Tree Transplanting???

gmccool · Aug 27, 2015

Late this fall I plan to transplant so 12" - 18" tall cedar trees. Does anyone know how big of root ball I need to leave to do this. How big is the root system on a tree that size. I've transplanted a lot of trees just never a cedar. Thanks Gerald

mtf · Aug 27, 2015

If it is just 12-18" you can bare root it in January and February. Just keep the roots moist and replant quickly. Nathan

GordoSD · Aug 27, 2015

I have transplanted many of them as tall as 4 feet by simply pulling them out with a 4 wheeler, rope and slip knot, and putting the bare root in a 6 inch hole dug with tractor 3ph.
I will give anyone all they want for free.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 27, 2015

The root ball won't be that big. I dig a hole with backhoe and fill it with horsepoo mulch.

I discovered last year the best way to transplant holly trees last summer in the gravel pit was to locate them in the shade of Asian honeysuckle. It was the first time I was successful transplanting holly trees. All 3 lived. In another year or two when they are well established, I plan to remove the honeysuckle. I have many ceder trees in pit too. When a small sapling comes up where I don't want it, I plant them in the shade too. I've very good success, compared to years past.

Only one problem. This year I transplanted about 12 walnut trees in the shade. Got the walnuts from garden and flower beds where squirrels planted them. Well the walnuts were doing just fine, until a squirrel dug them up and eat the nut on the root.

I guess I'll plant just the nut and see if the squirrels dig them up too.

Stephen Newell · Aug 27, 2015

No bigger than that you should be able to dig about the size of a shovel scoop. I transplanted about 25 trees to the front of my property. They ranged in size from 18" to 6'. At 6' I ended up having to dig about a 24" dia hole and about 18" deep. Still I think I lost half of what I planted. The size you are doing I think you should only loose 10%. A lot depends on how you take care of them. I only had time to water them a few times and then let nature take over.

Russ from MN · Aug 27, 2015

We have transplanted many northern white cedar, up tp 30" we put them in a 5 gallon bucket, and have had very good results.

Leroy · Aug 28, 2015

You must not be anyware in any of the northern states. You would have to have an ice auger to dig then. And have the dirt to fill hole in house to keep it thawed for filling.

Hay hay hay · Aug 28, 2015

They are like weeds, easy to transplant. One shovel out, one shovel in. 75% will survive, so just plant a few extra.
Late fall is best. Water them in, even in cold weather.

GeneMO · Aug 28, 2015

Learned this the hard way. I have planted approx. 5,000 conservation trees. And I have also dug up trees on the farm and transplanted them.

Dont plant them too deep! If you transplant a tree just an inch or so deeper than it was growing, it will "girdle" itself. The first signs you notice is lots of sprouts growing up from the base several years after transplanting. As the tree gets older, you will notice that the roots are wrapping themselves around the base of the tree. The wrapped roots will eventually choke off the tree and kill it. I had a white pine blow over and it left a cone shaped hole in the ground. It had hardly any root system.

The Missouri Dept. of Conservation wrote an article on this problem about 8 or 10 years ago. There should be info of this on the web.

Gene

Tree Transplanting???

gmccool

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mtf

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GordoSD

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Geo-TH,In

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Stephen Newell

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Russ from MN

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Leroy

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Hay hay hay

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GeneMO

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