Tree transplanting is the process of carefully moving a tree from one location to another. This involves uprooting the tree with a portion of its root system (called the root ball) and replanting it in a new, more suitable location.
Unlike simple tree planting, transplanting involves mature or semi-mature trees and requires specialized care to ensure survival and continued growth.
Importance and Benefits of Tree Transplanting
Tree transplanting plays a critical role in both urban and rural landscapes. Some key benefits include:
- Preservation of Mature Trees: Rather than cutting down trees during construction or development, transplanting allows you to save and relocate valuable mature trees.
- Improved Landscaping Design: Trees can be strategically moved to enhance the aesthetic and functional layout of a property or garden.
- Environmental Impact: Transplanting helps retain biodiversity, reduce carbon footprint, and protect the natural ecosystem.
- Cost-Effective Solution: Moving a large tree can be more cost-effective than growing a new one to maturity, especially in commercial or municipal projects.
Transplanting
Transplanting is the process of bodily lifting of mature and large plants from their position to a new position.
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1) Transplanting
i) Considerations for Transplanting
Before transplantation a woody plant, evaluate whether or not the tree or shrub is likely to be a successful transplant.
Prune the crown of the tree to a third and roots to a minimum such that it can be transported
Plants which are already in advanced stages of decline are especially likely to succumb to transplantation stress.
Often a young nursery-grown plant will resume growth sooner than an older transplanted tree or shrub and will provide more long-term benefits in the new planting location.
Shrubs have better transplant tolerance than trees, deciduous plants better than evergreens, shallow rooted species better than deep rooted species, and younger plants better than older plants.
When deciding whether or not to transplant a tree or shrub, or to start over with a young plant, the following considerations are necessary:
- Species transplantation tolerance,
- Condition of the plant,
- Season to transplant,
- New planting site conditions,
- The Equipment needed and
- Follow up care
ii) Season of Transplanting
Transplanting is done when there is enough moisture in the soil. Hence, monsoon is the right time as there is enough moisture in the soil
Some species may survive transplanting any time during the year when the ground is not frozen, but woody plants are preferably moved in the spring after the ground thaws and before the buds on the tree or shrubs begin to swell.
They may also be moved in the fall after leaf drop but before the ground freezes. Fall planting should take place soon after leaf drop, providing time for new water absorbing roots to develop before the soil freezes.
Since evergreens are especially prone to winter browning if planting is delayed until shortly before the ground freezes in the fall, they should be moved late in the summer to early fall.
Wood plants that are transplanted in late spring and early summer, when shoot growth is at its peak, tend to show the greatest transplant injury.
iii) Site Selection
There are great differences in the environmental requirements for each tree and shrub species. Only transplant a tree or shrub where light, moisture, soil pH, and wind exposure are appropriate for the particular species.
All plants require space for root and crown development; therefore, consider mature plant size when planting trees and shrubs.
Soil characteristics are often limiting factors for woody plant survival in a given area. Sometime the soil is inappropriate for tree growth and will require improved drainage or amendments before trees and /or shrubs are planted at the given location. A soil test should be completed in areas where soil quality is questionable.
iv) Transplanting Procedure
Plant should be bodily lifted with as many roots as possible and taken to the new position immediately. Ball of earth surrounding the root should be also be lifted.
Cover the root ball with damp material which will retain moisture (burlap, peat moss, canvas, plastic, etc.) until planting.
Plastic should only be used in shaded areas for less than a day or heat injury and/ or root suffocation may occur.
When a tree or shrub is stored, it should be protected from direct sunlight, winds, and temperature extremes. If any woody plants cannot be planted for more than a week, their roots should be covered with a match or moist soil and the plants should be placed in a shades area.
In all cases root systems should be allowed to dry out. Dry roots can severely decrease the potential for transplant success.
Roots should not be injured. It must be cut so that the amount of water absorbed in the new site can be checked. There is a change in the environment, thus more amount of water might create problems.
If the earth breaks away from the root area, it must be smeared with clay, cowdung and water.
The entire plant is then placed within the pit and fine soil can be added. Finally good soil will cover up the root. The replanting is to be done to the same depth as was at the old location.
Broken limbs should be removed and leaf area to be removed and leaf area to be reduced to check evapo-transpiration. At the same time branches have to be cut back.
v) Staking
Trees should be protected from bending due to wind by stakes. Stakes also help in transpiration of water.
- Care should be taken that clay is not brought into the new site. Thus, roots should always be washed before replanting.
- Transplanting is done when there is enough moisture in the soil. Hence, monsoon is the right time as enough moisture exists in the soil. September is the ideal month for carrying out the process of transplanting.
- Cold, moist and cloudy weather is the best for transplanting. The evenings are better suited for the purpose as plants refresh themselves in cool night.
- Soft-wooded plants are better transplanted than hardwood plants.
vi) Watering
After transplanting, copious watering is done. Copious watering procedure has to be clearly mentioned.
2) Post Planting Care
i) Watering
Too much or too little water after transplanting is a major cause of tree or shrub loss. The site should be thoroughly watered immediately after planting.
Thereafter, the soil must be regularly monitored to prevent drying out.
If rainfall is inadequate, the soil around the plant’s roots should be deeply watered approximately every 10 -14 days.
If unsure if the soil is drying, dig down 3 to 4” next to the plant. Wet soil at that depth verifies watering is not needed at that time.
ii) Mulch
Mulches help conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature and control weeds around trees and shrubs.
They are placed on the soil surface over the tree or shrub root system. Either organic or inorganic mulches may be used.
Organic mulches may be composed of bark or wood chips, straw, partially decomposed leaves or other materials.
They should be applied 3 to 4” deep. Maintain a 4 to 6“ mulch-free area adjacent to the woody stems.
Inorganic mulches include crushed rock, woven fabric, and other materials. Should plastic mulches may impede or prevent root development because they do not allow air or moisture to move into or out of the soil from above?
Occasionally, when soil is poorly drained, mulch should not be used.
iii) Fertilizer
For the first few years, woody plants rarely need nutrients beyond those naturally occurring in the soil. No fertilizer or manure should be mixed with the fill soil, as this could cause root damage.
If transplants appear to need fertilizer during the first few years, a totally soluble complete fertilizer should be applied.
iv) Pruning
Pruning may be required when transplanting trees or shrubs. The amount of pruning depends on the size of the root ball and plant canopy, health of the plant, and the species transplanted.
Insect infested stems or those infected with disease should be removed during transplanting.
Any broken stems should be removed as well.
Additional pruning of shrubs may be required to balance the leaf area with the reduced size of the root system, but further pruning of deciduous trees should be postponed for at least one year after transplanting.
Pruning of conifers should be limited to diseased, insect, and broken limbs. If additional pruning of conifers is necessary, it should be limited to one-year-old wood whenever possible.
Late season plantings may require additional pruning since the plants have less time to become established before winter than those planted earlier in the season.
v) Mechanical Support
Mechanical support for trees may be necessary when the tree is tall, slow to recover, heavily foliaged, or planted in a sandy site.
Most small trees and shrubs do not require staking or other support and will develop strong trunks faster if allowed to move freely with the wind.
For trees that do require mechanical support, staking may be used. Two stakes can be placed opposite of each other and the tree anchored to the stakes with a nonabrasive material, such as a soft, board, fabric strap.
Any support provided to a tree should be removed as soon as the tree can stand alone, usually after the first growing season. The sooner the support is removed, the faster the tree will become stronger.