Finally got the allotment on our current site that ive been after a while, its big and has a nice wide gate so we can park our car on the hard standing etc. Will be keeping our current one going for the new season though.
The new allotment currently has small apple trees which we want to move as they are in the middle of some decent beds. Is it possible to move these with out doing to much doing to much damage, if so when should we do this?
We have fruit buses which we have on our current, again wish to move these. Are these ok to move? they are gooseberry(2 biggish plants) , blackcurrant bushes and some very small gooseberry bushes
I'm moving stuff now, so that the roots can get a good hold over winter.
Best to move stuff when they are dormant.
Yep..anytime after leaf fall and before the new ones emerge is ideal time.
And when you dig your trees up..if they are only youngsters..they may not have formed that good root system that you can dig proper rootball out. Start digging well away from the tree and feel where the roots are and aim to keep as many roots attacthed as possible.
Just before planting into new position..check for any damaged roots and cut those off with secateurs. Handfull of bonemeal mixed into planting hole and good watering in..and your tree should soon start forming new roots.. ;)
Currants and goosies will benefit from good haircut after planting..
cut several if not all of the old branches off and leaving only the young branches ..and again..bonemeal will do good.
You can also use mycorrhizal fungi (Rootgrow) to help them reestablish root growth. It has to be in direct contact with the roots though and Rootgrow does not work on Brassicas, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Heathers, Cranberries or Blueberries.
I would also stake them at least until they put down new roots to anchor themselves in the soil.
Yes, aim to dig an entire ball of roots and soil out with the trees, the bigger the better. roll it onto a plastic sheet, wrap it up and tie round the trunk to move.
You might want to take some soil with you as well, some trees sulk when replanted in different soil types. I had a bay tree i had to move from clay to limestone, it immediately shed all is leaves and sulked for two years before it picked up again.
Yes, around about now while plant is settling down for winter is a good time to move soft fruits like goosberries. I had to move one gooseberry plant in Springtime some time ago just as it was beginning to blossom - it dropped all it's flowers and sulked & did produced no fruits that year - but the following year it recovered & fruited just fine. But plants I've moved over Autumn/Winter have handled any moves ok. As others have said, dig out a rootball and feed/water.