Best Time to move a Mahonia

[Garden Manager]

I have an evergreen Mahonia (x Media type) thats about 3 years old and is in the wrong place and needs moving. I cant decide whether to move it around now (October) or next spring. There are pros and cons to both, which is part of the trouble i have. I would prefer to move it in autumn since the soil is still warm, if we have a mild wet winter again it should help it to establish better before next summer, plus i have more time now to do it! (we all know what spring is like for gardening work).

The biggest problem with moving it now is that it it is starting to grow its flower buds. In order to move it i should prune it first but this would remove the upcoming flowers! The only way around this it to move it unpruned and then cut it back after flowering, but this is more chancy. I meant to prune it after the last flowering but forgot.

Any suggestions what i should do? i am in the 'mild south' so extreme cold shouldnt be an issue (he says optimistically!) and the planned new site is sheltered by other shrubs and a fence. Thanks

[Garden Manager]

[Tee Gee]

On doing a Google search I found this article, and it more or less concurs with my personal thoughts

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/articles/2008/01/08/moving_plants_feature.shtml

There are approximately seventy species of Mahonias Marian and the most popular species grown are Mahonia Aquifolium and the very popular hybrid Mahonia Charity which will grow to a height of approximately six feet and has beautiful long spiked yellow flowers. 

With regard to the transplanting your Mahonia I would wait until the autumn time. 

If you feel that you can dig out a large root ball without disturbing too many roots you can then transplant into another part of your garden.

However with your Mahonia being a very large plant, you could damage and disturb quite a lot of the root system which will cause die back and yellowing of the leaves and you would be far better cutting the main stems back to approximately two feet before transplanting.

I hope it helps.

ps I didn't read the other replies so perhaps you can and then see if there is a method that meets your situation.

[ACE]

Don't worry about losing it when you transplant it. Another one will soon pop up in it's original spot ;)

[Garden Manager]

But what about timing? Do it now or wait for spring?

[Tee Gee]

Now! according to the above article.

With regard to the transplanting your Mahonia I would wait until the autumn time.

[Garden Manager]

Now! according to the above article.

With regard to the transplanting your Mahonia I would wait until the autumn time.

Oh sorry missed that the first time I read it.

[Garden Manager]

Just to update you, I have recently 'gone for it' and have moved the Mahonia.  Very happy with it in the new site. Whilst I probably should have cut it back afterwards, it already has iflowers in bud so decided to leave them on to give their display then cut them off, perhaps in spring.