How to Transplant a Rue Plant

Remove the grass and weeds from a planting area in full sun with good drainage. Loosen the soil in the planting area to a depth of 18 inches with a shovel. Remove the loosened soil from the planting site and place it into a wheelbarrow. Break up soil clumps with the edge of the shovel.

Place a 3-inch layer of crushed rocks in the bottom of the hole. Rake the rocks smooth and level. Mix one part compost to four parts soil in the wheelbarrow. Refill the planting area with the amended soil and rake level.

Dig up the rue plants by thrusting the shovel under the plants. Pull the individual plants apart by the roots. Lay the plants on a wet paper bag and fold the bag in half to keep the roots moist.

Dig a hole in the prepared site with a hand trowel as deep and wide as the root ball. Place the rue plant's root ball in the hole and fill the hole with soil. Gently firm the soil around the plant to hold it in place. Space the rest of the rue plants 12 to 18 inches apart.

Water the soil around the base of the plants until the top inch of soil is wet. Rue plants need 1 inch of water each week if there is no rainfall that week.