Moving the entire garden in winter

Delboy

Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Delboy »

Well it looks like we have a new house, and the move should go ahead around the end of January.
Unfortunately this means moving plants in winter :shock:

Would it be best to dig stuff up now and pot on, i'm doing a Yorkshire Kris and taking the whole garden.

The people in the house we are going to have said I can move stuff into the garden whenever I want, as right now its just a blank canvas of crumbling decking and bumpy grass.

I'm Quite excited as its a bigger house and the garden is about 80' long x 25' wide, which is 5' wider and 30' longer than I have now icon_cheers

Its a big project, and the house needs a lot of work too so the garden will be put on the back burner.
Do you think potting up now and leaving them in the pots for the remainder of winter will be ok? rather than waiting and digging them up in January?

I'm expecting loses, but really hoping most stuff survives.
Deedee

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Deedee »

First of all, congratulations Delboy, im excited for you :mrgreen: Ive never had to move a garden before but if i did i would pot up now while the weather is still mild, I would worry we could have 12" of snow in january, also you will have enough to do moving your household stuff. get as many pots up against your house as you can and buy plenty fleece bags, Good luck with it all icon_thumleft Im going to miss your garden Deloy and you have just gett'n it the way you want it but OMG think what you can do with an extra 30ft by 5ft. Woah icon_shaking2
sanatic1234

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by sanatic1234 »

Also you will have to think of how frozen the ground may be as well, i would dig up now and get prepared so its a job out the way instead of adding more to the big rush. :wink:
flounder

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by flounder »

I'd dig up now, but why do it all yourself? Organise a late season BBQ and stipulate beers and burgers supplied, bring your own wellies. It's what the victorians did....maybe on a larger scale
Delboy

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Delboy »

flounder wrote:I'd dig up now, but why do it all yourself? Organise a late season BBQ and stipulate beers and burgers supplied, bring your own wellies. It's what the victorians did....maybe on a larger scale

You offering :lol:

Its scary when I start counting how many plants I need to move, but the new house is only 5 mins away so I will drop the seats in the 7 seater and move most of them before moving day, leaving just the big pots and palms for the removal truck. Not fancying dragging the big 160ltr chammie back up the garden, it was bad enough when the soil was dry.

I will really miss this garden, id just got it how I wanted it and starting over again is scary but hopefully my new garden will end up even better. Only downside is the wife has promised the kids a bloody trampoline :evil:

Thanks for the advice all, pot up now does make more sense, I will put them all up against the house as best I can and drape lots of fleece over them on cold nights.
GREVILLE

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by GREVILLE »

Congrats, Delboy. A growing family of children and plants always needs a bigger home and garden icon_thumleft

Some items you have would normally be difficult to move but as they've not been planted out for too long there's a good chance you'll succeed with them. The Cordyline for example.

If you are able to have access to your new garden now, is there any way you can dig out a nursery area for transplants and jam into the same spot some of the more tender items, rootballed and potted, then resite the greenhouse over them. If more inside space is required can you extend the greenhouse idea with a temporary structure such as a polytunnel? The hardier items can be squeezed in together but stay outside. Hardier perennial items shouldn't be a problem.

This should give you time to prepare the rest of the garden properly prior to planting them out in their permanent homes.
fern Rob

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by fern Rob »

You will need some pig pots for the tree ferns. Remover there fronds and dig them up keeping as much root as possible.
Good luck.
Delboy

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Delboy »

GREVILLE wrote:Congrats, Delboy. A growing family of children and plants always needs a bigger home and garden icon_thumleft

Some items you have would normally be difficult to move but as they've not been planted out for too long there's a good chance you'll succeed with them. The Cordyline for example.

If you are able to have access to your new garden now, is there any way you can dig out a nursery area for transplants and jam into the same spot some of the more tender items, rootballed and potted, then resite the greenhouse over them. If more inside space is required can you extend the greenhouse idea with a temporary structure such as a polytunnel? The hardier items can be squeezed in together but stay outside. Hardier perennial items shouldn't be a problem.

This should give you time to prepare the rest of the garden properly prior to planting them out in their permanent homes.

Well the people there are friends of a friend and I spoke to them earlier today and they are more than happy to let me do what I want now, they have even said I can have any time access and put my own lock on the back gate.

The few tender plants I have I will bring indoors, as our small bedroom is/was going to be a nursery for the baby that's due any day now, but she will be in with us for our remaining time here so I may just turn that room into a nursery of a different kind :wink:

My big cordy has been in the ground 2 years, so not sure if it will survive a transfer but worth a shot as the new people don't want it. Don't know how big a root ball these have?
Tbh most of my stuff is hardy, hardy palms, boo's and fatsia so fingers crossed they will survive.
My Tree ferns I will lift and pot soon and overwinter in the greenhouse or shed, hopefully my oldest one wont have too much of a rootball.

I would move my greenhouse there now, but would need to lay a base first. I think I will buy tons of fleece and bubble to wrap the pots, and then huddle them as close to the house as poss.
Delboy

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Delboy »

fern Rob wrote:You will need some pig pots for the tree ferns. Remover there fronds and dig them up keeping as much root as possible.
Good luck.

The 2 footer and 5 footer were only planted last year so I doubt the rootballs will be huge on them, actually the 2 footer was moved at the start of the year so should be fine as its still quite loose in the ground (staked)
My 3 footer may be another story as its solid in the ground.

I presume if I cant dig it up I could chainsaw it off at floor level, I didn't plant deep only 6-8" so hopefully it wont be too hard to get up.

Not looking forward to digging out the trachys and waggie.
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karl66
Posts: 2646
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:39 pm
Location: halesowen. west midlands

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by karl66 »

Del, good luck!!, I would not personally start moving plant's into property unless it's been paid for, I alway's look on the downside but you just never know whether thing's will go wrong at the last minute :roll: , totally agree with doing all the preparing but i'd leave them on the property you own till the green light is on. If you need a hand moving/lifting plants give me some notice & i'll give you a hand if required. karl.
Delboy

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Delboy »

karl66 wrote:Del, good luck!!, I would not personally start moving plant's into property unless it's been paid for, I alway's look on the downside but you just never know whether thing's will go wrong at the last minute :roll: , totally agree with doing all the preparing but i'd leave them on the property you own till the green light is on. If you need a hand moving/lifting plants give me some notice & i'll give you a hand if required. karl.

I'm wary too mate, could u imagine moving stuff and then it all going pear shaped :shock:

I'm going to pot up and leave them here, then move stuff into the other garden a few days before moving day.
I should have help covered but thats a really kind offer mate icon_thumleft
kata

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by kata »

You have good advice DB,

Good luck; I hope you and your family spend many happy years in your new home.

icon_cheers icon_cheers
Delboy

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Delboy »

kata wrote:You have good advice DB,

Good luck; I hope you and your family spend many happy years in your new home.

icon_cheers icon_cheers
Thanks Kata, I will never move again lol.......unless I win the lotto :lol:
kata

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by kata »

Be grateful DB your wife is'nt a record collector,

At my sisters yesterday and believe me your best off with plants to move as all their record collections, artists clothes, jukeboxes would need careful packing and records cataloging before any move.

Make sure you take the whole root balls, water before digging up and allow to soak through. Pots as said are great for temp till spring. If you have any polystyrene thats good in the bottom of pots, helps prevent freezing the roots i would think. Its also unpenatrable (is that a word :lol: ) to slugs n snail so I am told.

Do not do any falling out with wife or kids. Moving is one of the biggest stressers, walk away make a coffee or something.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

I am still waiting on re-house but have moved about six times, its dam stressful DB. As long as your beds are made up, you have shopping and know where the box is you put it in, Also most Important know where the kettle and cups are...and a beer.

Get the kettle, cups, and sarnies there at the house before the move.

Sorry i can't help with advice about the plants. :(

In 6 months or so when time allows lets have a look at the new place.

icon_cheers icon_cheers
Delboy

Re: Moving the entire garden in winter

Post by Delboy »

We only moved here 3 years ago Kata so the mental scars are still fresh :lol:
I hate moving house so much, and this time it's the garden too.

I've dug and potted about 50 plants today and only cleared a tiny section. I have way more plants than I realised :roll:

It's going to be a busy few months especially with a baby due anytime now.
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