Trees take a long time to become established – but is it possible to move them should you ever need to overhaul your garden?
No gardener would want to risk harming a tree that they have nurtured and watched grow over the years but for a number of reason gardens will sometimes need significant work carrying out – or even a complete redesign.
It could be that you want to move house and take a significant plant from the garden with you to your new home.
The preferable choice of course is to leave the tree exactly where it is to avoid risking disturbing it or causing damage to its roots. If this is not possible however you may want to consider whether the tree can actually be moved.
Moving established plants carries a risk of killing the plant, shrub or tree so it is something that you really only want to do if absolutely necessary.
It goes without saying that the older a plant or tree the less likelihood there is of it surviving being dug up and moved. However, with the correct amount of care it is possible to move large shrubs and trees.
Plan ahead
The decision will need to be made some time in advance though if it is going to be a successful operation.
It will take around a year to get the tree in the best condition to move. The timing is important and trees are best moved in October or March outside of the growth season.
The tree will need to be primed ahead of the move to help the roots remain intact and to establish again once moved.
To encourage new roots to form you will need to dig a trench around the roots of the tree, accommodating the size of the root ball you need take with the tree. Add an extra foot to accommodate movement and lightly prune the roots to encourage new growth.
When it comes time to move the tree hopefully new roots will be emerging that will help the tree become established in its new location.
For larger trees it is advisable to seek the help of specialists.
For help maintaining garden trees contact the team at Garden Busters to discuss what you need and how we can help.
