Question by Helen W.
Due to home renovations, my potted 4-year-old China Doll plant happily growing in a garden bed has to be moved to another garden bed. It has rooted in the ground. Is it OK to cut the roots at the base of the pot? And if so any special care needed?
Sarah's answer
Hi Helen,
If you have to move any plant, there is always a risk it won’t be happy about it and will turn up its toes. That being said, it is always worth moving it and hoping for the best as you may get a great result. However, in your case, it is important to note that China Dolls are notorious for disliking change and respond by dropping their leaves.
Firstly, if you can help it, avoid attempting to move it when the weather is hot. Late afternoon or early evening is the best time as it is cooler and allows the plant all night to get used to the conditions before facing the heat of the day.
They can be root pruned when repotting to be put back into the same pot they have outgrown so they should be ok with removing the roots in your situation. Although it might be worth gently digging around the base of the pot to try to save what roots are there – especially if they are particularly large. When cutting roots use clean, sharp secateurs to avoid causing unnecessary damage.
Water the plant into the new spot, but make sure it is free draining. They are very susceptible to root rot in normal situations, let alone what will be required to move it. If the leaves drop, trim all the stems to about half their length and ease up on the watering to reduce the risk of root rot, it should bounce back. Hold off on fertilising for a couple of months to protect the new roots from harm.
I hope this helps and your plant survives its relocation ordeal. All the best with it.
Cheers Sarah
