Question: I have some shrubs that need to be moved. When should I do it, and how can I tell how well they’ll survive?

Answer: If the shrubs have been in place more than 4 or 5 years, it may be difficult. Factors to consider: speed with which new shrubs could attain the same size, and the prices for those new shrubs, also the shapes of the old shrubs. Many times shrubs grow together and can actually ruin one another. Finally, you must consider whether, if you were going out to buy new shrubs, you would buy this kind anyway. There’s no point in transplanting a loser to another part of your landscape. As for timing, it’s best done during the winter dormant season, and you’ll have the best chances of their surviving if you can carry a large soil ball and a good bit of the root system with each shrub.