Sometimes it happens that for some reason our garden plants are about to move. We want to develop the plot in a different way or, for example, find that a given tree grows too close to a fence or a house and may pose a threat to it in the future. Another case is when we are just setting up a garden, and we want it to look like it has always existed in this place. Then we can decide to buy and plant at least one large tree. See how to replant or plant a tree that is already quite large.
Large trees are usually planted in green areas in cities. But in the garden there may also be such a need
Transplanting larger trees is not good for them. Planting such a tree is much more complicated than planting young seedlings. And not only because a large tree, due to its size, causes problems when transporting and requires additional security during planting. For the plant it is also a shock associated with the change of habitat and damage to the root ball. The shock after transplanting is greater the larger the tree is transplanted and it can last up to several years.
Therefore, to make sure that the transplantation succeeds and the plant grows he althily in its new place, it is worth following the tips below. Here's what to do to make transplanting a success …
Which trees can be transplanted?
If the tree is too big, hire a company that has specialized equipment and expertise.We can only replant small trees and shrubs from our garden.
First of all, we should replant trees as young as possible. The older they are, the less they can tolerate transplanting. But of course, there are also variations between species when it comes to transplant tolerance.
Examples of trees that best tolerate transplanting are linden, willow, poplar, plane tree, red oak, spruce, fir and mountain pine. On the other hand, ash trees, English oak and rowan are somewhat more difficult to replant.Species such as Scots pine and warty birch are the worst to replant. Exaggerating the latter should rather be avoided.
Prepare the tree for the move
It is of utmost importance for the success of the entire operation to choose the right moment for transplanting. Deciduous trees that lose their leaves for the winter can be transplanted in a leafless state (from the fall of leaves in autumn to the moment of bud break in spring).However, it should be remembered that transplanting during frosts is always burdened with a high risk, even for our native species of trees and shrubs. Therefore, it is best to replant in autumn (just after the leaves fall) or very early spring.
With conifers, the matter is a bit more complicated and I have heard different opinions on this subject. Well, evergreen conifers, even in winter, during frost, evaporate water through the needles. If, during this period, the plant roots are unable to absorb water from the soil, the plant will dry out. Therefore, in their case, it seems to be a better date at the end of summer, when their growth slows down, but after replanting, there will still be time for the root ball to regenerate a bit before the onset of winter (it is best to replant conifers in the period from mid-August to mid-September). Wet autumn supports the adoption of plants in a new place (if it is dry, the transplanted trees should be watered abundantly).
You should also pay attention to the fact that the trees require prior preparation before transplanting.Large trees should be prepared for this treatment for up to two years. Why? Well, nutrients from the soil are taken mainly by the thinner, younger side roots. On the other hand, old, thick roots stabilize the plant in the substrate, but are no longer able to absorb nutrients. Preparations before transplanting are to thicken the root system within the root ball that will be removed. In other words, it is about creating new, young roots within it, which will be able to extract nutrients from the soil. In order to achieve such an effect, the roots that extend beyond the planned mass are cut in stages.In the case of smaller trees and shrubs, which we will transplant, the matter is not that complicated and it is enough to trim the roots a few months before transplanting. I will describe it on the basis of a coniferous bush, which we will be transplanting at the end of summer suggested above. In this case, in spring, we dig a deep groove around the tree at a distance from the trunk equal to at least 1/3 of the crown diameter (depending on the species and age of the plant and our ability to transport a specimen with a large, heavy root ball).We line the outer wall of the groove with foil, and fill the free space with peat or soil for conifers. If we do not have foil to cover the hole, dig a slightly wider trench and fill it with sand. By digging the groove, we cut off some of its external roots from the plant, so that in the central part of the lump it will release new lateral roots, which, after transplanting, will be able to take nutrients from the soil.
How to protect the roots while moving?
If we buy a larger tree in a nursery or garden shop, its roots will be wrapped in a jute or steel net, forming a spherical bale (biodegradable plant fiber nets are also used - this is undoubtedly the best solution). Then the balled root ball is placed in a pot with soil. This protects the roots from drying out and damage during transport.
Tree with roots in a bale
In such a bale, the roots are very dense, so it seems that the size of the root ball is very small in relation to the size of the tree. The bale, however, not only protects the root ball, but also makes it easier to position the tree in the hole during planting. We do not remove such hay bale (we do not remove jute or wires), but only after placing the tree, we uncover its upper part. After planting, it will take a few years for the roots to overgrow the bale, anchor the plant in the soil and be able to freely draw water from the soil. During this period, the tree will require our special care.
It is slightly different with the roots of trees, which we will transplant ourselves, only to a different place in our garden. In this case, we dig the tree within a radius of about 2/3 of the tree's crown radius. Then we lift the root ball on several sides with a spade. Take it out of the hole so as to damage the lateral roots as little as possible.Place the dug out tree on a piece of strong foil placed on the nursery mat.Wrap the roots with foil so that the soil does not fall off them (keep the root ball together with the soil between the roots in one compact piece). Then drag the mat near the new planting place. Just before planting, remove the foil that wrapped the roots.
Prepare the planting site
Preparing a place for planting a large tree requires a bit more work than when planting young seedlings. We start with cleaning the soil surface (if, for example, there are stones left after construction) and weeding. Then we dig a hole. It should be about 3/4 wider than the root ball (bale) of the planted tree and about 10 to 20% deeper.
When digging a hole, remember to put the top layer of soil about 30 cm thick to the side, separate from the rest of the soil . This humus layer, the most fertile, must come back as the top layer when burying the hole.After making the excavation, it is worth loosening the bottom and sides of the dug hole to make it easier for young roots to quickly penetrate the substrate in the new position.
Now the most important thing … planting!
At the bottom of the dug hole we build a small mound of earth and place a root ball on it. If it is a lump in the bale, it will be much easier for us. We do not remove the hay bale (after placing it, we will only part its upper part). The bale should be at such a depth that the lump protrudes slightly above the ground level (maximum 3 centimeters). The point of reference can be a board placed horizontally on the cut. If the hole is not large, simply put a shovel.
Then fill the hole around the root ball. We do it in layers. Subsequent layers must be compacted by tamping (trampling) or watering. This will minimize the effect of the planted tree sliding into the uncompressed soil.
After planting, water the soil abundantly (if, while filling the hole, we compacted subsequent layers of soil with water, additional watering is not necessary).If we planted a tree with roots wrapped in a bale, after filling the pit, we will need some clay soil to build a low (15 to 30 cm high) shaft around the tree.To make a ring twice the diameter of the bale ball. Pour water inside the shaft so that a miniature puddle is formed. Then the water will slowly seep into the soil and will be better available to the roots of the transplanted tree. This is necessary because the damaged roots will have difficulties taking up water from the soil during transplanting. Especially if we planted a bale plant - the water hardly penetrates deep into the bale. We leave this ring for about two years and fill it regularly (about every 10 days) with water. If that is too troublesome, here's how to reduce the frequency of watering.
What else can we do to make the tree catch?
Above I have described the basic scope of work on planting a larger tree or shrub. However, it must be remembered that as a result of replanting and destroying some of the roots, the plant experiences shock. It will be much more difficult for damaged roots to take up the minerals and the water necessary for the plant's life.
That is why it is recommended to mix the soil with organic fertilizers, e.g. compost soil during planting. In this way, we will ensure an abundance of nutrients in the soil in the first period after planting. You can also use slow-release mineral fertilizers. However, you need to be very careful here and under no circumstances should you use fast-acting mineral fertilizers right after planting the tree. Due to the high sensitivity of the roots of trees that were pruned during transplanting, these fertilizers can harm more than help!
So what to do, if traditional fertilization is not the best idea? Fortunately, today we have even better and more effective methods of reducing shock after replanting a tree.
The first one is the use of Hydrogel. This is called soil water absorbent, i.e. a substance that stores water in the soil. Mixed with the soil, which we fill in the hole around the planted plant, the Hydrogel will help keep water around the roots, preventing it from evaporating and penetrating into the deeper layers of the soil.
Hydrogel granules can absorb the amount of water several hundred times their original volume. When the surrounding soil dries out, the Hydrogel releases the accumulated water. Thus, it improves the plant's water supply and protects it effectively even during longer periods of drought. In practice, this not only increases the chances of the transplanted tree accepting, but also allows us to reduce the frequency of watering the plant.
The benefits of using gels were confirmed by Jerzy Kubiak (Warsaw University of Life Sciences) and Andrzej Księżniak (Department of Agricultural Microbiology, IUNG-PIB in Puławy), who wrote the following in their work The Natural Conditions of Tree Planting in Urbanized Areas:
Gels produced in Poland allow to economically and ecologically improve the availability of water for a plant by introducing an appropriate dose of a gel with high water absorption into the root zone - even up to 0.4 liters for 1 gram of the preparation. Thanks to gels, the drought stress observed in plants during the absence of long-term rainfall is reduced in plants and, at the same time, the activity of microorganisms in the root zone is improved due to the better condition of the plant's root system.For this reason, in longer periods of time, in habitats difficult for plant vegetation, much better growth effects are observed in plants that have increased, thanks to gels, access to water in the substrate.
An important feature of Hydrogel is that it completely degrades within about 5 years. Therefore, it will serve us in the first years after replanting the tree, until its roots have properly regenerated. Then there will be no trace of our helper. Therefore, it is a 100% ecological method!
Apart from Hydrogel, nowadays it is more and more often recommended to use mycorrhizal vaccines when replanting trees. Especially when we transplant garden plants that have never been mycorrhized before.
These vaccines contain live mycorrhizal mycelium of fungi that in the natural environment (eg in forests) coexist with plant roots, increasing their absorbent surface. Thus, they make it easier for plants to take up nutrients from the soil and improve growth conditions. For trees, mycorrhiza is very beneficial, allowing them to survive in unfavorable environmental conditions or in conditions of high competition with other plant species (this is why trees grow in forests without our help, additional fertilization and regular watering). The benefits of using mycorrhizal vaccines are confirmed by the above-mentioned researchers, who write as follows:
Due to the fact that trees from natural environments are rarely transplanted, it is important (…) to use mycorrhizal fungi by introducing an appropriate vaccine into the root ball of the tree. Trees with a rich mycorrhiza on their roots can withstand the stress associated with transplanting much better.
It should be noted here that other microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) are simultaneously transferred with the root ball, forming a set of organisms supporting the plant's vegetation. A significant limitation of the plant's root system during transplanting (up to 80% of the roots are trimmed) suggests the need for mycorrhization during transplanting. (…)
Thanks to the better uptake of nutrients from the substrate by mycorrhizal plants, they usually react not only with higher growths compared to non-mycorrhizal plants, but also with better habit, color and vitality. The use of a mycorrhizal vaccine is a very simple procedure. It is enough to pour the root ball of the plant with a small amount of the preparation during planting. Considering that mycorrhizal vaccines in small packages (for amateur use) are now available in a full range, it is a pity not to take advantage of this possibility.
It is also worth adding that the use of mycorrhizal vaccine together with Hydrogel gives particularly noticeable effects. Not only because the tree roots are better supplied with water, but also because the soil needs moisture for the development of mycorrhizal mycelium. So the mycorrhizal vaccine and the Hydrogel are a very successful pair that supports each other: -)
Before the roots of the transplanted tree grow again and stabilize the plant in the soil, unfortunately the tree can easily fall over (e.g. in stronger winds). Therefore, additional stabilization is necessary in the first years.
We tie the trunk to stakes driven into the ground
In the garden, we can do this in two ways. The first is by tying the trunk to stakes driven into the ground. Depending on the size of the tree and its stabilization in the substrate, you will need to use 1 to 3 stakes. We hammer them into the ground at a slight angle so that they are as far away from the root ball as possible (stuck in perpendicularly right next to the trunk, they can easily damage the roots of the tree). Tie the tree trunk to the stakes with a 4 cm thick webbing tape (to minimize abrasions from the tape). This method is perfect for stabilizing small trees.
You can also use lashings of three steel lines attached to the trunk and anchored in the ground
Another method is the use of guy lines made of three steel lines attached to the trunk and anchored in the ground (the hooks are driven into the soil just like tent pegs).Lashings allow you to stabilize slightly larger trees, but they take up quite a lot of space around the tree, so they cannot be used in small home gardens or too close to a fence.
If you plant a tree bought with a root ball in a bale, you can also use more a discreet way of stabilizing the tree, which is anchoring the root ball to the substrate. For this purpose, before filling the hole with soil, the bale is tied with straps, which are attached to the bottom of the trench with steel herring on four sides.I hope that the above-mentioned procedures will ensure that the transplanted trees will take on their new position and they will grow beautifully: -)
