How To: Transplant a Tree

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about How To: Transplant a Tree and hope the blog can help you.

Do you have a poorly located tree? There’s no need to chop it down! With the right tools and techniques, you can transplant a tree to another area in your yard.

Whether they’re deciduous or evergreen, shade or ornamental, trees add value and curb appeal to any property. But occasionally, a tree’s placement presents some problems. Perhaps it blocks a construction project like a home expansion or deck addition. Maybe the tree is floundering from inadequate light, soil, or water conditions in its current location.

A tree might also start growing too close to the house or surrounding structures, preventing healthy development. Whatever the situation, that poorly positioned tree doesn’t have to get you down or get chopped down. As long as the healthy sapling’s tree trunk isn’t larger than 2 inches in diameter, a tree owner can follow this guide for how to transplant a tree to another spot in the yard.

If you’re considering how to transplant a tree within your property, be sure to time it right: Trees should be moved during late fall or early spring, since the tree’s dormant state allows for speedy root growth in the new location. If transplanting in the fall, complete the task early enough for the roots to get established before the ground freezes.

Even so, you should start your project much sooner than that; tree roots must be pruned several months prior to the transplant to help the tree thrive in its new location. Keep reading for instructions on how to prune as well as how to transplant your tree—and how to ensure it survives in its new home.

Reasons to Relocate a Tree, Shrub, or Large Plant

Trees do more than add greenery, fruit, or flowers to a landscape. People plant trees to shade patios, driveways, homes, and other plants. Sometimes, a tree outgrows the space it lives in and infringes on structures above the ground or plumbing pipes below. Mature trees can grow too closely to power lines and pruning is just not enough.

Conditions around a tree can change. For example, the city might add a sidewalk, the neighbor puts up a fence, or the garage fills, forcing the shiny family car out to the driveway and under a bird-loving tree.

Some people move to a home with established trees that were planted too close to the house, with the wrong sun exposure, or in a spot where deer or elk are damaging it. Transplanting a tree can prevent damage to a car, roof, and people—or save the tree itself.