Transplanting A Boxwood In A Different Season?

I dug up and removed about 6 boxwoods from the front of my house and sat them in a giant compost pile I have in the woods. They were dug up at the end of July (Zone 7). Each box woods stump has about a 12” root ball on it with soil. I did heavily prune them before I dug them up if it makes a difference (They were about 5 ft tall and I knocked them down to two feet and they are also about 6-7yrs old). The holes where I removed them are still there as I never replanted anything before first frost hit. I couldn’t make up my mind on what I wanted but now I have decided that I really like the box woods. We have mild winters here (average temps ~35-50F). Am I able to replant them now and hope for the best or wait ’til spring? Or are they a complete loss?
Thanks!

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1 Comment To "Transplanting A Boxwood In A Different Season?"

#1 Comment By GKH_Susan On 12/19/2019 @ 5:31 pm

If the boxwoods' roots are protected by the soil of the rootball or the compost heap, they should be OK. If the roots have been exposed to air all this time, they may have expired. Also, drastic pruning can kill boxwoods. So, you don't have anything to lose by replanting them now. Watch the weather for some nice days coming up and go ahead and replant since your winters are fairly mild. You might baby them a bit by covering them in advance of harsh weather. Also, be sure to water them well before any harsh weather hits and mulch well. Good luck!

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