Can You Move a Box Hedge?

You are here: Home » Can You Move a Box Hedge?

Moving box hedging is a sensitive process. Younger plants  should be transplanted once, as transplanting at this stage encourages the box hedging to develop a branched and complex root system, but more established box hedge plants should only be moved if necessary.

The key with moving box hedges is to disturb the roots as little as possible, as keeping the majority of the roots intact lessens the shock and stress to the plant of being uprooted. The more mature a box hedge is, the deeper the roots are likely to go through the soil, and the more difficult it would be to uproot the plant without disturbing them. 

Nevertheless, carrying out the task of transplanting a box hedge correctly can improve the odds of the plant bouncing back. Find below the step-by-step process to successfully move a box hedge.

How to Move a Box Hedge

Before Moving a box hedge

A great time to think about transplanting box hedges is October-March – during the dormant season, which gives the roots plenty of time to re-establish in the new location before the soil starts to warm up again in Spring. 

The day before moving the box hedge, make sure to water it thoroughly – this will make it easier to dig out and make it less likely that the root ball will fall apart once unearthed. Watering the box hedge well will also help to lessen the shock of the transplanting. 

You can also prune away any old and worn-out wood – don’t worry about reshaping or hard pruning, though, which should be done in the Spring after frosts have passed.

 Uprooting a box hedge

The box hedge’s roots mustn’t dry out while the transplanting is taking place – choosing a mild day, not too windy or sunny, to move the box hedge should help to prevent this. 

Before you start digging, start tying the shrubs in twine. By compressing the branches together, the box hedge will be far easier to lift and move once out of the soil.

To unearth the box hedging, use a sharp spade to dig a trench around the rootball, trying to disturb the roots as little as possible while removing them from the ground. You may have to sever some of the thicker roots, which you can do cleanly with a sanitised knife or pair of secateurs.

Be careful to avoid breaking the rootball as you lift it from the ground. You can do this by carefully placing the hedging onto a plastic tarp and sliding it across the ground to the new planting location, or wrapping the rootball in sacking and placing it in a wheelbarrow to move it. 

Transplanting a box hedge

Preferably, you should be able to lift and move the box hedging in one go, so if possible try to prepare the new location for the box hedging ahead of time by digging a new hole twice as wide but no deeper than the box hedge’s root ball.  

You don’t want to replant too deeply! Box hedging hates standing water and this can hurt the transplanting. The top of the rootball should be slightly raised from the ground, by about an inch, but without any of the roots exposed. 

Once in the ground, remove any air pockets in the soil by stamping down firmly around the box hedge. Water thoroughly again to help the box hedging establish, and lay down a layer of mulch to help the plant retain moisture and suppress weeds. Be sure to water well in the following months, especially in dry spells.

Grow Healthy Box Hedges with Hopes Grove Nurseries

If your box hedging is planted in the wrong conditions, perhaps a particularly exposed location, then moving it to a more suitable location is a great idea to preserve it long-term. 

There are several other ways to help box hedges if you aren’t able to transplant them. If you find your box hedges are failing, then consult our guide on how to revive a dying Buxus plant. It contains the solutions to frost damage, to prevent fungal infections, and to combat the most prevalent disease. We have also written guides that provide in-depth solutions to Box Blight and Box Caterpillars. 

For more tips on how tocare for box hedging and other hedging plant varieties, visit our Knowledge Base for comprehensive access to our expertise.