How to Transplant a Holly Bush

Decking the halls is not the only appropriate use for bows of holly (Ilex spp.). The Ilex genus includes hundreds of species of trees and shrubs, including the well-known American holly (Ilex opaca) that thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 though 9. The glossy leaves of hollies are shiny green, and their bright berries attract birds. Plant hollies as specimen trees or grouped in a woodland garden. Consider transplanting a holly only if it is young; the older the bush, the harder it is to transplant and the less likely its chances of successful replant.


Trace a circle with a diameter of 15 to 20 inches on the ground around the holly bush. Make deep vertical cuts with a sharp spade along the circle circumference until the entire circle is cut to a depth of about 10 inches. Do this in midwinter if the ground does not freeze in your area; if it does, act in autumn. This process trims the holly's longer roots and encourages the formation of new, shorter roots.


Determine the holly's new planting location according to the specific shrub's needs. For American holly, select a spot with at least partial sun and fertile, well-drained, acidic soil. Work the soil to a depth of 1 to 2 feet in early spring, the best time to plant or transplant holly.


Gage the height and width of the holly's root ball. Dig the planting hole to the same depth as the root ball, but make it twice as wide. Water the planting hole thoroughly, and allow the water to seep into the soil.


Dig around the holly with a shovel, following the circle you made several months earlier. Dig deeply enough that you are able to slip the shovel under the root ball. Lift the root ball from the earth to a tarp or wheelbarrow, and transport the bush to its new site. Do not expose the holly's roots to sunlight.


Lower the holly's root ball gently into the planting hole. Replace soil, and tuck around the holly's root ball. When the hole is half full, fill it with water again, and let it soak into the earth. Add more soil until it reaches the same point on the holly's trunk as the earth did in its prior location.


Cover the soil around the holly bush with 3 inches of organic mulch. Keep the mulch away from the holly's trunk. Mulch keeps the ground moist and discourages weeds. Water the holly regularly during its first growing season, then taper off irrigation in the fall.