Transplant tree; best time????

islanderre

Evening All,

I've been asked to transplant this tree from a suburban garden to one located in the country where their is allot more room for it to continue to grow.

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So; can anyone advise me of the best time to do this??????/ I presume the autumn would be best???

Also; would it be best to dig a round hole say 2 foot out form the truck all round and then lift it out????

Any help / advice appreciated.

Islanderre

redser7

Winter is best when it is dormant. And yes, dig down and around and take as much of the rootball with soil in tact as you can. Have the new hole prepared beforehand. Wrap the rootball in a blanket when transporting it.
Some people make the cut in winter but wait until early spring to move it. This way the cut roots have a chance to start generating new root hairs just in time to take off in the new hole.

vinnie13

redser7 wrote: »

Winter is best when it is dormant. And yes, dig down and around and take as much of the rootball with soil in tact as you can. Have the new hole prepared beforehand. Wrap the rootball in a blanket when transporting it.
Some people make the cut in winter but wait until early spring to move it. This way the cut roots have a chance to start generating new root hairs just in time to take off in the new hole.

+1

Oldtree

We moved a few trees that size in college. It was very demanding work. Going in under the tree at 2-3 foot down is difficult. If you do not tie up the rootball firmly with rope as you go the rootball could fall apart, and if you do not tie it up firmly (outside the blanket mentioned) it will fall apart during transport. You could also reduce the crown size as an added precaution.

You may also need to stake the tree. This may be enough if you reduce the crown:



All in all, unless there is an emotional attachment to the tree, planting a smaller tree in the new site would have a better result in the long term.

vicwatson

January for me.

CorkFeen10

Transplanted / relocated two trees last week...wish I had read this thread beforehand. One tree looks like its a gonner but the other might survive.

Been watering them each evening to try revive them.

Dummy.....

irelandspurs

Keep the tree just move it down where the ball is.

looksee

That looks like a very big tree to move with a two foot radius root ball. More than one person could manage I would think.

Oldtree

It will be very heavy.

LurkerNo1

Oldtree wrote: »

All in all, unless there is an emotional attachment to the tree, planting a smaller tree in the new site would have a better result in the long term.

This, i personally wouldn't bother trying to move it. Its going to be a big job and even if it does survive the move it is unlikely to grow well in it's new home.

islanderre

Okay.... thanks everyone for the replies; much appreciated.....

If its left where it is; will it grow much more????? If not; then they will prob agree to leave where is as it does seem like a biggish job now having read all the replies above.

Islanderre

Oldtree

It will grow as much as you let it. There are always options with retaining a tree, like reducing its crown size by pruning and shaping in winter once it reaches the size you want it to be.

this is a very rough idea of what you could do.

year 1 this winter. remove the lower branches (using target pruning) up to the first line.
also reduce back some of the upper crown.
year 2 remove lower branches on trunk up to the second line.



what this will do is manager the size of the tree going upwards and allow the space beneath the tree to be better utilised.

ps a loose stake and tie is a useless stake and tie. Careful removing the stake, ease it gently out as you could damage roots. refill the stake void with soil. Do not mow up to the trunk as you will ringbark it and kill the tree. remove the grass by hand or weedkiller in a small 1 foot circle around the trunk. you could then turn this into a small decorative feature, something like in the previous post

islanderre

OLDTREE,
Many thanks for the detailed reply...... food for thought.

Most likely will do as you have suggested.

Thanks again

Oldtree

come back to this in winter between nov and feb and post a pic of the tree without leaves and I will do a more specific pruning plan for you if you would like.

islanderre

Oldtree wrote: »

come back to this in winter between nov and feb and post a pic of the tree without leaves and I will do a more specific pruning plan for you if you would like.

Oldtree,

Your a legend!!!!!!!

Will post an updated picture mid winter so.

Thanks allot.

Islanderre

islanderre

Hello all,

Resurrecting this thread to see if its too late to prune this tree I posted about 7 months ago...... I'm hoping Oldtree will comment!!!!

This photos was taken last week:

[IMG][/img]

Thanks all

lk67

islanderre wrote: »

Hello all,

Resurrecting this thread to see if its too late to prune this tree I posted about 7 months ago...... I'm hoping Oldtree will comment!!!!

This photos was taken last week:

[IMG][/img]

Thanks all

That looks like a purple plum. Plum and cherry trees are normally pruned in summer to minimise Silver Leaf Disease.