How to Dig Up Crape Myrtles

Native to Asia, crape myrtles are prized for their brightly colored flowers and dense canopy. Gardeners must dig up these plants to transplant or remove if they are planted in an area that doesn't meet their growing requirements like full sun, well-draining soil and adequate ground moisture. The best time to dig up crape myrtles is anytime in the fall or winter before the ground freezes. If transplanting them to another site in the landscape, take special care when digging up their rootball.

Shovel
Saw
Chainsaw
Tarp
Burlap sack

Instructions

- 1
  Water the crape myrtle for two days before digging up to soften the soil. Dig a trench around the crape myrtle that is 3 feet around the plant and at a depth of 1 foot.
- 2
  Press a landscaping bar or shovel underneath the root ball of the plant to push through the soil. Use a saw to cut and remove any stubborn roots. Place the crape myrtle on a tarp for sliding to its new location.
- 3
  Wrap moist burlap sack around the root ball of the crape myrtle or chop of the plant with a saw if wanting to dispose of the plant.
- 4
  Fill the hole with dirt. Plant grass seeds or another plant in the location to keep weeds from taking advantage of the bare soil.
- 5
  Create a planting hole that is twice the size of the root ball and at the same depth as the crape myrtle was planted in its former location. Place the crape myrtle inside of the hole and pack soil around the base.

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