Expert: Jim Hyland - 4/3/2011

Question
I have a conifer (don't know exactly the name).  it's abt 18" tall and been in the ground abt 3 yrs.  It's a very dense plant,very slow growing.  I'm in East Texas and want to transplant.  We have sandy soil and extremely hot summers.  When safe to transplant and do i need to supplement soil?  Thanks for your time and expertise.

Answer
Evergreens should be moved early in the fall so they have time to form new roots. They need at least 6 weeks before the ground freezes.
It can be done now if you water and get the roots established before the hot summer months.

All ages of evergreens, can be successfully moved only if a ball of soil is left around the roots. The exposed roots should be protected with moist burlap or newspaper or with polyethylene sheeting. Every effort should be made to reduce root exposure to wind and sun, keeping the ball as moist as possible. It's best to prepare the hole before digging up the tree you wish to move.

Size of the root ball and size of the hole:

For deciduous trees and shrubs the soil ball should be:

Width = 9-12 in. in diameter/every 1 in. of tree diameter
Depth = 6 in./every 1 in. of tree diameter

For example: A tree trunk 2 inches wide would need a soil ball of 18-24 inches wide and 12 inches deep.



Dig the new hole twice the size of the rootball and as deep so the new ground level is the same as the top of the rootball. Fill the hole with good top soil. Mulch around the trees with not more than 3 inches of mulch water with 1 inch of water each week