How to Transplant a Rose of Sharon Bush

Rose of Sharon is a flowering plant that can be grown as a bush or a small tree. These bushes can be easily transplanted from one location to another; the sprouts can also be transplanted to other locations. Once you find a suitable bush you can use one of two methods to transplant a rose of Sharon bush.

Things You’ll Need

    Spade
    Shovel
    Garden hose

Getting Started

Locate the bush you want to work with. Make sure the bush is at least 3 feet tall because it will be easier to work with.

Decide if you want to move the entire bush or if you want to move one or more sprouts from the bush.

Select the new location for the rose of sharon bush before digging. Find a wide open spot with well-draining soil that also gets full sunlight. Make sure the new location has enough room for the bush; rose of sharon bushes can reach heights of ten feet with a span of four to ten feet in diameter.

Use the spade to cut out a section of sod equal in diameter to the height of the transplanted bush. Remove the sod and set it aside. Use the shovel to dig a hole 1 foot deep for larger bushes or a few inches deep for sprouts to accommodate the roots. Set the soil aside to fill in the hole over the roots after transplanting the rose of sharon bush.

Transplanting a Bush

Use the spade to cut out a diameter several inches away from the base of the rose of sharon bush. Dig the soil out around the bush at a slant. Dig down under the roots to free the bush.

Take hold of the bush at the base. Pull gently upward to remove the rose of sharon bush from the hole. Avoid pulling the bush at an angle because the branches can break at the collar or the thin bark can break off which would allow potential disease or other damage after transplanting.

Move the bush to the new location; use the wheelbarrow to avoid accidental breakage of the limbs as the wood of a rose of sharon can be brittle. Untangle the roots if needed to ensure they take in water and air. Set the bush into the hole so that the base is level with the ground. Put soil under the roots if needed to support the bush at ground level.

Pack the soil around the bush, making sure the roots are covered. Tamp down the soil with your hands to hold the bush in place.

Water the bush until the ground is damp but not wet.

Transplanting a Sprout

Look for sprouts around the base of the parent rose of sharon bush. Choose sprouts that are several inches tall for transplanting because they will have established root systems to use.

Wait until after a rain or water the sprouts; you want the ground to be damp and pliable. This will make it much easier to move the sprouts.

Take hold of a sprout at the base where it meets the soil. Pull the sprout straight up and out of the ground. If the ground is wet you will bring up the root system with the new bush. Do not shake off the soil attached to the bush. Watch for brittle wood even at this stage of growth. Avoid bending the stems or trunk because this may damage the bark or wood.

Move the sprout to the hole. Put the new bush into the hole to where the base is at ground level; you may need to put soil back into the hole under the roots to support the bush to make it even with the ground.

Pack soil around the rose of sharon bush. Tamp down the soil with your hands. Water the new bush until the ground around it is damp but not wet.

Warnings

    Keep the bush away from driveways or paths to avoid the need for pruning as these bushes have many stems.
    Apply a mulch base around the tree to avoid potential damage from lawn mowers or weed trimmers after transplanting

Reference

    North Carolina State University Extension: Plant Propegation by Stem Cuttings – Instructions for the Home Gardener [http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8702.html]
    University of Florida: Rose of Sharon [http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/HIBSYRA.pdf]