Transplanting natives

Can anyone tell me if it is possible or advisable to try to transplant California native shrubs? Specifically, I would like to move a ceanothus Vandenberg var.? and a ribes speciosum that have been in the ground for about two years each. My gut instinct says don`t dig them up they will die but I thought I would ask the experts out there. Thanks in advance! </p>

We have had reasonable success at transplanting most species of Ribes, especially when they are dormant. Get the largest root ball you can, and water it in with as large a volume of water as you can manage 20-50 gallons, depending on size. You may have to saturate several times in order to infuse that much water. The same goes for ceanothus, although I don`t think we`ve successfully moved anything more than a year old. I would cut it back about 50% before trying. Also, wait for the weather to cool with decent humidity before you try moving either. Hope this helps.</p>

Geoffrey - If you absolutely must move the shrubs, wait until the rainy season and hope for lots of rain. Cutting back the Ribes is probably a good idea. I`m not so sure about the Ceanothus. Many species of Ceanothus do no respond at all well to severe pruning. The variety, `Vandenberg` is a selection of Ceanothus impressus, I think. I have some vague memory of C. impressus not being amenable to pruning, so you might want to proceed with caution on that one. Good luck, Lori Hubbart</p>