Moving a pieris?

elsien

I had a huge hebe in the garden which lulled me into a false sense of security by looking as if it had survived the cold weather, but is now clearly turning up its toes.
I'm planning to dig it out and move a pieris to the gap that it has left. The pieris has been in for 10 years and is about 3 foot tall, but is growing where there are likely to be other tree roots and quite compacted soil once I start digging.
Is there a best time to do this, and are the roots likely to go on for miles, or should it be fairly straightforward?

I'm also contemplating taking some cuttings in case I kill it off while trying to move it. Again, best time? In the past I've propogated the pieris by layering, but as I want to shift it this year there isn't time.

sirbrainy

It might as well be now, Oct-Nov would have been better but nae problemo. Keep it well watered this year but not waterlogged.

Sooner the better & don't leave it later than April would be my advice.

Primrose

I'd seize the opportunity now to move it before the new shoots start bursting. Try and leave as much of the earth as possible around the root ball and dig in some compost or some chicken manure pellets to give it a good start in its new position. Check the weather forecast first, and don't move it when frost is forecast.