Phormium; moving/removing

[Pam Moore]

My daughter has a big, established phormium which she wants to remove.
She said she might dig it up and try to sell it. I recall on GQT once
comebody being told to get the army in to help remove a phormium.
Has anyone had any experience of digging one up? How hard a job is it?
The base is about 18 inches and the height 6 ft-ish.
TIA

Pam in Bristol

[David in Normandy]

Post by Pam Moore
My daughter has a big, established phormium which she wants to remove.
She said she might dig it up and try to sell it. I recall on GQT once
comebody being told to get the army in to help remove a phormium.
Has anyone had any experience of digging one up? How hard a job is it?
The base is about 18 inches and the height 6 ft-ish.
TIA
Pam in Bristol

I moved one like that once. Pick, spade a lot of muscle and yes, you can
dig one up. As always try to keep as much of the root-ball as you can.
Tough as old boots to dig up though. Easier than trying to split one
in-situ though unless you use a pick. Keep it well watered after moving,
especially if we have a hot dry Summer. Expect it to look a bit
miserable for the first year after moving it.

[Sacha]

Post by Pam Moore
My daughter has a big, established phormium which she wants to remove.
She said she might dig it up and try to sell it. I recall on GQT once
comebody being told to get the army in to help remove a phormium.
Has anyone had any experience of digging one up? How hard a job is it?
The base is about 18 inches and the height 6 ft-ish.
TIA
Pam in Bristol

A crowbar, mattock, forks, spades and ultimately, a JCB, should do it. ;-)
The musclemen in the family tell me it is possible and a couple of sharp
spades are invaluable. Autumn seems to be the best time.

[robert]

Post by Pam Moore
My daughter has a big, established phormium which she wants to remove.
She said she might dig it up and try to sell it. I recall on GQT once
comebody being told to get the army in to help remove a phormium.
Has anyone had any experience of digging one up? How hard a job is it?
The base is about 18 inches and the height 6 ft-ish.
TIA

That seems to be a fairly small base for a 6' plant and it should be
possible to dig it out with some dedicated digging. For a mature tenax
with a large root area the following works.
Dig a trench around it, undercut the main root area as much as possible,
attach a wire rope or chain around the base then winch or tow it out.
Place in prepared hole, soak well and again on following day. It should
recover.