tree diseases and the symptoms to watch for

How To Uproot And Transplant A Mature Tree

17 April 2015

Wesley Perry

If you have a beautiful mature tree that is causing a problem in its current location, you are not resigned to cutting it down. Select a more appropriate area of your property, preferably with full sun and good drainage. Hire an experienced tree service to uproot the beauty and transplant it. The professionals have heavy equipment designed especially for the excessive weight of mature trees.

Advance Preparation

The root system will recover more quickly if you wait until the tree goes into its dormant cycle, usually after it has finished dropping leaves. The roots only have to concentrate on feeding the trunk, not new growth, so the shock of being transplanted is considerably less. However, you must complete this chore before the ground freezes for winter.

Totally saturate the soil around the trunk every morning for the three days prior to the arrival of the tree removal service. You want a wet root ball when they remove the tree.

Transplant Day

The tree removal service will arrive with a backhoe to dig a deep hole at the new location. Make sure this area is cleared of yard decorations and debris.

The workers will start at the bottom of the tree and tie the branches, much the same as a Christmas tree. This makes it easier for the equipment to get in close enough to dig up the roots and grasp the trunk. It does not harm the tree.

The next step is digging far enough away from the trunk to avoid damaging the root ball, which can easily be 2 feet in diameter. The tree service is careful to keep the soil attached to the root ball by covering it with a large burlap sack. This is another measure that reduces shock to the roots.

A crane will remove the tree and put it on a flatbed truck to move to the new location. The crane will hold the tree in place while tree service employees fill in the soil and secure the trunk with strong stakes.

Care After Transplant

It's best to water the tree early in the morning. This allows more water to seep down to the roots rather than evaporate in the air. Resist the urge to trim branches that might have been damaged when transplanted. It will put more stress on the roots.

Fertilize the soil with whatever type is best for your tree. Your local garden center has different formulas for trees that flower, bear fruit, etc. Even though the tree is dormant on top of the soil, the roots will be working to reestablish themselves underneath. Additionally, fertilizing now will ensure that nutrition is already in the soil when the tree emerges from dormancy in the spring. For more information, speak with experts like Gene's Tree Service.

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