Relocating a tree

[northcreek2624]

Looks,Like my big shady Maple has become a casualty of two unusually dry summers.Although we're pretty well wooded this tree shaded our main deck and will be greatly missed.
My wife would like me to relocate a tree to this spot and as with all things size matters.
What is the largest tree anyone has ever seen moved without getting into monsterous(Pyramid building) equipment?
I have hard maple,red oak,sweet gum and some others to choose from,I mention this because some types may have a better chance of surviving the move,maybe?
I have a 40 hp tractor and fel to assist but,need some first hand experiences............Thanks in advance,Mike

 

[knucklehead]

As far as home-type projects, about 15 years ago, I saw a guy dig up an 8" tree (forgot what it was) about 40' tall over a few weeks. The digging took a while, but the root ball (huge) was wrapped, then it was leaned onto a wagon and hauled off - I never saw it again. It was on my way to work, and it was out by the road, so I got to watch. I always heard the enemy of replanting was air on the roots, so I always drowned everything real well, and I've never lost a replanted tree, or bush, or vegetable, for that matter - always use a lot of water. I also heard you need to dig a root ball a foot wide for every inch of diameter of trunk. This one was in the ball park - maybe not 8' across, though.

Have you seen the hybrids that grow several feet every year?

 

[Justaplain]

Find a local nursery guy with a 72" spade digger and hire him by the day [ + - $1000 ] and he can transpant 10-12--- 5" of your choice. I have done it with maple and oak. You just have to backfill the last hole. bcs

 

[Gatorboy]

First, wait until the trees lose their leaves before you transplant. Your best chance of survival is when the tree is dormant.

You should dig a root ball about 10 times the diameter of the trunk (i.e. 3" tree, 30" root ball)

If you want a tree of any size, you would be wise to call a landscape company in your area that has a tree spade, or see if there is a tree farm with hardwoods near you.

 

[Woody1]

wouldnt do it with your tractor and fel. Fel is to indiscriminant on what it tears through. If the tree spade is used, clean cuts, and new baby roots grow from those cuts. just my .02

 

[Mosey]

I happen to have a fair amount of experience with this. The rule of thumb used by pro tree movers is a root ball 1 foot in dia for every inch of trunk dia and half that amount deep. The trunk dia is measured at 6 inches above the ground. I have moved several trees by hand with a shovel with 1 1/2 inch dia trunks. So, my root ball was 1 1/2 feet in dia. I still encountered some fair sized roots that had to be cut. If you do have to cut a root, be sure and make a clean cut, like with pruners so it can heal faster.

About a year and a half ago (spring of 2001)I tried to move a 18 foot tall yellow poplar with a 3 inch dia trunk and failed. I dug a 3 foot dia root ball about a foot and half deep. The problem was that I couldn't pick it up with anything. I tried to slide it onto a tilt trailer, but couldn't. I was able to drag it up out of the hole with a tow strap (only because it was in heavy clay), but couldn't get it up on the trailer. My neighbor came over and tried to pick it up with his big tractor with a front end loader and we couldn't get it balanced. By the time we were done trying, the roots and trunk were pretty tore up and not much dirt left on the root ball. So, we shoved it back in the hole. I know this is a long story, but the point is, don't try a tree that big! I hired a tree mover and got two other yellow poplar trees with 4 inch dia trunks moved for $150 total. His tree spade dug a 4 foot dia root ball about 4 feet deep. The trees didn't even know they were moved. So far they’re doing good. The tree mover I hired said the largest tree that he can move is a 6 inch dia tree, but since his tree spade goes to a max of 5 feet in dia, a tree that size will experience some shock and could die.

I have seen stories about very large trees with 1 foot or so dia being moved, but it required a backhoe and heavy equipment to do it. Very expensive.

My advice is to stick with a max of 6 inches in dia and hire a tree mover to do it. You don't want to go to a lot of work and then just have it die. Get a fast growing tree, like a red maple. I don't recommend the hybrid poplars, they will drop sticky buds and make a mess, plus they will send out suckers. I know a lot of people move trees in the fall, but I've had much better luck moving them in early spring while they are still dormant.

 

[Boondox]

I had success transplanting a maple about the same size as Mosey's poplar. It was a sugar maple about 4" diameter and 22' tall. One of those tall, straight trees that grow in shade and send all their efforts into reaching that precious sunlight. Unlike Mosey, I never tried to lift it. Instead I just rocked it back and forth while passing burlap underneath the root ball (it was NOT that simple, but tall trees give plenty of leverage), then once the ball was wrapped I pulled it up and slid it onto the hood of an old VW bug and used that as a sled to drag it to the new position.

That was last year, and the tree is doing very well. Oh, and I pampered that tree with fertilizer and deep waterings for a year before the move. It still receives TLC, though probably doesn't need it now. Last thing was I practiced on other trees to gain experience before tackling the one I wanted. How much time do you have to play with?

I've also seen those professional tree movers. Very impressive! Had I known they were that reasonable I might have gone that route.

Pete

 

[northcreek2624]

Thanks Guys,For all the helpful information,you've given me alot to think about over the winter.
I'll give the old maple until spring to see if it buds but,right now it looks like a lost cause............Thanks again for your input, Mike

 

[Turfman]

Hire a tree spade. A LOT less work and better chances for survival. Digging a tree is a science and an art (one I've never mastered). If you pick one to move root prune it this fall and move it in spring before it breaks dormancy. You will loose 90-95% of the roots with a good transplant. Doing it with a backhoe and disturbing the rootball as you do it will lessen your chances for survival. I've moved 3-inch caliper maples by hand with a 75% success rate. We didn't have a tractor then and moving them by hand was a real chore and a lot of work. We really shook up the rootball moving it and darned if all that dirt isn't heavy.

I haven't done this before, but I see no reason it won't work and would like to try it: I'd root prune with a trencher. Just cut slots inside where the rootball is going to be cut and backfill them with sand. When root pruning you usually cut about 50% of the circumference around the plant. When you remove the tree, where you root pruned should be inside the rootball.

The botanical gardens here closed down and they brought in a BIG tree spade from Colorado and moved about 25 large spruce and other specimen trees. They dug them and boxed them to ship to another state. I heard from the director of the gardens that all made it. These trees were huge.

 

[BigEddy]

I've had reasonable success with the following approach on 2-3" hardwoods

Dig a 2' deep trench all the way around the tree about 2' from the trunk.
Take a steel cable (I use high tension wire complements of my local hydro scrap bin) and create a noose around the bottom of the dirt island.
Hook up the cable to the tractor and tighten it until it cuts right through like a cheese cutter.

You now have a freestanding tree with a 2-3' dia by 2' high root ball in the bottom of your hole.

With some rocking and working and shovelling manuever a pair of old tractor tire chains under the root ball, hook up to the loader bucket and lift it out (Never works that easy. Usually end up building a ramp and dragging it out but you get the idea)

Find a new home and plant and water and water and water.

A lot easier with a backhoe than a shovel.
I've found that pruning the roots with a tiling spade about 3 months earlier helps with survival. Just stick the shovel in to its full depth all the way around the tree at about the diameter you plan to dig. Will trim the roots with little real disturbance to the tree.

I need to move a couple once the leaves fall off, so maybe I'll post some pictures.