question about transplanting hedge

I have an established yew densiformis hedge in my front yard where the previous owners planted it. I would like to transplant it to my back yard along the deck. How hard it this to do? I don't have any expereince with transplating.

Transplanting a whole hedge is going to be an enormous task unless there are only a couple of plants in the hedge or the plants are really small. The middle of summer is also not the right time of year to attempt something like this, out here fall would be the right time of year to do it but in your zone spring may be better, hopefully someone who lives closer to you can comment on that. The key thing when you're transplanting is to dig up as large of a rootball as possible with the plant--the more roots you have the less transplant shock you're going to have. The problem with a hedge is that the plants are probably planted pretty close together and their roots are all tangled up in each other, which is going to limit your ability to dig up a decent size rootball for any of the plants. It might be worth considering purchasing new plants to make a hedge instead, it'll certainly be less work that way!

melisma,
ecrane3 has good advice. If you decide to go ahead and transplant your established hedge, early spring would probable be a better time than fall. I've read that the rule of thumb is transplant deciduous in the fall, evergreen in the spring. (Although I break this and just about every other "rule".) If you're not able to get the whole root ball, be sure to trim back the top growth to rebalance root mass vs. top growth to minimize transplant shock. Last but not least, this will be a body strenuous project. Be careful of your back and don't overdo it!

Hi Melisma, you dont say what size the hedge is that you want to transplant, if it is a fare size, I would go with Ecranes thoughts and forget the transplanting for a new set of shrubs, all the other advice is spot on for the season to move shrubs, as you want the soil to be cool but not too cold as plants dont do roots in very cold weather, and with a new transplant, that is what you will need, do you realise that Yew is very toxic to animals and people, especially kids who can
(if not tought otherwise) that the lovely red berry's are poisonous and animals who graze on the foliage get very sick, birds are amune to this though, just thought you should know this as you mentioned you want to place it beside your deck. Anyway, if the plants are not too big, you should start preparing them for the move at summers end, do this by getting your spade and cutting around each plant so you are cutting through the roots, try to cut straight down and move the spade back and forth so you are cutting a slight ditch or deep V shape, fill this with new compost so by spring, you will have some new fine water seeking roots formed, at the same time you should be preparing the soil for the new site so that everything is ready on the day you lift out your shrubs, one at a time, this will cause less stress to the plants, also add to the new site loads of compost and tree/plant food so the plants get a good chance to get growing before the heat of the summer, you will prob have to stake these new replants for a good year or so, and lots of water, as you will have just uprooted them from a place where they seem to be growing happily for some time, so for that very reason, I am not too sure they will like this move, it would also be advisable to plant them back into the same running order as you lift them as by now they will have a good side and a side that gets a bit of shade, hope this makes some sence as it is not really a job for the faint hearted or without a good bit of experience, hope all goes well and good luck. WeeNel.