If you have any plants in the garden that you need to move, right now, while everything is having a bit of a rest, is the time to move them.
Start by really hydrating the soil around the plant(s) you are going to move, as trying to dig plants out of dry soil will tear and break the roots. In wet soil they should just slide out. Maybe even water each day for a week before you are going to transplant – especially if you are moving bigger trees or shrubs
Loosen the soil as you go with a pitchfork, so punch holes with the fork, water, punch holes, water, punch water, punch water to help the soil get well soaked. Don’t use a spade as that will cut the travelling roots and could cause damage.
Once ready, use the fork and slowly move around the plant, pushing in and gently lifting up all the way around. Do it slowly, add more water if needed until you can get right underneath the plant, wriggle the roots free and then lift it up and out of the ground.
Move to the new prepared location, dig an appropriately sized hole and remove old roots etc that maybe there.
You can trim off long straggling roots to fit. If you accidently cut too much off, compensate by reducing the size of the pant, so there is not as much for the roots to feed.
Slowly back fill, ensure the soil gets under the root ball and shake as you go to remove air pockets. Water in with liquid fertiliser. Done!
And by the way, if you have been getting some of the rain that’s been falling, it’s a good time to sprinkle compost or planting mix around the garden, as Mother Nature will water it all in for you. Perfect.
Enjoy!
Peter