Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - March 10, 2010
From: Floresville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation, Transplants
Title: How to transplant agarita in Floresville, TX.
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
How is the best way to propagate Agarita? I have acres of them in the pasture but want some for the house landscape and to grow. I was told they go dormant for a year if you dig them up to transplant.ANSWER:
We're tempted to advise you to put in a section of barbed wire fence where you want the agarita to grow and let the birds do their thing. But we won't. Besides being inconvenient, you'd have to pull out a lot of privet and hackberry seedlings if you did that.
Mahonia trifoliolata (agarita) is usually difficult to transplant; large plants are especially difficult. A big part of the problem is that they are often growing in such rocky soil that it is very hard to get the plant out without severely damaging the roots of the plant. The smaller the root ball, the slower the plant will recover from the stress of transplantation.
If possible, dig around the shrub you wish to transplant in the spring to cut some of the roots. By fall, the plant will have made new roots within the area that you'll be digging up to transplant. Dig and translplant the agarita in mid to late fall. Remove about 1/3 of the top growth of the plant when you transplant. Water it in well and water again from time to time through the winter if it's a dry year. Even with all of that, your plant is likely to sit and do nothing much for a year or two. Good luck!
More Propagation Questions
Gardening book for beginner gardener
December 06, 2008 - What is a good gardening book for a beginner gardener who lives in Round Rock. Would like info for both vegetables and plants for landscaping. Thanks.
view the full question and answer
Propagation of Asclepias tuberosa
June 18, 2012 - Re: Asclepias tuberosa, "butterfly weed" bush -- I have a bed in a mix of Shoal Creek well-drained caliche, soil, and some enrichment of mulch that gets almost full sun and low water. After 4 yrs a...
view the full question and answer
Planting iris rhizomes in Wisconsin
October 10, 2008 - I live in central WI and was given some iris bulbs (think they are called Rhizomes) and have no idea how to go about planting them. I am very new to planting so step by step instructions with good de...
view the full question and answer
Century Plant
April 20, 2013 - I have a century plant that has just begun to bloom. I have a transplanted a few pups, successfully. I am wondering how I am to go about removing the mother plant once it blooms and dies. I'm reading...
view the full question and answer
Propagation of Kalmia latifolia
November 19, 2007 - How easy is it to propagate Kalmia latifolia from seed?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |