Garden Coach on Moving Trees & Transplanting Trees, Part I
Quite often my clients struggle with inherited gardens that include desirable plants that are just in the wrong location. What was once a small shrub near a foundation may have grown into a small tree that now encroaches on windows and building sidings becoming access paths for rats to rooftops. A random tree may be growing in the middle a lawn where its bark is suceptible to the wrath of the lawnmower. Really the list goes on. So the question becomes what to do about these issues?
In some cases inappropriate pruning has been the solution. More than once I’ve 
visited a new client with overgrown trees near foundations. Rather than know they have the power to move the tree to a new location, the client (or the client’s mow-blow-go gardener) whacks away at the tree trying to “make it smaller”. This, as any of my clients who have taken pruning lessons knows, results in more problems than solutions. Random whacking removes one limb, replacing it with countless others that are weaker than the original. It doesn’t solve the problem. The rats can still use the ladder. The roots of the tree can continue to hump against the foundation. Surrounding walkways continue to heave. Siding continues to be compromised. Again, what should be done?
Ideally, in the first place, the garden designer should have selected an appropriate plant for an appropriate place. Too often longterm plant growth (along with exposure requirements and more) are ignored by designers (or installers). Since we’re looking at situations where the problem is already in place, the ideal solution is to move the wrong plant to the right place.
Moving a tree can be a daunting task. They’re heavy. They’re alive. They’re fragile. Still, they’re movable. In some cases moving a tree means removing it altogether. If it’s been damaged significantly it may require more renovation work than you’re likely to perform. As well, it may never recover from past damage. If it is in a location where hardscape makes it impossible to remove the rootball, then realistically it won’t survive transplanting. However, if the tree is in decent shape and you have the right tools for the job, moving it to a new location is possible. Don’t have a new location for it yourself? Consider donating it on craigslist or to a local park instead. Remember, this is a living being that contributes to the overall well-being of the planet!
In some cases a tree is just too big to move by hand. But, if access is available, there are tree services that can safely and effectively move your tree for you. Companies like Washington-state-based Big Tree Supply specialize in supplying and moving big trees.
In other cases trees can be moved by hand using the right tools, enough people and doing it at the right time of year. In most cases the right time of year means moving a tree in winter, but late enough in the winter that the ground isn’t frozen. Deciduous trees are dormant this time of year. Evergreens are photosynthesizing, but their growth is significantly curtailed in winter. Yes, finding the balance between moving a plant while it is dormant but while the ground is not frozen can be tenuous. But it is possible. Too, it is possible to move trees after they break bud in spring, but it is harder on the plant.
If a tree is a late winter/early spring bloomer, finding the right time to transplant has another obstacle to overcome — flower buds. Flowering takes an enormous amount of energy from a plant. Too, it uses many of the same nutrients that the plant uses to maintain overall health and to establish new root growth. So, it may behoove you to move a late winter blooming tree, like a star magnolia, right after flowering but before the spring growth surge begins. If the tree is forming fruit, consider knocking them off to encourage the plant to focus its growth underground.
Now that you’ve read a variety of caveots around transplanting your tree, you must be anxious to actually find out how to make the move. Well, tune in soon for part two: Garden Coach on Moving a Dormant Stewartia Tree. I promise, it’s coming soon!
March 27th, 2008 at 9:42 am
[...] Contact | Garden Mentors Garden Coach on Moving Trees & Transplanting Trees, Part I [...]
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 pm
[...] for information to help you with transplanting a large tree or shrub read this two-part post: http://www.gardenhelp.org/uncategorized/garden-coach-on-moving-trees-transplanting-trees-part-i/ rhaglund posted this entry on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 pm. Posted in the category [...]
July 26th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Transplanted an apricot that I had grafted about two years ago into a wooden wine barrel for transport to new home. Tree was flushed out with gree leaves and 1 inch apricots when ransplanted.
Within 2 weeks time all living folage and fruit were off the tree. I did not prune at the time of transplant because the tree was being trained into a simi-bonzai for permanent placement in the barrel. The bark is breaking as the tree swells and grows and there was a flush of green leaves that appeared about a month ago, they lasted about 10 days and then died back. Under the bark the tree has vieable cambium layer. Have used B complex, rootone and fertilizer but nothing is indicating the tree is going to survive. What is your suggestion? Prune extremly, medium, wait for spring. I am at a loss and have put care and several years of love and effort into perfecting this dwarft apricot. Please send any thing you can think of to save my tree.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Ed,
Thanks for writing in. It sounds like you’ve definitely put a lot of thoughtful care into transplanting this tree. I have a few more questions as I try to think of some helpful ideas:
- How big was the tree when you transplanted it to the barrel? And, how big was the rootball when you transplanted it? I’m wondering if you got enough rootball &/or if the rootball was so large that the tree’s bottom growth was already exceeding the bounds of the barrel you put it into (aka, there was no room left for it to put on new roots.)
- Did you graft the tree 2 years ago or did you transplant it to the barrel 2 years ago? If you didn’t transplant 2 years ago, how long ago did you transplant it? I ask because it sounds like it was leafed/fruited out when you moved it and then lost that growth. And, then this year it leafed out and died back immediately. I know that trees can survive a couple/few years of this kind of stress. What’s really curious is that you’ve checked the cambium and found it viable, but the plant isn’t succeeding in putting on strong leaves and feeding itself. Eventually, whatever strength it has in its roots will be tapped out if it can’t start feeding itself again.
When I do tree transplants, I try to do it when the trees are dormant. Since yours was fruiting when you moved it, it wasn’t dormant. If I do have to move a tree or shrub when it’s flowering or fruiting, I usually try to cut out the flowers and fruit. These processes take a lot of energy from a plant & during transplant we want them to focus as much energy as possible on rooting. (Yes, I hear you, hindsight is 20/20, right?). And, it sounds like the tree did just that on its own. Unfortunately, it dropped its leaves too, so it stopped feeding itself that year.
When I do transplants, I also don’t do a lot of top growth pruning at the time of transplant. I let the tree decide what it wants to “let go of” on its own. I may prune out anything crossing, rubbing or dead when I transplant, but I keep the live-growth removal to a minimum. I wait until the tree settles in and lets go of what it wants/needs to let go of. Then, I do any additional pruning in the following year. Since your tree continues to struggle, I’d continue to do this sort of pruning — aka, keep it minimal.
Now, another thing you might try is innoculating the soil with a mycorrhizal application. Mycorrhizal fungi can help plants increase their rooting capacities significantly. The fungi and trees have evolved together to form a symbiotic relationship. You can read more about Mycorrizae at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza. These fungi can be purchased as stand-alone products. As well, they are included in many fertilizer products these days.
I guess my last bit of advice is to consider bringing in an arborist to evaluate the tree. It sounds like you’re giving it a lot of loving attention, but sometimes there’s nothing like bringing in a pro to take another look.
Please keep in touch & good luck!