Transplanting can be a wrenching subject, especially if the plant or tree in question is an old one. The shock to the plant could be fatal-if not done right. There are some clear guides as to how you could avoid this. For instance cool humid weather is a good time to be considering transplanting-but if you stick to the following transplanting guide any weather is fine, especially if you have a plastic spray handy to conserve moisture in the plant or tree you are transplanting.
- A good place to start is the hole you plan to place the transplanted plant in:
- Make sure the hole you have dug is much larger than your root ball –ideally by at least 50%.
- Clear it of stones and debris and mix in peat moss or plant food and possibly some sand.
- Transplant fertilizers give a useful ‘pick up’ too at a time like this and should be added to the plant food.
- Lastly remember to keep the hole well watered and let it soak.
Next the plant:
- Generously water the plant you are about to transplant and keep the roots moist during the transplanting. Covering roots with a well soaked sack or soaking them in a pail is useful if the roots are bare.
Moving & Settling:
- With bigger plants sliding a tarp under the plant will help you move the plant-along with brute force and kind friends!
- Once you have moved the plant to the new hole, turn the plant till you have found its best side! [Ideally you will keep the same north to south exposure it originally had].
- Try and make sure the soil around the plant is at the same level it was earlier. You may have to loosen the soil to let the roots settle in. Alternatively use your hands to firm the soil in gently around the roots.
- At this point watering again becomes important along with a final layer of mulch that will keep the moisture in.
No transplanting guide would be complete without talking of the importance of pruning and protecting the transplanted plant. Deciduous trees in particular need to have its twigs pruned by at least 1/3 to compensate for the loss of roots.
Burlap wrapped around the trunks of trees is one way of protecting the plant in the first year. Staking trees is another way to protect small new roots from wind damage. Remember to set stakes before the replanting, and then tie the tree gently to the stakes.
Don’t over feed your transplanted plant in the first season- a transplanted tree needs only light meals till its feeding roots grow again.
Lastly this transplanting guide ends where it started – watering is the single most important factor for a transplanted tree. Sprinkle the foliage early in the day at first and never forget to keep soil well moist all summer.
In conclusion don’t panic if plants take their time to grow after transplanting. Larger plants take up to a year before they show signs of growth. Sometimes patience is measured in seasons!
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