How to Transplant a Mock Orange

Because of its blossoms and fragrance, the mock orange plant is a favorite among many home landscaping enthusiasts. Mock orange is a hardy, resilient shrub that can easily be transplanted from a container or from the ground. Mock orange grows best in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 8, which covers the majority of the United States. Transplanting mock orange should be done either in the early or late weeks of the plant's dormant stage. The mock orange is typically dormant from November to March or April in all zones.

Things You'll Need

• Compost
• Manure-based fertilizer
• Transplant-rooting fertilizer
• Mulch
• Garden trowel
• Shovel

Instructions

1. Prepare the soil where the mock orange will be transplanted by digging it up and mixing it with compost or manure-based fertilizer. Dig at least 12 inches deep, depending on the size of the transplant. This should be done at least three weeks before transplanting so that the compost has time to integrate with and improve the fertility of the soil. Blend a transplant-rooting fertilizer into the soil just before transplanting.

2. Dig a hole that is deep enough for the plant to sit at the same level as it was before. Do not dig too deep as the plant should not 'sink' into the ground. Make the hole at least 10 inches wider than needed for the root ball to fit. Do not break up the soil at the bottom of the hole. Let it remain chunky.

3. Excavate the original plant from the ground if necessary (mock orange should not be dug up from rocky areas or from the wild). Find the diameter of the roots by prodding the ground around the shrub with a garden trowel. Dig around the estimated diameter of the roots. Carefully pry up and pull the shrub out of the ground. Keep the roots compacted with as much soil as possible. Place it on a tarp or a large piece of heavy-duty plastic sheeting. Plant the excavated shrub as quickly as possible. Cover the root ball in wet peat moss or damp burlap if there is any need for delay. Remove the plant from its container if it is from a nursery.

4. Set the plant in the new hole. Water the roots by watering inside the perimeter gap of the hole. Fill in the gap with soil. Pat the soil down to level it and water. Spread a three-inch layer of mulch around the transplant.

5. Stake and rope the transplant if it is larger to prevent wind damage.

6. Make sure the soil stays moist and thoroughly water the shrub once or twice every two weeks. Gradually reduce watering intervals as the roots become established. This process should not take longer than two months.

References

• How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest, By Jill Nokes
• Transplanting Shrubs
• Garden Wise