Garden Q&A: What's the best season to move hydrangea? 

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Hydrangeas should be moved during the winter months, just like any other plant. File picture

When is the best time to move my hydrangea? It has grown too big for its space in the garden.

ANSWER

The best time to move a hydrangea — or any plant — is during the winter months when the plant is dormant. Don’t dream of lifting it out of the ground at the moment as you risk killing it. 

Plants absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil via the root hairs. These are microscopic at the extremities of the root system and when we lift a plant out of the ground, we inevitably damage these and thus the plant's ability to absorb moisture.

Doing this during the summer, when the plant needs water will result in the plant dying. 

During the winter, the plant can repair this damage before returning into active growth in the spring.

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