Tree relocation is something you might be considering for a number of reasons. Maybe it’s blocking your plans for the new addition to your property, or maybe you just want to take the tree with you when you move. Occasionally, trees just surpass their current site, necessitating the addition of an extra room to assure their continued health.

Changing the location of a tree is a challenging task. Hiring a professional Tree Services in Northern Beaches is usually the easiest option, allowing you to relax a bit while ensuring your tree has the highest probability of life. If you insist on attempting the tree relocation on your own, though, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

 

When to Move Trees

Trees are best relocated in the early spring or early fall, before or after their leaves have fully grown. Moving trees during a period of rapid growth or in the fall, when they won’t have time to root themselves before the onset of cold weather, is not recommended. Evergreens are best transplanted in the late summer. If you want to transplant a tree or shrub, its roots will grow well below the surface, much beyond the amount of soil you can easily transport. 

Before moving trees, trim the roots to a reasonable size so that the cuts have time to recover. Roots should be pruned in the fall, after the leaves have fallen, in preparation for a spring transplant. Roots should be pruned in the spring before the emergence of new leaves and flowers if you intend to relocate in the fall.

 

Steps to Moving a Tree

  • Keep the tree well-watered before attempting any pruning: water the tree thoroughly the day before you plan to prune it.
  • Determine how much of the roots should be cut: think about how much of the root ball you want to cut back on.
  • Ensure that the root ball is surrounded by a trench: use a flat spade to cut a shallow trench around the base of the plant.
  • Replace the soil surrounding the roots you dug out: carefully replace the topsoil and subsoil that were removed from the trench.
  • Pick a new location that works for you: think long and hard about your new home. Make sure the new location has adequate room, soil, light, and water for the tree’s growth.
  • Before replanting the tree, make sure to water it: it is important to water a tree regularly during the summer, especially during dry spells, if you intend to relocate it in the fall.
  • Collect dirt and start digging in the new spot: to provide the lateral roots room to grow in the new location, a hole should be dug that is three times as broad as the root ball but at the same depth.
  • Try to excavate a space around the tree: dig away the soil from around the tree’s base with a shovel.
  • Expose the soil beneath the root ball: when you have finished excavating around the tree’s base, move on to digging under it to cut its roots.
  • Remove the tree by wrapping it in burlap and pulling it out: after the tree has been entirely freed from the ground in the hole, a sheet of natural burlap is placed in the hole, and the tree roots are coaxed over it.
  • Relocate the tree: tightly bundle the dirt in burlap using twine, and then move the tree to its new location.
  • Make room for the tree in the freshly dug trench: place the tree into the newly dug hole with the bottom of the trunk flush with the earth.
  • Backfill the hole: you should backfill the area surrounding the tree with the soil you removed, being careful to layer the subsoil at the bottom and the topsoil on top.

For professional help moving your trees, contact Affordable Tree Services today.