Relocating trees?

[AdamE]

I'm hoping someone with experience in this area could answer a question for me. How feasible is it to dig up smallish trees out of a wooded or semi wooded area and replant them? About how tall of trees could we safely move and still have a good chance of them surviving?

I wanted to toss this idea out before I talk to my parks department about it. They have access to a small excavator and a bulldozer so equipment shouldn't be an issue. Thanks!

 

[U_NICED_ME]

They probably won't survive a move. Some deciduous trees might if you move them when they are dormant.

 

[biscoe]

been there...tried that... try to talk a local nursery into donating some leftovers instead... moving trees is a ton of work and they often die anyway...

 

[sloppydisc]

You need a true tree expert. I think you want to find an arborist in the phonebook. I had a couple small trees moved at my house, but it was done by an expert, and he warned me that they may not survive. Don't touch those trees yourself. Unless you want them dead.

 

[Sadjo]

I think the key is moving when they're dormant and making sure you add what ever mix of local treat soil is best. I would bet that some local nurseries would do what Biscoe is suggestion. Might even give you some nicer trees/shrubs for signage on the course.

 

[Disc Golf Live]

We've moved quite a few trees through the years at my local club. Biggest ones were moved with a tree spade, a real big one. Those trees were mostly mature ashes, I'm guessing maybe 8" in diameter. That was only affordable ($100 per tree) because the owner of the machine was a friend of the club. Unfortunately, the ashes all croaked due to an invasive species. (Several choke cherries have survived, they're tough and don't mind the discs much. Very sappy.) I think our success rate was roughly 4/5 survival before the ash borers hit. (The bonus was that several of the ashes had small cedars growing at the base, which were also picked up by the spade. Several of those have long outlived the big tree and grown up nicely.)

The park folks, using a much smaller spade, have successfully moved a few smaller cedars, in the 4 to 6 foot range. Survival, roughly 2/3. Also moved were a few maples, smallish ones in the one inch diameter range. They didn't do well, although maples we've planted (purchased from a wholesaler) have done uniformly well, except when snapped off by disgruntled disc golfers who seem to thrive on breaking things. (I'd recommend putting smaller transplants off the fairway, and using purchased, more mature trees for any fairway plantings. Scrawny little transplants won't like the traffic and abuse the fairway brings but can mature nicely along the margins.)

Good luck. Hopefully your park system has a person on staff who can help with timing this right and with optimizing success via watering etc.

Joe

 

[eegor]

Chop down the trees you don't want. Plant the fastest growing hardwood trees that are native to your area, where you want them. Add in slower growing trees where you want lower obstacles or privacy.

You can always ask you local nursery to donate what they don't sell and have your local club plant them, with the park department's blessing of course.

It's the most effective way and will leave you with the best overall results.

Plant a tree for each one cut down... it's good karma.

 

[Mando]

With the bad economy, there are many tree nurseries thinning (and burning) their stock because the trees are either too big or too crowded. I would check with them first. This is the perfect time of year to transplant, so you will have your best chance of survival if done in the next month.
The success of replanting wildlings depends on the species. I would not try anything over 1
1/2" caliper.

 

[AdamE]

Thanks for the great info. I'll check with some local nurseries and see if they can help us out.

 

[Monocacy]

As others have mentioned, success rate may be quite low when transplanting wild trees. Root pruning can increase your chances of success if you have plenty of time before you need to move the tree. Links:

University of Vermont: Transplanting Trees and Shrubs

University of Tennessee: Successfully Transplanting Established Trees

 

[CFH-mn]

i recomend that you only use Walnut trees on the disc course! there tough...

"a woman, a dog, a walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they be!"
old proverb from the film "the red badge of courage" 1951 starring national HERO Audie Murphy

 

[Stacie]

So may variables...type of tree, health of tree, size of tree, etc.

County or State Ag. commissioner may be able to help as well...also have to consider (like ash borer) moving trees from one location to another may increase the possibility of the spread of pests or disease...

 

[`cjc]

..treesaregood.com is a good consumer resource.

..the diameter of the trunk to ball ratio should inch/12 inches across the ball of the tree.

..so a 3 inch caliper trunk should have a ball that's 36 inches across (and mostly likely 36 high)

..I wouldn't recommend trying to transplant any tree over 3.5 inch caliper, because the length and depth of the ball is rather large and heavy.

..and the tree should be transplanted during dormancy or in the early summer due to energy reserves, and/or net photosynthesis. If you transplant in the spring, most of the stored energy has been transported for the roots to their leaves. The energy win the roots will be diminished and the tree will most likely die.

..if transplanting in wet soils, try willow plugs. They work incredibly well. And use native species, they will have less insect and disease problems and will be better adapted genetically to temperature extremes.

..disclaimer:I am an ISA Certified Arborist and have transplanted (successfully) more trees than I would have liked too. It's a pain in the balls.

 

[`cjc]

i recomend that you only use Walnut trees on the disc course! there tough...

"a woman, a dog, a walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they be!"
old proverb from the film "the red badge of courage" 1951 starring national HERO Audie Murphy

..walnut trees produce alleochemicals which kill off most herbaceous plants and other trees within the walnuts "dripline". Great choice for hardiness, bark, and animal uses (nuts), but poor choice for biodiversity.