Any tips to transplant a Yucca?

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:13 am

Someone gave me a Yucca if I dig out of their yard tomorrow afternoon.
Haven't seen it yet, it's about 3' tall and more than likely Y.glaucca.

How deep a root ball should I try to get? how far to dig out from the plant? Any advice appreciated!

Steve

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:48 am

Hi Steve, I've never dug one out.
Heard roots go down to China on an old one, requiring pick axe versus shovel.
Good luck.

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:12 am

Yea Steve, I dug up a bunch to send to Robert of wild yuccas around Junction City and the roots go WAY WAY WAY down. After breaking about 3 of them's roots, I gave up on the big ones and started digging up the younger ones. Good luck!

BTW, if you want me to give you directions on where to go in Junction City to dig them up, just holler.

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:20 pm

I'll take my camera, a shovel, and cross my fingers

Wes, I'll see how this one works out, if not, I'll be getting those directions from you.

Steve

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:03 pm

Steve, its REALLY easy to find and there are 100's of them. If you cant find any there you like, I have another spot in Manhattan.

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 7:27 am

Here's the photos,

It was close to 100*F yesterday, so I was happy to see it was not as large as anticipated

Was in this spot when the current owners moved in, never flowered, and always lost it's leaves in the winter.

Dug most of it out, not much in the way of lateral roots. ( maybe it wasn't happy in this location?) The slice on the right is an old wound that was just starting to send out some roots.
Everything was dusted with fungicide/rooting hormone.

In it's new home!

Also had some Yucca brevifolia started from seed, added a couple of those too.

Here's the leaf detail, I'm not too familiar with Yuccas, does this look like glauca or filamentosa?

Steve

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 8:02 am

Looks like you did a good job.

Good luck with the brevifolias, I think they should grow well for you.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:58 am

Steve, big job in hot weather!
Long roots (as we suspected) for a fairly small plant.
Strange it wasn't doing well in its former location.
Perhaps it was planted too deeply at the outset, or drainage was poor if it received water from a roof.

I've never transplanted a yucca, but it already looks happier in its new spot.

Nice job on the brevis...amazing root development early on.

My guess is filamentosa, but others would know better.

You're a Yucca "nut" now...welcome!
Barb

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:24 pm

Thanks! This is the first one to go in the ground

Hoping the brevifolias do okay, have a few more I'll probably wait till next spring to plant out

Barb, Think you are right about excessive water from run off, the edge of the porch roof was right above. Soil was mostly clay and still damp about a foot down.

Steve

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 2:30 pm

As to ID, here's a site with many yucca pics:

http://www.northern-nursery.dk/agavaceae.htm

Barb

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:27 pm

Thanks Barb!
(I need all the help I can get

Steve

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:38 pm

The roots of that Yucca are not right for Yucca filamentosa (at least the roots on those that I've transplanted)! They look more like the deep roots of Yucca glauca, but the leaves seem too wide... Perhaps Yucca arkansana?
Where did you get it?
Try posting a picture on the Yuccayucca forum and see if one of the experts can give a better I.D.!

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:01 pm

It came from Lindsborg, KS

Was there when the current owners moved in two years ago, they wanted to plant something else and offered it free to anyone who wanted to dig it up.

Thanks for the link!, I'll check that out.

Steve

Laaz · Post by **Laaz** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:58 am

Most Yucca root without a problem. I just cut the plant at the size I want, remove about 8-12 inches of the lower leaves & plant it. They root in no time. I have cut some down before & threw them in the compost pile & they rooted on top of the ground... I cut them out & toss them all the time when they are growing up against cable peds...

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:07 am

Here's one that Laaz recommended I do that very thing last year. It rooted well and is growing strong.

Cheers, Barrie.

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:04 am

Barrie, That looks great!

Wasn't sure if I should cut off any leaves or not?, most have laid down now, so I will do a bit of trimming.

Steve

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:48 pm

Starting to show some growth now!
(added a Sabal to keep it company

Steve