down into the ground on one side and cut off the longer roots one year then the following season doing the same on the opposite side and if possible then moving the plant the following year.

That said we have a very damp climate and consistent rain so if you can get a good amount of the roots and soil to the new site there are not often the dry conditions to kill the plant you would find elsewhere. Only just planted one of those myself and I reckon that since it is evergreen it would be more difficult to transplant than some of the other brooms that are more dormant in the winter. I did move a scotch broom before but it had not got a chance to settle where it was planted first and it does not retain full leaf in winter making it less likely to dry out. It still did not settle great in the new spot but that could be because the shrubs near to it now are doing so well.

RegisteredMice

That's perfect.. thanks a million macraignil for your detailed reply.
It's a fabulous plant and the last thing I want to do is kill it or even to slow down it's growth.
He may well be staying put for a little longer!!
Cheers

looksee

Agreed, broom is a fairly short lived plant anyway and you have done well to get 10 years out of it. It would almost certainly not survive transplanting at this stage.