The slow - get common camelia ( Camellia japonica ) is a full - leaf evergreen bush admired for its dark green shining leaves and breathtaking video display of waxy , roseate - similar blossom in the quiver of wintertime . Transplanting camelia can range from comparatively easy to quite challenging with regard to successfully keep the plant alive . Smaller , new plants are significantly easier to transpose and harbour into healthy plant . Large , quondam bush or modest camelia trees should be etymon prune a year in advance to the transplanting function . All camelia must not be replant too deeply and not over - watered .
Transplanting a Small/Young Shrub
Step 1
thrust the top dirt around the stand of a humble - sized or young camellia bush with a garden power shovel . You are cutting the root of the shrub prior to dig the total root orb up , so make this outline cut with the shovel no closer to the automobile trunk than the instinctive width of the branches . For example , if the camellia is on median about 2 feet wide , make the cutting of the theme no closer than 12 inches around the torso .
Step 2
Preserve as much of the born theme ball of the camellia as possible . Wedge the blade of the excavator down and at an slant towards the bottom center of the camellia ’s ascendant geographical zone . You will in all likelihood make out more roots , including a taproot below the trunk . Refrain from jostle the bush too much and do not chop away land from the root ball .
Step 3
keep stick the shovel brand down and under the antecedent ball so that these deep cuts are made around the entire bout of the theme egg . As more of the root glob is cut , the resistance on the digger when piercing and lift under the root ball should decrease . Re - visit parts of the root ball where impedance is high-pitched and again wedge the excavator in an effort to cut the last roots to dislodge the root clod .
Step 4
put a canvas or plastic tarpaulin alongside the camelia when it is quick to be withdraw from the hole . lightly and evenly lift the root ball , bear the body base and slip it onto the adjacent tarpaulin . seek to keep as much soil on the source ball as possible .
Step 5
haul the tarp with the camellia and ascendent ballock on it to the young location where it is to be transplant . Or , assemble the edges of the tarpaulin around the root ball so it is cosy and lift and expect the industrial plant to the new planting site . Be gentle as you do not wish to clash loose territory that is remaining attached to this liberal root ball .
Step 6
launch the tarp to reckon the root bollock . Measure the depth and width of the existing root ball . These are the dimensions required to guide on you in digging the hole in the Modern location .
Step 7
Dig the hole double as wide as the camellia ’s root ball and the same profundity or 1 to 2 inch shallow than the root lump ’s deepness . If you aboriginal soils are arenaceous , make the hole the same depth as the source ball , and more or less shallower as mentioned in soils that are grave loam or clay .
Step 8
softly slide or rescind the root ball into the hole , orient it so it looks more attractive with a handsomely shaped side facing where it can be well viewed . Again , seek to prevent ground from clash loose from the root orb during the movement and planting .
Step 9
Replace soil into the hole around the root ball . Double - checkout to guarantee the rootage musket ball is at the correct depth in the hole as you begin tally more and more soil . drive grime under the theme formal to leaven it if the top of the root ball is not even or somewhat higher than the edge of the hole .
Step 10
Continue adding dirt under the hole is filled and taper around the newly institute camellia . Add a gentle sprinkle of irrigation urine to wet the soil and gently constrict the soil around the roots . This lachrymation eliminates air sack in the soil .
Step 11
Place a 2 inch bed or constituent mulch around the field engraft , keep the mulch about 4 to 6 in away from the torso of the camellia . This mulch will help keep the dirt and root testicle moist and cool .
Step 12
Water the transplanted camellia as needed , making sure the ground never becomes wet or soggy after lachrymation . Touch the soil with your fingers to feel if the soil is moist , plastered or slightly dry . append water when the grunge feels slightly dry . The amount of water to add varies on the territory eccentric and how quickly it hock in . In a tight - enfeeble sandlike soil , contribute 2 to 3 Imperial gallon of water supply per watering , while Henry Clay soils may need 3 to 4 gallons added over a longer stop as it slowly seep into the territory .
Step 13
Monitor the soil wet for 6 to 12 month after transplant to ensure the camellia ’s roots are exposed to as favorable growing conditions as possible to found .
Step 14
Transplanting Large Shrubs
Dig a little ditch around the camelia shrub one year prior to the scheduled transplantation . The ditch should be about 12 inch wide and deep and extend in a forget me drug around the shrub at the dribble - line , where the branch finish offer outwards from the body .
Fill the ditch with sand , peat or well - cure compost .
Resume the common lacrimation schedule and maintenance of the camellia , allowing new roots to spring up into the ditch for the residuum of the year .
Dig into the ditch after one year to debunk the Modern roots and begin to hollow the rest of the root ball of the large camellia .
Tip
The unspoiled time to transplant camelia that are already growing in the garden is in early spring after flowering or mid - autumn when airwave and grunge temperatures are cool and comfortable . with child , grueling camelia George H.W. Bush are not easily or cheaply moved successfully . Thus , consider to a great extent pruning the plant and admit it to restore as a humble - sized plant rather than risk losing it after dig out and disrupt its roots and replanting it elsewhere .
Warning
Do not transplant camellias in the heat of summer or during a drought in your part . plant the camelia too deeply , by wedging soil atop the originaly root glob or sit the proboscis under inch of soil will slowly but in effect kill the total plant over time .