How to Relocate a Hydrangea

Find a new location for your hydrangea shrub. Select an area that provides sunlight during the morning and shade in the afternoon. Avoid low areas where water tends to accumulate after a rain.

Test the soil in the new site. Following the directions provided with the soil test results, amend the existing soil to provide a pH level between 5.0 and 7.0. Encourage pink blossoms by adding enough limestone to bring the pH level up to 6.5. Encourage blue blossoms by adding sulfur to bring the soil pH to a level between 5.0 and 5.5. Not all varieties of hydrangeas produce colors in response to the pH levels, however.

Dig up your hydrangea after it goes dormant in the winter, but before the ground freezes. Place a piece of sturdy plastic or burlap next to the hydrangea shrub. Dig far enough out to include most of the root ball. Gently lift the hydrangea from the soil, grasping the root ball rather than the branches. Set the hydrangea in the center of your plastic or burlap, pulling up the edges to encase the root ball. Transport the hydrangea to your selected site.

Dig a hole that is as deep as the hydrangea roots and at least twice as wide. Lift the root ball off the plastic or burlap, placing it in the center of the prepared hole. Incorporate an equal amount of compost with the backfill soil. Scoop this mixture around the edges of the root ball, bringing the level of the soil over the hydrangea roots even with the surrounding soil. Press down the loose soil with your foot.

Water the transplanted hydrangea slowly and deeply enough to soak the entire root ball. Let the surface soil dry out between watering and stop watering when the ground begins to freeze. Begin watering again in the springtime, when the hydrangea shows signs of new growth. Continue to water deeply and frequently enough to keep the soil surrounding the roots slightly cool and damp. Hydrangeas generally require supplemental watering for the first year after transplanting.