A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Transplanting... Are they too big?

OK... it is finally the week to move... I have waited till the last minute to transplant my flowers and shrubs to prevent a long period without being replanted. My mother is here and not very optimistic of their survival if transplanted. They are mostly 4-6 years old. I have rose of Sharon (~6-7ft tall), Rosa Banksia (the biggest one is ~4-5 ft tall), compacta holly (`3 ft tall), Bradford Pear with self grafted Washington Hawthorn (~7ft tall)... Are they way to big to transplant? If I am able to get the soil rich enough and keep it moist enough...is there any chance of them surviving? Would I be better off not using the energy to dig them and transplant them... or could it be worth my time and effort? The people who bought our house (we have 1 week to pack and be out... but included various flowers, plants, and shrubs as being able to be taken) want to use the perimeter of the property as a 4 wheeler race track. They could care less about the plantings... actually they demolished my plum trees and killed my washington hawthorne when moving the fence to the property line.
Sniff, Sniff... deadlines are coming soon and I want them all!!!!!!
Any input? Thanks in advance even if it is not the positive outcome I am hoping for.
Oh yeah, we are zone 8 and everything is already blooming

Seems to me like you have nothing to lose, except maybe a little work digging and replanting. I'd take everything, and hope for the best.

I have moved my plants so many times it's embarrrassing...from this house to my house and back to this house and back to my house...and I have never lost anything, except for what I have given away.

I have moved my plants in the spring, summer, fall and winter...and they have all lived.

There are big machines you can hire to transplant trees. We had one in a hotel here that moved a 20 foot spruce.
I'd say GO FOR IT! If they're going to cut them down anyhow....

I didnt look into this site very far but thats the kind of machine I meant

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

There is a fantastic product to help plants survive transplant. Disney Land uses this for all of there transplants.

super thrive

I bought some super-thrive this spring and I used it on some bare root strawberries and black raspberries. They're looking great
I also watered in my new pansies and they're really taking off. They're still small, but they are absolutely covered with blooms! I've never seen so many blooms on such young plants.

I ordered some... hoping it will be in next week while I am working in the yard at the new house. Wonder if it would help any with planting grass seed?