transplanting

[Mitchell]

As i found usefull but somewhat contradictory info here i hope for feedback on transplanting a gary oak in the next few days.
It is 4 feet tall and about 4 years old. the buds have not broken yet altthough the old dead leaves from last season are mostly still on [is that a sign of anything, i did not expect that].
It was planted in a wet section of a yard. I have picked a spot with less water.
I was asked to move it for esthitcs and because it has high family value. They want the tree to have the best shot at living the trans plant due to sentimental attachment to its parent tree.

Other posts have suggested bare rooting it, while others suggest digging it out and dragging it over. Some say add admenments to soil.

Based on what I have read I was planning on digging out a three foot ball, securing it, then dragging it 20 feet over lawn on a tarp.

I thought i had read in the ISA study guide that admendments to soil are not shown to help, is this still true. The soil at the site is all of high quality. my only concern with the soil is that it is still a wet area and the tree will not root deeply which might cous eit to toople years down the road.

Would the type of chips i use for mulch matter; would any old cedar or regular stuff from my chipper suffice. I would think things like cedar would be a poison to some degree.
thanks for your insight

 

[Boa07]

Mitchell, there really is no mystery to transplanting and I'm sure that what you have read will have already covered what I will tell you. You must keep the roots moist the whole time dessication equals root death, wrap that root ball in burlap and then wrap the burlap with whatever you can get, rope, truckers straps, wire mesh..etc, just wrap it tight. Keep the root ball damp the whole time, not soaked since you could easily wash away precious soil, but damp.
Amendments? The only things I've added to the soil (if testing shows no deficiences) is dilute solutions of seaweed extract, fish emulsion and a compost tea and molasses solution. The only other thing to add to the replanted tree is a layer of well aged oak wood chips (ideally the same species as your tree). Keep the tree well irrigated for at least 2 months and feed the soil (not the tree!) with the above mentioned solutions throughout that period and on into the first year after the move.

If your concerns for the water logging of your garden are serious perhaps you should consider installing ag-drains into the area well before the transplant?

Hope at least some of this is helpful to you.

 

[Mitchell]

straight forward

thanks for taking the time to typ[e your thoughts boa,
I did not think it was complicated, just laborous untill i read a few old posts here. this client is hiring me to make sure it works so i double checked a few threads here and found different opinions as to the best methods for success. Made me reconsider just doing it the way the ISA shows which is what you described. I think unless some one else has experience that differs I will go ahead with what you suggested.
scott

 

[woodchux]

One good way to transplant is to drive flat fence pickets into the ground in a circle around the tree. Then dig a trench around the outside of the pickets. Next place a strap around the pickets and tighten them together. This way the root ball is disturbed the least when you pop it out of the hole.
Hard to explain , but easy to do.