Moving 3 HUGE lilacs, need advise....

hello and happy easter! ok a friend of mine is getting a swimming pool put in and gave me her 3 HUUUUGE lilacs... i plan on taking my tractor over there and using the backhoe to remove them, then i plan on using a big king sized sheet , wetting it down and laying the lilac roots on it then covering them with the rest of the sheet, my hubby has a dump trailer so i figured i would have him put them in there.. , so here are my questions... how deep do roots go on lilacs.. i plan on digging out further then the spread of the bushes... but i'm not sure how deep i should go comparitive to size.. also would it be safe to "knock" the dirt loose from the roots to make it easier to transport.. and keeping the roots moist.. also they are blooming now and she said i could take them now but i want to wait as long as i can for the blooms to die down, she said i have another 3 weeks at least to move them , maybe even longer , i was planning on moving them as late as possible.. do u guys think that would be better to give next years buds a chance to develop? and what is the success rate of me moving such a large bush such as lilac? these bushes have trunks ... like the size of some smaller trees... they are prob about 6 to 7 ft tall and 3 to 4 ft wide... and they look like last years home owner had cut them into a box type shape.... so who knows how big they were... any info would be great!!!!! and soooooo helpful.. thanx so much!
chrissy

Are there any extra shoots coming up beside the original tree? Mine is a big stump, plan to cut it down, and remove the whole thing. There are a bunch of shoots, much easier to move and keep alive, shouldn't take too long for those to grow and bloom.

Hope this helps.

oh i dont know if there are shoots or not but if so i am taken those too.. i am definetly taking these big bushes though.. i found out that they are shallow rooted so all i have to worry about is the widths... which is a cinch! i have moved 8 lambrums this year with the backhoe and they didnt even suffer shock.. so these puppys are comming home with me no matter what!!! i am soooo excited to get such huuuuge lilac bushes!!!! (=
chrissy

Go for it! If you can keep the big ones alive, better yet. Just thought the smaller shoots always live, where the larger "stumps" are harder to keep growing when they have been moved.

hi hibiscus, i will seperate the little shoots prob first... but i cant just leave the big ones... even if they do die , i can say i at least tried.. shes ripping them out either way so if i dont take them they are going to die anyway... i just cant walk away from the big ones.. lol.. hubby asked me if they are gonna die on me.. and i said , well i will try everything i can to keep them alive.. plus it helps alot that they are shallow rooted... i can handle the width digging its the depth i was unsure of.. but i will cut them back when i get them, anothe rfirend of mine let me dig the shoots up from her yellow primrose lilac and off of her old purple one... those were real small and they lived... of corse no flowers yet.. the tallest one is about 12 inches tall... anyway i'll let u know how they did... and if they appear to be living! (:
chrissy

Lilacs
There are four basic rules for lilac care; provide good soil, good drainage, plenty of sunlight and frequent pruning.

Planting site
The location for planting your lilac(s) should be chosen with care. Integrate the lilac with other garden plants. You may want to plant according to prevailing winds to make best use of fragrance. Make good use of available sunlight; try a south or easterly spot out of the way of doors or windows. Avoid planting along walls or among large trees (or trees which will grow tall). Use complementary shrubs, plants, or other garden outcroppings to enhance the appearance before and after bloom. Lilac spacing should be a minimum of 6 ft. apart, 10 ft. is better. Crowding invites “sky reaching” and requires more frequent and drastic pruning.

Sunlight
Lilacs require a minimum of four hours of direct, daily sunlight. The amount of sunlight dictates the appearance, color, and quantity of bloom. Too much sunlight is better than not enough.

Drainage
Good drainage is characterized by the soil’s ability to retain sufficient moisture to nourish the root system while still being able to drain off excess moisture.

Lilacs do not thrive in soggy soil. Try digging a hole about 8 in. in diameter by about 12 in. deep and filling it with water. If the water has not drained after 1 hour, consider finding another site or improving the drainage at the present site.

To improve drainage:

1. Remove the topsoil from the actual planting site (an area equal to 2 to 3 times the lilac’s soil ball/root system)

2. Mix sand and/or fine gravel 6 in. to 10 in. deep into the subsoil (not the topsoil)

3. Mix the topsoil with peat, vermiculite or any other porous additive to cover the root system once the lilac is planted

Planting
The planting hole should be generous enough to easily accommodate the lilac root system. Adding peat moss or compost is recommended. Bone-meal or ground limestone may also be added to reduce the acidity of the soil.

When planting, place the top of the soil ball level with the surface of the hole. If the lilac is bare-root, the top layer of roots should be a few inches below the surface. When backfilling, it is important to water well, but do not flood, and avoid compacting the soil around the root system. The idea is to remove air pockets, yet keep the soil well aerated.

If the only available site is always moist or collects rain water that remains for extended periods, lilacs should be mound-planted. This is a more involved, but successful planting solution.

Remember to water your lilacs regularly throughout the summer. During the dry season, water more frequently, keeping the leaves pert, not limp. This is when added mulch will pay off.

Fertilization
Fertilizing can be done each spring, though once every 2 to 3 years is usually sufficient, by lightly adding a general (5-10-5) fertilizer to the soil around the drip line of the plant.

Pruning
Pruning is mandatory for continued vitality and managed growth. Removing spent blooms will enhance the general appearance of the lilac. Pruning should be done within a few weeks after blooming stops for the season. This process should focus on the removal of thin suckers and declining stems. Of course, any diseased or infected branches should be eliminated. The rule of thumb is to remove 1/4 to 1/3 of the older wood per year keeping the bulk of the bloom at eye level.

Overwintering
Lilacs are very hardy and don’t require any special precautions for winter. It is recommended, however, to protect the trunk of the lilac; lilac bark makes a good meal for hungry rodents.

Good luck, I'm sure some of the shoots will make it.