Replanting Buddleia Bushes

Bed Preparation

• Select a garden bed that supplies the buddleia with full, all-day sunlight, as the plants grow and flower poorly in shade. Buddleia tolerates most soil types except wet soil, so prepare an area that drains well so the plant isn't subjected to standing water. Improve drainage by working a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or peat into the planting site before replanting.

Moving Existing Buddleia

• Move an existing plant to a new bed during the early spring when the buddleia is still dormant, right before new growth begins. Dig around the root ball with a spade, beginning 1 to 2 feet out from the base of the main stem. This minimizes root damage during digging. Slide the shovel beneath the root ball and lift it out of the soil, severing as few roots as possible. When replanting in the new site, set it in a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Replant so the buddleia is growing at the same depth as it was in the old spot.

Transplanting Container Buddleia

• Transplant container-grown plants any time after the last spring frost date in your area. Watering the soil in the container two to four hours before transplanting makes it easier to lift the root ball out of the container. Dig the planting hole before you lift the plant from its pot. Make the hole the same depth as the pot so the buddleia sits at the correct depth after planting. Thumping the sides of the pot firmly or sliding a spade between the pot sides and soil loosens the root ball so you can lift it from the pot and plant it in the hole with minimal root disturbance.

After-Planting Care

• Watering the buddleia thoroughly after replanting settles the soil and eliminates air pockets around the roots. This helps the plant establish more quickly in the new bed. Apply a 2-inch layer of organic mulch over the soil around the base of the bush to minimize weed growth and maintain the moisture level in the soil. Wood chips, straw and pine nuggets provide a suitable mulching material. There is no need to fertilize the plants immediately following replanting. Begin a light fertilization program one year after replanting, after the bush is established.