I have had to do this a few times over the years and I usually end up alright. Even though some of the buds have opened you should be alright. The key is to make sure you get a large enough container and large enough root ball and not sever any roots. You also want to make sure you don't over water the tree. Do not fertilize the tree when you transplant it either. It will possibly get burned. Hope this helps!

I appreciate the advise, but think many of the roots have been severed. I am low on funds and made a deal with a young man to move these trees into a containers for an exchange for a pool table. He sounded like he new what he was doing. I now fear that the job was too much and that he and his help did not get enough of the root system. They cut many of the large roots to fit into one of those 58 gallon containers. The top off the container was cut off about 1/4 way down and several holes drilled in the bottom and filled about 1/4 way with pine mulch. The containers were pretty tall but not very wide. I am now afraid that in my haste and knowing that this need to be done ASAP that they may not survive. Checking on their progress I saw that they had cut many large roots that were pretty close to the tree to able to fit the diameter of the container. Both trees took them all day to do and I watered both imediately after being put into the containers. It is now several hours later and the one seems fine so far, but the first one dug appears to be wilting. Is this normal do to the shock or have I made a grave mistake. I was advised not to fertilized them, so that I would not burn them. Is there anything I can do to help with the root system? It seems to me that a lot of the root system was cut and only a small ball transported with these 3ft trees that have been in the groung for approximately 10 years. I would appreciate any advice. I will feel horrible if these trees die, when I could have left them on the existing property. I just really wanted these trees for my future home.

Jm's are pretty durable you may have a pretty thin tree this year or nerxt but they may recover. I have preached this for a while now LARGE older trees are hard to move and not for the faint of heart...once in the ground a while they get big roots..unlike potted ones most folks buy. No one ever believes me that moving them is a major job they see those cute little 1-3 year olds with those pretty little hair like roots in the nusery pots and think that is what they will find when they try to move one that is planted out ..WRONG!!!... and what you had happen is not uncommon unless you have a pro with a bucket truck ( clam shell digger). I don't know the best thing to do now ...my instinct would be to find someone to help you ball and bulap them for you cause I am afraid smooshed in those pots the roots will not have any or enough medium around them and dry out and they will CROAK. Better yet...If you could find a place to temp plant them til fall that may be better then when dormant move to their permanant spot...you will never find an adequate ( read BIG enough) pot I fear...just some thoughts leaving them in their current state doesn't sound prudent... david

I just wanted to thank everyone for their advice. I trimmed the branches as directed and I moved them to shade. I had a neighboring landscaper replant the trees under the shaded area this morning. They did a great job and finished off the job with mulch and placed burlap over the trees to help protect them from burning. This landscaper had driven by property over the weekend and saw that I had these trees in the drums and thought to himselfÂ"Those trees are going to die, if not already dead." However, he informed me this morning that he was happier with the condition of the trees and root system, then what he anticipated. The next several days are vital and I need to spray the leaves often throughout the day, but he feels that these trees are going to make it. He charged me a $100 bucks and was here with 2 other workers for almost 2 hours. What a great price and he now has a customer that will by future trees from him. He stated that the trees were worth $500 - $600 a piece. I told him about this forum and he was glad that I took the advice to plant them in the ground. He will move them again for me next March. Thanks again!!