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Considerations for Relocating Large Trees
Trees are important components of your home’s landscaping design since they give shade, fresh air, and natural beauty in your yard. When a tree is planted in the incorrect site, it must be transferred to a more suitable one.
Relocation allows you to rearrange your environment while keeping the tree alive. Because a huge, mature tree is firmly entrenched in the soil, there are many variables to consider while relocating it.
Tree Transplantation Safety Guidelines
Rather of waiting for a seedling to mature, moving huge trees to the appropriate location in your yard gives instant shade and a better focal point. If you need to transfer a big, mature tree, use these tips to help protect the tree:
When Should You Plant a Tree?
Every day is not the best time to move a tree. The optimal time to transplant trees is while they are dormant, which is in the spring (before the trees emerge) or the autumn (before the first frost).
Throughout the year, the root system supplies water to the tree’s canopy through its branches. Digging and transplanting a full-canopy tree entails cutting off its water supply. The tree suffers from transplant shock, which inhibits its development in its new environment.
Dormant trees, on the other hand, are less reliant on their water supply since they no longer have leaves. Moving dormant trees helps the roots to re-establish and reinforce themselves with nutrients in preparation for the next growth season.
Whatever sort of tree you want to transplant, it should be done in the autumn or spring.
- Plant pine trees in the early autumn.
- Oak trees in early spring, especially in February and March.
- Because maple trees continue to grow far into the autumn, transplant them in late October when the canopy has grown bare.
- Plant fruit trees in early spring, before the growth season begins.
Even if the tree is dormant, never transplant it during the winter. Because the soil is frosty, this causes considerable root damage. Furthermore, the icy ground complicates the tree transplantation operation.
Choosing a New Residence
Make careful to consider the tree’s species first. When determining the best site, it is important to consider the size and type of the trees. Trees have specific needs for shade and sunlight, as well as soil drainage. The height and size of the tree should not have an impact on your home’s foundation, electrical lines, or subterranean services.
Pruning of the Roots
Before you begin digging, it is critical to understand how to trim roots properly. Before transplanting, the tree roots must be cut for 6 months. Root trimming encourages the formation of new roots in the rootball region of the tree. Never trim the roots of a deciduous tree until it is dormant and has lost its leaves if you want to transfer it.
Speak with a professional tree expert to assess the size of the tree’s rootball. Create a trench around the tree depending on the root size. Tie the lowest branches together to protect them from harm when digging. Cut through the roots underneath the trench with a sharp-edged shovel. When you’re finished, replace the dirt in the trench and irrigate the area. After digging a hole, untie the branches.
Underground Area
If you’re not sure how large a hole to dig for the new tree, measure the diameter of the trunk around 12 inches from the ground. Take, for example, a diameter of 8 inches or more. The root ball should be 10 to 12 inches broad for every inch of trunk diameter. If the tree’s base is 12 inches in diameter, dig a pit 10 to 12 feet wide to protect the roots and allow them to flourish.
Storage
Some trees cannot be replanted soon after removal. To prevent the root ball from injury, it should be packaged, kept, and watered somewhere. It may surprise you to hear that preserving the tree for 6 months or more is preferable than removing, storing it for few weeks or months, and then replanting it. Large, mature trees lose a considerable amount of their roots after removal, making recovery from transplanting difficult. Because of the prolonged storage time, the tree may develop and establish new feeder roots.
Transplanting
Soak the root ball before relocating the tree after preparing and excavating the hole in the new place. Carefully remove the dirt from the root ball. Wrap the ball with untreated natural burlap to avoid decay and limited development. To keep the root ball intact, lash the burlap together with a strong upholstery needle. With an untreated natural string, tie the burlap around the root ball. When moving the tree, pay careful to maintain the ball intact to avoid the roots from fracturing and killing the tree. Fill in around the roots with earth after placing the tree in the hole. 3 to 4 inches of mulch should be used. Make certain that it does not come into touch with the trunk or the stems. Water it on a regular basis throughout the duration of the following growth season.
Suggestions for Aftercare
- 3 to 5 stakes are recommended. To avoid cutting into the bark, the rope or line should not come into contact with the tree. To create a cushion between the bark and the rope, insert the rope into a portion of a garden hose. Set the pegs firmly in the earth. After a year, remove them.
- Also, never fertilize freshly transplanted trees since it promotes undesirable new growth. After one year, fertilize them.
The freshly relocated tree may not look the same as it did before the transfer. Because to transplant shock, some branches may lose vigor or die. A tree relocation service, on the other hand, will give you with full upkeep instructions to guarantee a successful tree transplant. Some transplanted trees may take months or even years to completely recover after being transferred. Expect the tree to create new growth and display considerable cosmetic changes after settling into its new environment.
