Q. We have a long low laurel hedge that is set about 10 feet too far into the property and we’d very much like to move it further out. I know laurels are pretty forgiving of pruning, but can they survive being moved? At what time of the year would be best, and how would we best go about it? How much of the root structure is needed? Does one prune it right after? Does it need fertilizer etc. Thanks so much! Virginia Keyton – West Vancouver, BC
A. This all depends on how long the hedges have been in place and how big they have become. When I moved into my house I had a 30-foot tall 15-foot wide hedge along a property line leading up to the side of the house that made the house look Lilliputian. My goal was to remove them so I cut them down with a chain saw and tried to remove them with a maul. I quickly found out just how hard their wood is. I wore down a few blades and had to enlist the help of a backhoe to remove them. A friend wanted to try and salvage the large root systems I wrenched from the ground and planted them on their property without success. This of course is an extreme case and my intentions were removal and not saving the shrubs. I think if they are not that large you will be able to move them without incindent. Since they are evergreen I would suggest moving them in the fall just before the rainy season kicks in. I know this doesn’t help for this fall but root-pruning a year in advance would also help their transition. The more root system you can maintain during the transplanting process the better the chances are for the tree’s survival. At some point you will have to determine if it is worth the work since you could plant a new hedge and they would grow in quite quickly.