How to Transplant Maple & Spruce?

[Sheridan]

Hi guys,

I planted a windbreak of hardwoods and another of white spruce in 2002. I planted them 7-8 feet apart thinking some of them would die. Well, most of them made it and now they are beginning to grow too close together (especially the hardwoods, the spruce have a few years yet).

The sugar maple are between 1"/5 feet tall and 3"/12 feet tall; the spruce are between 3 and 5 feet tall and from 1-2" in diameter; and some (Carolina?) ash are about 10-12 feet tall and 2-3" in diameter.

I don't recall the root patterns (I don't think maple has a tap root, right?), but what's the best way to dig them up (manually) and move them with the best success of survival? I'll likely move them next spring.

If root pruning is indicated, how far and deep do I go?

The soil is loam with some to moderate amounts of clay (old alfalfa field).

Thanks for any help you can provide. My other option is to just cut them down to give the others more room to grow, but since I hand watered them from seedlings, and they are now pretty nice trees, I'd rather try to save them if I can, without killing myself.

 

[nytreeman]

In the spring you shouldnt have much trouble transplanting them bareroot,while they are still dormant after the ground has thawed ,late march early april here,dig 2-3 ft around them and try to get all the big roots you can,prune back some of the branches and top to a bud to reduce the amount of foliage and stress when they open,because of the root loss, at least on the hardwoods.Keep them well watered at least an inch a week if it doesnt rain.give them a good dose of high phosphorous/potassium fertilizer not too much nitrogen at first though, to get the roots growing you shouldnt have much trouble.

 

[Sheridan]

Do any of these three (sugar maple, white ash, and white spruce) have deep roots that I need to be sure to get, or are they mostly shallow webbing?

 

[Newt*]

Sheridan, you should find these sites helpful. Do look for girdling roots on the sugar maples.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/components/7501_02.html


Info on your trees.
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/ACESACD.pdf
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/FRAAMEA.pdf
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/PICGLAA.pdf

Transplanting info.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/gardening/1273481.html?page=2
http://www.albertarose.org/women/gardening/ball_and_burlap.htm
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WO017
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/trees/f1147w.htm
http://www.arborday.org/trees/video/howtoplant.cfm
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx

Newt

 

[Sheridan]

Thanks very much Newt. Looks like some good information; should keep me busy for a little while.