How to Transplant an Outdoor Yucca Plant

Yuccas are succulent plants that often feature long, stiff leaves with pointed tips, giving rise to nicknames like Adam's needle and Spanish bayonet. Among the many yucca species are Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), spineless yucca (Y. filamentosa) and soaptree (Y. glauca). Spineless yucca looks perfectly at home in a desert garden setting, even though it is native to the Southeast. Native to the Southwest, Joshua tree has gnarled, multiple trunks and short, knifelike foliage. Many yucca species produce large, striking spikes of flowers in early summer. Yuccas pop up in the most inconvenient spot in the yard, but moving them is not difficult. Plan carefully before you take the yucca out of its current growing site.
(Ref. 1)

Things You'll Need

Shovel
Compost
Measuring tape

Wheelbarrow or bucket
Pruning clippers or sharp shears
Fertilizer (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Select a transplant site with suitable growing conditions for the yucca's needs. Yuccas prefer full sun and moist, well-draining soil. Use the shovel to turn and loosen the soil at the transplant site. If the new site has poor soil, work organic matter or compost into the excavated soil with the shovel and then water the area thoroughly.
- 2
  Dig up the yucca with a shovel. Dig around large plants to a depth of about 2 feet, and then dig down and under the plant getting as much of the main roots as possible. Gently lift the plant out of the ground and place it in a bucket or wheelbarrow. Small, vigorous plants transplant more easily and successfully than mature yuccas. Transport the yucca to the transplant site and keep it shaded until planted.
- 3
  Measure the size of the yucca's root ball. Use the shovel to dig the planting hole deep enough for the roots to fit with the roots’ crown protruding an inch or two above ground level. Dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball.
- 4
  Use the pruning clippers or shears to trim away broken or damaged roots, and then place the yucca in the planting hole. Spread the roots out, so that they lie naturally in the hole.
- 5
  Turn the yucca as necessary orienting the plant facing the same direction as at its original site. Improper orientation causes sunburn. Backfill the hole with the excavated dirt until the hole is three-quarters full. Water the soil and let it settle in the hole. Finish backfilling the hole to ground level and water the site again.
- 6
  Water the transplanted yucca regularly until it is firmly established, and then cut back or stop watering the plant. Yuccas generally thrive with available rainfall.

Use of Water Hyacinth As Fertilizer

How to Grow Cattails From Seeds

Growing Plants