> Next: Post-Planting Care
Transplanting A Tree or Shrub
There are secrets to success for moving an established tree or large shrub. They are: correct timing, good technique, and ample watering after the move.
Special Needs of Transplants
It’s sometimes necessary to move established trees and shrubs from one part of the garden to another.
Perhaps you are adding a deck or patio to your yard, and a tree must be removed. A previous homeowner might have planted a shrub that you’d prefer in a different location.
Whatever the reason, the secret to transplanting success lies in correct timing, good technique, and ample watering after the move.
Always transplant trees and shrubs in autumn or early winter. That’s when deciduous trees and shrubs are naturally dormant. It’s also when evergreens’ metabolism slows and they enter a resting state.
Moving plants while dormant or resting allows their energy to be directed to root growth. By the time top growth occurs in spring after transplant, new roots will have grown. They’ll be ready to provide the water and nutrient uptake required to recover and produce new foliage.
When it’s time to transplant, dig a trench around the plant, aiming for as large a rootball as you can reasonably lift with helpers.
For spreading shrubs and multi-trunked trees, dig at least half the distance out from the trunks to the branch tips. For single-trunked trees and columnar plants, allow 1 foot (30 cm) in diameter of rootball for every 2 feet (60 cm) of height.
Mark where you’ll dig. As you trench outside the marked boundary line, push your shovel straight down to get as clean a cut as possible through spreading roots.
Dig at least 1-1/2–2 feet (45–60 cm) deep, or until there are no more visible roots entering the trench. Carefully use a broad, flat shovel to lever up on the underside of the rootball. Work around the trench, supporting the freed rootball as much as possible with timbers.
When the tree or shrub is completely free, slide burlap underneath it and wrap it snugly. Tie the wrap, using twine or rope to hold the soil inside together. This preserves the hair roots. They keep the tree or shrub alive until new roots can develop.
Carefully transport the plant to its new location, using a wheelbarrow or the help of a friend if necessary.
Always replant a transplanted tree or shrub as soon as possible. Use the same techniques as planting a new tree or shrub [see Tree Planting Demonstrations]. As a final step, irrigate the transplant immediately.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Transplant trees before they become fully established, usually within 1–5 years of original planting.
Transplanting requires preparation and considerable effort, including digging and heavy lifting. You’ll need shovels, picks, saws, stout timbers, gloves, and one or more helpers.
Begin the transplant process in late autumn after the tree is dormant, following these steps:
How to Transplant a Small Tree
After leaves fall and the tree is dormant, prune its outermost and top seasonal growth. Reduce the size of the tree’s crown by about one-third. Also remove any low branches, and trim away small, interior twigs. Leave all growth points. Retain all major branches.
Use flour or garden lime to mark a circle around the tree directly beneath its outermost branches, the tree’s “drip line.” Dig a vertical trench outside the circle, 2–3 ft. (60–90 cm) wide and 3 ft. (90 cm) deep.
Use a saw to clean cut away any protruding roots where they enter the trench. Soil under the tree’s roots should be 8–12 in. (20–30 cm) deep.
Working at opposite sides, undercut soil beneath the tree to its center. Place timbers to support the rootball as removal proceeds.
With helpers or lifting equipment, support and raise the rootball. Wrap it tightly with burlap and tie it with twine. Transport the tree to the new planting site. Plant as you would a specimen tree [See: Tree Planting Demonstrations].