Re: moving fruit trees in Summer

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Posted by M. D. Vaden on June 14, 2003 at 20:58:12:

In Reply to: moving fruit trees in Summer posted by Jake on June 14, 2003 at 18:53:29:

I moved my 3 year old Apple tree in summer once when restyling the back yard.

Obviously you will dig a nice rootball - maybe 20" wide and 12" to 15" deep.

Cut the circle - sharpen the shovel first.

When digging the surrounding soil, dig sideways so you don't pry pressure into the ball and crack the ball.

After the first trench ring, cut a second circular ring deeper and under the ball to complete it.

If you use a cheap $2 tarp, wad 1/2 of it and wad that 1/2 under the ball by tilting the tree. Then tilt it the other way and pull the wadded 1/2 to the other side.

Then 2 people can cradle the ball and lift and drag and skid using the four corners as handles.

Also, prune out about 1/3 of the growth, unless you can get almost all the roots.

Put the tree in the hole - and sometimes I fill the hole 1/3 with water and muck the backfill soil in - like "mudding" it in. I will do that even though its not the ideal for soil structure if its a summer move where good soil contact to the root ball is more essential than preserving soil structure.

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Comments:
: I moved my 3 year old Apple tree in summer once when restyling the back yard.

: Obviously you will dig a nice rootball - maybe 20" wide and 12" to 15" deep.

: Cut the circle - sharpen the shovel first.

: When digging the surrounding soil, dig sideways so you don't pry pressure into the ball and crack the ball.

: After the first trench ring, cut a second circular ring deeper and under the ball to complete it.

: If you use a cheap $2 tarp, wad 1/2 of it and wad that 1/2 under the ball by tilting the tree. Then tilt it the other way and pull the wadded 1/2 to the other side.

: Then 2 people can cradle the ball and lift and drag and skid using the four corners as handles.

: Also, prune out about 1/3 of the growth, unless you can get almost all the roots.

: Put the tree in the hole - and sometimes I fill the hole 1/3 with water and muck the backfill soil in - like "mudding" it in. I will do that even though its not the ideal for soil structure if its a summer move where good soil contact to the root ball is more essential than preserving soil structure.




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Special thanks to Jane and Bob Rosi for providing this information.

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