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transplanting 2-3 quot trees

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cherymax
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 80 Grantville, GA
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2004-06-24          89305

Any tips on transplanting trees from the woods to my front yard... I'd like to transplant trees that are 2-3"'s in DIA.
One of my major concerns is getting enough of the roots for the tree to survive.

Any tips?


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transplanting 2-3 quot trees

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bmlekki
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 185 Upstate, NY
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2004-06-24          89306

Dig up at least 2 1/2 feet from the base, more if you can move the ball and at least 1 1/2' deep. Take your time and realy feel what you are doing.. I take it easy round the base and feel out where there are any big main roots, and try to get the most of them. I tend to move the larger trees in the spring because the gound is much moister, and the trees have a full growing season to take root. You can also do well planting in the fall. Good luck and watch your back!! ....

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2004-06-24          89307

Cherymax, I have transplanted 8-10' pine trees this spring with trunk diameter about the size you are thinking of. I backhoed around the trees and then put one of those yellow tow straps around the trunk and lifted them out with the bucket. They pulled up with lots of roots and are doing fine. I have also pulled 4' bushes and some trees without backhoeing around them first. Under those circumstances whether you get roots depends on how soft the soil is, I would say you get a 50-50 chance of survival. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-06-25          89319

We move a lot of trees in the course of our work. Almost always it is with a tree-spade, however in our case even a small percentage that get done without a spade is still quite a few trees.

We first trench around the root ball in a size suitable for the size of the tree. Then using the B/H fully extended we insert the backside of the bucket under the root ball like a big chisel. Then we wrap the entire root ball in a heavy tarp. On top of the tarp we form a 'basket' out of heavy chain by making a series of interconnected loops around the root ball, each just small enough to not move up or allow the root ball to fall through. Then we carefully lift the whole thing up by the chains.

Care must be taken to protect the trunk from being stripped of bark, this will severely weaken the tree and most often kill it. A bunch of old towels wrapped around the base of the trunk and held in place with 100 mile-an-hour tape works great.

If you have pallet forks on a FEL this seems to work very well for lifting and carrying since you can lift from two sides and the tree is suspended in between them damage-free. It also makes for easy transport.

Be sure to loosen up the soil in the hole you have dug for it's new home and add any amendments and mix them in well before dropping the tree in. Pack the soil around it well, water it in good to prevent shock, and stake or anchor it if it's in an area where it may be subject to much wind since it will easily be up-rooted until it can re-establish a good anchor root system again.

Best of luck. ....

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bellaterra
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 22 Brandon, Mississippi
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2004-06-25          89360

I agree with all the above advice. One thing that will increase the chance of survival is to use a compass and note where "North" is and use something to mark the tree. When you install the tree into it's new spot use your compass to again note "North" and align the mark on the transplanted tree. For whatever reason this seems to increase the chance of survival. ....

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transplanting 2-3 quot trees

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grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 566 ct
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2004-08-11          93262

Bellaterra - that is really intersting. I have transplanted many, many 8' - 10' trees before but never tried that. i will try it next time. I any lost 1 tree out of over 50 I have trasplanted but I will try your methol next time. ....

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