Transplanting a small tree

[Toy4xchris]

This year was the wood anniversary for my wife and I and we decided we would like to plant a tree to grow old with in our backyard. Over the weekend we noticed a tree growing in a drainage ditch along the back side out our woods under a phone line. Unfortunately this tree will need to be removed so we decided we would like to transplant it.

The post is asking for advice on seasons and tips to give this tree the opportunity to thrive in our backyard. Any advice on this tree and how to move it and help it thrive will be greatly appreciated. I have never transplanted a tree before. Thank you in advance.

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[ATH]

Question 1: do you want the mess that comes with a sweetgum in your yard?

A tree that small won't take too much of a football. Aim for at least 20" in diameter. Every inch you can go bigger is better. The challenge is getting it lifted out of the ground of you are digging by hand. What kind of soil do you have?

 

[Toy4xchris]

Unfortunately Rocky clay so it can be a pain to dig in.

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[Mustang71]

I always wait till the fall to dig them up then plant them in a bucket and if they grow leaves again in the spring I dig a hole cut the bottom of the bucket off and plant the bucket. Every time I've tried to transplant living trees in the summer they die.

 

[ropensaddle]

Go to a nursery get a good tree like water oak plant or crepe myrtle and enjoy, don't plant too deep and feather the planting hole. I have transplanted with success but the ground was nice digging and even in summer if water it real good but in your case id recommend getting better species and one ready for planting!

 

[Toy4xchris]

I appreciate the advice guys. I think if I do transplant this it will be into a bare spot in the woods were I lost a lot of pines do to beetles. I think I will find a better tree to place in the back yard. I do have a handful of smaller Oaks growing around that same area along the phone line maybe one of those might be worth trying to transplant.

 

[Buckshot00]

I appreciate the advice guys. I think if I do transplant this it will be into a bare spot in the woods were I lost a lot of pines do to beetles. I think I will find a better tree to place in the back yard. I do have a handful of smaller Oaks growing around that same area along the phone line maybe one of those might be worth trying to transplant.

There you go. Nice job. Forget the sweetgum. I would transplant in the winter. Also buy some potting soil since you have clay. Here are 2 places that you can order trees from cheap. I have used both.
http://www.nativnurseries.com/t-home.aspx
http://nc-forestry.stores.yahoo.net/fir.html