Removing climber

[angie]

I have two climbing hydrangea's on my house wall. I need to remove these but would like to replant them on another wall. Do you think I would need to cut them back to ground level. I really would like to keep them at this size but just wonder if they are to big to move at this size, wouldn't want to lose them.
Here is a picture.

Angie 

[maggiepie]

Good luck, Angie.
I bet they are fabulous when flowering.

[Lesley Cox]

It may be the wrong time for cuttings but I'd be taking quite a few for insurance purposes. Maybe if there's no great hurry, you could try wrenching them now and removing later, or do one now and leave the other until you're sure the first is regrowing. They do look well established to be moving them. Not the easiest plant to get going so don't take too many risks with this lovely plant.

[angie]

Lesley I have to remove them now. We are putting on a small extension on to the gable end of the house and I have to move a lot of plants. I already dug out some big clumps of Trillium's today. I didn't want to do this but my husband said the scaffolding will go on top of them. I have been digging out plants all day. We also have two large acers to remove but might have to leave them for the men to do. Derek and I are to old for digging out big shrubs  I can't believe that I have so much bulbs planted in that area.
I have just potted up the plants and once the structure is completed I will be able to get them back into their home. I have told the builder that I want this job done quick ( hubby is builder ) I want to have all my plants back before the summer. Lets see what happens. Do you believe in miracles.

Angie 

[angie]

Good luck, Angie.
I bet they are fabulous when flowering.

They are only white flowers but I do like them and the blackbirds always nest in them.

Angie 

[Maggi Young]

Do you believe in miracles.

Angie 

Not always.... but I do believe in Derek

[maggiepie]

They are only white flowers but I do like them and the blackbirds always nest in them.

Angie 

Angie, I have a friend in Moncton who has one on the end of her house.
It is breathtaking when in flower.
I would kill to have one but unfortunately, I don't have a place to grow it and doubt I can wait 7 years for flowers.
Really hope yours are ok after the move.

[Maren]

Hi Angie,

I'm certain it can be done once the ground is frost free, provided you don't snap the branches off while digging up and transporting.

First you prepare the receiving planting hole and hooks or wires to attach them to. Then, just cut them back a bit, say a foot or less, dig them up, have someone hold the branches together or tie them to a pole for transport so that they don't flop and break. Then plant and re-attach. You'll have to tie them in quite securely at first.

Make sure they are always moist. And if they don't sprout at the ends, you can always prune them in the spring.

[johnw]

Helen - You may be interested to know that my H. petiolaris seeds all over the garden. The seedlings stay evergreen until they're a couple of years old.   The old vine is about 20m up an elm tree and in every direction.  I am still picking up flower heads that fall and blow around like tumbleweed.  Say so and I'll dig seedlings for you in Spring.

Angie you may want to ball & burlap them even if just transporting across the garden. I find the rootballs fall apart when joustled, much as Buxus does but that may be our mineral soil.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Well all that from Maren and John sounds like good advice Angie. I can't imagine you'll get away without severely pruning the root system, they're such big plants in your picture.

Have a large drink of something and an even larger cake of choclate waiting ready for when the job is done. You'll deserve/need both.

[angie]

Thanks for the advice. I will take a picture of me sitting with my coffee and chocolate cake whilst hubby digs the plants out  oh he has a bad back so guess who will be doing the digging.
Good advice about wrapping them up whilst transporting them. Hope the weather will be nice next week as hope to get it done then.

Angie 

[maggiepie]

Helen - You may be interested to know that my H. petiolaris seeds all over the garden. The seedlings stay evergreen until they're a couple of years old.   The old vine is about 20m up an elm tree and in every direction.  I am still picking up flower heads that fall and blow around like tumbleweed.  Say so and I'll dig seedlings for you in Spring.

Angie you may want to ball & burlap them even if just transporting across the garden. I find the rootballs fall apart when joustled, much as Buxus does but that may be our mineral soil.

johnw

John, thanks muchly for the offer but I honestly don't have a place I could place one, unless it could grow up a birch or cedar.

[Lesley Cox]

Angie, I'd be very suspicious of that bad back if I were you. Derek is a golfer isn't he? So how can he play if he has a bad back? Make sure the bad back and the digging jobs don't just happen to be on the same day.

[angie]

Angie, I'd be very suspicious of that bad back if I were you. Derek is a golfer isn't he? So how can he play if he has a bad back? Make sure the bad back and the digging jobs don't just happen to be on the same day.

Lesley I am going to show hubby your post when he gets home. He is at the golf driving range at the moment, hitting more balls.
Cant understand why anyone would enjoy hitting balls out into space in a cold freezing wind 

Angie 

[Siri K]

I did this in my mother's garden. There was one Hydrangea, approximately 5m high, that was moved to another side of the house. We only managed to dig out some 15-20 l of root, and the Hydrangea was cut back to 1.5m. The plant is just fine after that - although it took a couple of years until it recovered.

So don't cut too much.. Good luck!