- 1). Select the time to do the transplant. The best time of the year is early in the season, just as the new foliage is beginning to emerge. Buddleia blooms on new growth so transplanting early in the season will provide enough time for the roots to establish and for flowering to occur. You can transplant later in the season, but the chance of transplant shock and loss of flowering is high. Do not transplant in fall.
- 2). Water the plant thoroughly the day before you plan to transplant.
- 3). Prepare the new hole. Estimate the approximate size of the root ball that you will be moving and dig a hole that is as deep as the existing root ball and twice as wide. Water the hole and let it drain.
- 4). Amend the native soil that you removed from the hole with no more than 25 percent compost. Butterfly bushes do not like rich, heavy soil. If your native soil is clay, amend it with good quality top soil. The soil must drain well.
- 5). Cut the stems of the butterfly bush to 6 to 12 inches from the ground. In some parts of the country, buddleia stems die to the ground every winter and the above ground portion is already dead.
- 6). Dig a circle around the crown of the plant about 6 inches away from the outer edge of the crown with a sharp shovel. Cut into the roots all around and under the plant to create a root ball. Transfer to the new location, keeping as much of the soil intact as possible.
- 7). Set the buddleia in the prepared hole and adjust the amount of soil underneath so the crown is even with the grade of the surrounding soil.
- 8). Fill the rest of the hole with the amended soil. Tamp lightly and water well to remove air pockets.
- 9). Keep the plant well watered during the growing season and enjoy the butterflies and hummingbirds that are sure to visit.
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