Evergreens continue to lose water through their leaves during the winter and since many of the small water absorbing roots are removed or damaged when a shrub is dug, the remaining root system may not be able to absorb enough water to replace the water that is lost. This leaves the shrub prone to winter burn.

November, once they have lost their leaves, is a great time to transplant deciduous shrubs. Here are some tips: 

Before you dig your shrub to move it, be sure to first prepare the new planting hole. Select the new location keeping in mind the cultural requirements of the shrub and its size at maturity. Give it plenty of space, you don't want to have to move it again!  

• Your planting hole should be at least 3 times as wide but not much deeper than the root ball.
  You want the root ball to be be sitting on firm but well-drained soil so it won't sink after it has been planted. Andre's motto for planting trees and shrubs: "Plant them high - Never die!"  
• Click for Andre's recommendations for preparing and amending the planting hole. 

Once you have prepared the new planting hole, you are ready to dig up the shrub you are going to move. It is very important to dig as large a root ball as you can handle, but the size will depend upon the size of the plant.  

• In general for shrubs, dig at least 6" of root ball for every 12" of spread of your shrub.
• Click for details on digging a tree or shrub.  

Sometimes, especially for evergreens, it is beneficial to root prune before digging the shrub. If you have time to wait before transplanting, this increases the rate of success . It encourages the formation of new feeder roots and reduces transplant shock. Root pruning can be done in the early fall in preparation for moving the shrub the following spring.   

Pruning Shrubs in Late Fall  

I have recently been asked, "What shrubs can you prune in the fall?" Normally I would do most of my pruning in the early spring rather than in the fall. However, there are some good reasons to do some minor pruning in the fall once the shrubs are dormant. Here are a couple:

Hybrid Tea Roses

Often during a hard winter, the stems of hybrid tea roses and other shrub roses can break at the base due to snow or ice build-up on the plant. Late October and November is a great time to tip back any these roses. Cut back any long canes that look like they might whip around in the wind.

• Prune hybrid tea roses back to about 30" from the ground. This should help prevent damage from the weight of ice and snow.  
• In the spring, after the danger of cold weather, is the time to do the main pruning of these roses.  

Boxwood and Holly for the Holidays! 

Pruning of boxwood and holly is done mainly to control size and shape, and to improve the health of the shrub. Annual thinning with hand shears is recognized as one of the best pruning methods for maintaining the health of the shrub. Happily, you can do this type of thinning in early winter when the trimmings can be used for holiday decorating! 

Click for tips on thinning boxwood. Holly can be cut for holiday greens in the same way.

Do not prune spring blooming shrubs like azalea, forsythia, and rhododendron now or you will be cutting off all the blooms. The time to prune spring bloomers is right after they finish blooming in the spring.   

Protecting Tender Shrubs in Winter

Hydrangea macrophylla may require winter protection to keep the flower buds from freezing.

In colder zones, fig trees and certain shrubs like Hydrangea macrophylla, miniature roses, and newly planted roses may need to be provided with some sort of winter protection.