Oak Tree

[wort]

I had a young Oak tree growing on my property last summer until the beavers made away with it.
There are several other Oak tree's aproxiamately the same size on the property so i thought i would try and transplant one of them to the spot of the missing tree.
So my questions are - are Oaks easily transplanted
- is there a time of year that's best to do the transplant
- is there a min. or max. size / age of the tree that i need to be concerned about
- other than water and native soil would i need anything else

thanks

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Pics? Size? I have a couple "young" oak trees, cant be but 20 or 30 years old, only about 40' tall, got an easy 100 years left in em...

A little more info would help.

 

[Marshy]

I'm no expert on growing trees but I think it would help the experts if you gave us your location. At least what hardiness zone you are in. GL

 

[wort]

I'm no expert on growing trees but I think it would help the experts if you gave us your location. At least what hardiness zone you are in. GL

Northern Ontario

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Size?

 

[bayard]

i would be concerned about beavers coming back. they like your oak trees.

 

[ATH]

1) Make sure you pick a tree worth moving---look for one with a nice dominate central leader
2) Move it when the tree is dormant (and soil is not frozen).
3) As for size that can be moved...really that is unlimited if you have the money to pay for the horsepower! More practically, measure the diameter of the tree 6" above the ground. This is called "caliper" in the nursery industry. Once you have that, you can know how big the rootball needs to be. See page 21 (33rd page in the pdf) in The ANSI Standard for tree planting. The chart shows rootball:caliper sizes.
4) Make sure it is not planted too deep.
5) Put a cage around it to protect from the beavers.

 

[Jason Douglas]

Will depend on species of oak too. Pin oak transplants quite well whereas white oak is far more difficult.

 

[wort]

1) Make sure you pick a tree worth moving---look for one with a nice dominate central leader
2) Move it when the tree is dormant (and soil is not frozen).
3) As for size that can be moved...really that is unlimited if you have the money to pay for the horsepower! More practically, measure the diameter of the tree 6" above the ground. This is called "caliper" in the nursery industry. Once you have that, you can know how big the rootball needs to be. See page 21 (33rd page in the pdf) in The ANSI Standard for tree planting. The chart shows rootball:caliper sizes.
4) Make sure it is not planted too deep.
5) Put a cage around it to protect from the beavers.

I'm going to attempt the transplant in the fall of / 17. Thank you for the informative reply.

 

[ATH]

I have always had great success planting in the fall...My preferred time. However a large and reputable nursery that I dealt with for the first time this year wouldn't dig and ship me oak unless I acknowledged they recommend spring planting for oak and I waived their responsibility for failed fall planting. For whatever that is worth....

I'll continue fall planting until I see results suggesting otherwise.

 

[Toronado3800]

With just a shovel I consider it a waste of effort to plant trees more than 3 or 4 foot tall.

 

[JTM]

I've transplanted hundreds of oak trees with just a shovel that were well over 6'. Although I know nothing of the region you are in. Be careful not to damage the tap root. Plant when dormant during the rainy season. Water copiously the first year.

Forty years ago I helped my father transplant a live oak in Florida in July. It was about 4" diameter. We reached as high as we could and cut the leader. Then we cut every branch and green twig off that tree. Nothing left but a stick. Well, all the locals made fun of that but today it is a very beautiful live oak among the hundreds we transplanted along Lake Mary Blvd in Lake Mary Florida. So chances are that if you are ever there you will likely see live oaks we planted when the place was a one horse town.

 

[JTM]

These are all live oaks that were transferred from grow pots around my fathers house around 20- 25 years ago when he disbanded the tree farm.