Q: After attending one of your lectures I realized I had planted several shrubs too deeply on my property. They were put in the ground about two months ago. Should I dig them up and replant them or is it too late?

A: Go ahead and replant them although they will probably go through a slight shock. You may see some yellowing of the leaves and potential leaf drop but don’t be too alarmed. Be as gentle as possible when pulling it out of the ground as the real harm comes in disturbing the fine hair-like absorbing roots near the surface. Add soil to the bottom of the hole and place the shrub back in the same hole. The top roots should be just above soil level.

Remember to add no soil amendments or fertilizer and slowly put soil back into the hole to avoid forming any air pockets. You can add some water once the hole is about half full then fill in the rest of the soil. Water it well and treat it as a new transplant, which means you water frequently for several weeks. Add a light layer (2-3 inches) of mulch (pine straw or pine bark). Keep the mulch away from the trunk leaving an area of about 10-12 inches bare soil so the water can reach the root area easily. It may suffer a little initially, but in the long run the plant will have a better chance of survival and be a healthier looking plant.

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