| First, are you moving to the same zone? How long will the tree have to be out of the ground? How large will the rootball be? If the move is close, and the tree can go from hole to hole in a matter of hours, here's what I'd do: Start cutting the rootball now. Cut the perimeter down aout 4" with a sharp spade. In two weeks, take it down another 4". Just before moving it, finish the rootball and prune the crown a bit, to make up for loss of root. Start the new hole well before you move. Dig it out twice as wide as the rootball will be, and about the same depth. Cultivate organic material into the bottom of the hole, and mix it with the fill dirt from the hole. On moving day, pull the tree and bag the rootball in heavy black plastic bags. Spritz the rootball lightly before bagging it, and tie the bags closed around the trunk. Take it to the new place, and plant it immediately, burying it so that the top of the rootball is 2" above ground level. Backfill with the amended soil, and water it in as you backfill to eliminate air pockets. Build a small (3" deep) dam, about a foot in diameter, around the trunk, to act as a water well. Water it heavily for a week or two, depending on weather. Break down the dam, and mulch around the tree (not touching the trunk) for winter. |
