How to transplant a beloved plant during the dry, hot summer

The month of August is the start of dormancy for some plants as hot dry weather stops their growth.

This is not a good month to move or transplant perennials, trees or shrubs, but with enough care – as in plenty of water — it is possible to perform a successful transplant during the dry month of August.

If there is a transplant emergency — such as you are moving to a new home and you must take the heirloom rose from Grandma’s Garden or the Japanese Maple that was a gift from a departed friend — you can take heroic measures and perform the transplant operation. There might be a 50/50 chance of survival.

Here are tips for helping the plant patient get through the move.

First, water the roots and really soak the soil a few days before the transplant. This ensures a well-hydrated patient.

Second, prepare the hole where the patient – er, plant — will be moved. Fill the new planting hole with water, letting it soak slowly into the surrounding soil. Loosen the soil in all directions so the new roots will find soft, moist soil and be enticed into spreading outward.

Third, choose a cloudy, cool day — or, if that is not possible, schedule the surgery for very early morning or late evening when the air is cool.

Fourth, when it is time to go under the knife, use a sharp shovel to dig a circle around the transplant patient. Next, slide the shovel under the root ball to pry it up from the earth. Set the uplifted plant immediately on a tarp or damp sheet and wrap the roots to keep them dark and cool.

Now move quickly to get the uprooted plant to the new location. Settle the patient in its new bed with a blanket of mulch and push the liquids.

Do not fertilize a newly transplanted tree or shrub. In the spring when the weather is cool, it is fine to use a slow-release plant food, but in the summer or autumn, beware, as fertilizer could burn the plant as it recovers from the transplant.

Post surgery, the transplant patient needs to be kept cool and hydrated. If the weather is warm, construct a temporary shade structure using poles and a sheet – such as the damp sheet you used to wrap the patient with before the big move.

You can expect transplant patient to wilt, drop leaves, pout and throw tantrums. Some plants even play dead. Give the plant a good year before signing a death certificate. A new sprout at the base of a tree or new leaves on a shrub in the spring might just surprise you.

When all hope is lost and it is clear your special plant did not survive the dangerous August transplant operation, take a moment to grieve then head thee to the nursery. Every dead plant represents an open space waiting to be filled with something new and wonderful. Plants grown in pots and sold at nurseries are easy to transplant into the garden.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.

This story was originally published August 2, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "How to transplant a beloved plant during the dry, hot summer."