I've been cautioned against transplanting larger specimens because they are more likely to have severe transplant shock. Of course, I ignored this advice! I planted several large specimens this year from 10 gallon pots. They are thriving.

Most problems with larger potted/B&B don't show up the first year.

You will know if you got a good take next year or even the following year.

Hope so.

Dave

hey joe ...

the issues with large transplants:

first... there is always a stud to put it in your car or truck... then you get home.. and wonder how the heck to get it out of the car.. and all the way across the yard ... i have seen many stories of the peep who had to run back and beg the nursery to borrow the tree cart ... lol .. someone even walked it home one time.. cuz she knew she would be able to lift it out of the car .... lol...

second.. then you dig the hole... unpot the sucker.. throw it in the hole...find out your hole is too deep.. and cant lift it out of the freakin hole ...

third.. then you find out.. this 8 footer has been grown in this pot for 5 years... and that 4 years of roots are going... like the wheels on the bus... round and round ... so you have to make large gashes in the root system.. hoping to make those roots go out away from the plant ... rather then continue circling... maybe cutting off half the root system. if you get aggressive ....

then.. 4th.. you find out that after making all those cuts... the integrity of the ball failed.. and you have to drag it out of the hole again.. by which time.. you have ruptured two lumbar and one cervical disc.. and are off to the hospital ...

buy this time.. its been upotted in the sun for 5 hours.. and now has half its roots cut off ....

i on the other hand.. bought the 3 footer.. and lifted it out of the trunk with one hand.. dug the hole.. shoved it in.. and have had 4 beers by this time.. lol ...

anyway.. back to your story...

fast forward 3 years.... mine is now 6 foot tall, because it got re-established so fast due to less stressors ... and yours is either dead.. or still 8 feet tall.. and still not recovered... and you are still in therapy after back surgery ...

should you have heavy machinery.. or strapping young men to do this work.. you failed to mention that in your facts ....

now .. all that said... it depends on what you are planting.. many of the juniper.. and thuja/arbs .. are much more forgiving of abuse/stress ... than many of the much more foo foo that some of us deal with ...

in my case... i am not a wealthy man... and for the cost of one 8 foot plant.. i would rather have 5 smaller plants... part of that being a function of having 5 acres to cover ...

but if your budget allows... and you understand the inherent risks ... or if wifey insists.. you do what you have or want to do ... there is no hard and fast rules here.. its more about the 'easy' way.. rather than the risks of the harder way ....

do review.. and commit to memory.. EVERYTHING at the link .. which can be summed up by the following:

PROPER planting
PROPER watering, and
PROPER mulch...

note the key word there....if you do all 3 of those.. in theory .. size is irrelevant ... but for you physical capacity to deal with such .... or your ability to pay to have it done ...

make sense???

now.. you dont mention what you are thinking about.. i am sure.. in a new post.. we could discuss the various aspects of certain conifers.. that you might want.. like single leaders... heat ... zone.. etc .... i surely wont be able to address z7 ... but others will ... but add a big city name..

and if you are thinking larger ball and burlap... you didnt say so ...

good luck

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I have access to a local nursery and occasionally they have b grade material that I see nothing wrong with at 1/2 price

==>>> whats the warranty??? none???

and what is half price on an 8 foot DR ????

are we talking half of 100 ...

or half a thousand????

i would give it a go for fitty bucks...

i would not invest 500 dollars on B GRADE STOCK ... and a large transplant at that ... but that might be my predisposition to being a cheap-wad ...

my gut tells me.. he is dumping it... for a reason ... i just dont know what the reason is ...

no clue about ogon in NC.. sorry ...

ken

It is like with cars. My mechanic looks at a car he needs to put a transmission in as a day's work. For me it is either a bunch if evenings on the driveway working on my car or a bunch if days at work to pay him. So perspective. If you have the means to transplant it easily it is less of an investment.

Also, the tranny in the old Mustang I could probably r&r in a day, my wife's van probably not. Ogon grows FAST so there is less incentive to plant a large one compared to your favirite dwarf that has made it to 8ft and has $x,xxx value.