First, look at my tools in the picture. I start very far outside with the cultivating fork and work inside with it just to remove the soil to the point where serious root begins. The idea is to find the largest roots without damaging them too much. A hoe can also be useful for this part. After removing soil to first roots up to the trunk I go back outside as far as 3' from the trunk and begin aggressively chopping soil with the cultivating fork. Then I use the conventional shovel making cuts more or less horizontal to the flow of the roots so I can loosen the soil without doing too much damage to the roots. I gradually find the largest roots this way and free them up gradually using the fork and the shovel. I also begin using the solid metal King of Spades spade also going horizontally at first to minimize damage. The idea is to pull away soil without tearing too much root. So yes, I start on the outside and work my way in. The soil is always quite moist here in fall and spring so I don't have to water at any point. I never water transplanted plants in in my nursery or when making installations with dormant plants. I have no fear of air pockets, whatever the lit has to say. I've seen fresh root grow right through open space in the soil. As long as the humidity is about 100% why shouldn't it? The smaller trees that I move after growing for a couple of years are always very crowded as I have them in a fenced area tightly spaced (too tightly, actually). It still is not hard to move them without damaging a lot of root although it can be claustrophobic. I've rarely moved older trees that are growing closely together but you can only do the best you can and the method would be the same. I tip the tree as it begins to loosen- but gentle enough not to tear unfreed root, getting closer and closer to the trunk. Most of the final work is with the spade but loose soil is removed with the regular shovel and fork as I go. I should have my wife come out and take pictures the next time me or my helper moves a big tree to give you better images of the process.

hairmetal - do you mind sharing the name of the nursery in Purcellville? BTW - went to Susanna Farms for the first time in donkey's years. OMG they are expensive. But being in MoCo like that, I can't really blame them. Charge what the market will bare. Oddly they had some wierd bargains that almost felt like they'd forgotten to add a 0 to a price. Unfortunately they were too big to fit in my car, like a nice Juniperus rigida pendula, that I think was only $79. It was huge. I really wanted to get something but just couldn't hold my nose tightly enough. I can understand pricing something like a showy Japanese maple high. But they had some little Trochodendrons that were no more than 20" high. Sure they are slow growing when small...but $120? Who's going to buy that? At that size they are about the most anonymous, bland, broad leaved evergreens imaginable. They look like scrounged up bunches of English Ivy. I maybe could have gone up to $65 out of the kindness of my heart, but, $120? Nope. But if they get rich suckers from Potomac to pay those prices, good for them. They do have a nice selection of what I'd call the standard upscale plants...which is getting harder and harder to find. For example also took a quick walk 'round Merrifield's Merrifield location (haha), was disappointed with their selection of similar stuff. If it's showy and marketable, like the Encore Azaleas, they make room for it. Otherwise, overall a more utilitarian, albeit slightly less expensive, selection. And still heavily pushing Leyland Cypresses which is a questionable business practice IMHO. This post was edited by davidrt28 on Wed, Oct 16, 13 at 23:46

with most conifers... once all the green is cut off .. the trunk and roots are technically dead ... there are no dormant buds, so there is little chance it will regrow ... how long will it take to rot .. well ... in my dry sand.. forever .... in moister soil.. shorter .. and BTW.. enjoy the mushroom show that is on its way as they rot ... it is hard work .. but you shouldn't have all that hard a time digging some new holes for trees .... especially if you move 10 to 15 feet from the stumps .... and if you cant handle it.. hire a couple of strapping young men to go at a couple holes .... sometimes its easier to pay .. lol ... sharpen your shovel ... get a good tree saw ... and some pruning shears .....and just start digging ... and if you run across a giant root... shift the hole over a bit and keep going ... until you have a decent sized hole ... a lot of the bigboxstores get in fresh stock in the fall ... DO NOT BUY STOCK THAT HAS BEEN SITTING THERE ALL SUMMER .... buy them now.. leave them in the shade in the pots.. until about October or so ... i do this in my zone 5.. i think you can still do it in zone 6 in fall .... and plant them once they lose their leaves... untangle the bigger roots in the pot ... spread them out.. water it well through thanksgiving.. water deeply ... into the rootball .. when ever your finger inserted 3 to 6 inches indicates it is dry ..and then water it deeply all next summer.. and they should take off like rockets.. in the alternative.. do it in April, as soon as the soil thaws .... and stock is available .. add 3 to 4 inches of good mulch ... speaking of which .. do NOT let them take away the wood chips from those pines.. free mulch for your new trees ... the trunks are poor firewood .. and not worth using indoors ... but if you like campfires... keep that also ... good luck ken

Worst problems with larger trees and shrubs typically date back to when they were small trees. The only difference with the specimen being more advanced is that you have more to work your way back through to look for a tight knot or fist below the crown dating back to when it was left too long in a band or small pot - buying them small only makes the deformed roots easier to expose and see. If the disposition of the roots is too severe you are either stuck with planting it and hoping for the best or giving up on it - I threw out a 35 dollar one gallon weeping Nootka cypress because at planting I found that the ENTIRE root system consisted of what looked like a ponytail hair braid like some women belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses wear. How the grower was even able to get the rootstock to twist around itself like that I cannot imagine. Not only was it coiled but it dipped down and then back up, in a U shape. You only plant in spring because that is when the plants are on the market (in good condition, apart from the usual root issues) or because the plants are tender kinds. Otherwise hardy stock should always be planted in fall, late enough that summer heat and drought has passed or is waning but early enough that the big fall annual root elongation has not occurred. (If the roots have to be operated on to a sufficient extent most of the extending of existing roots in fall may be lost, as only intact roots do this). You can tell if a specimen may be about to do this or already doing it by looking at the top, the setting of winter stem buds at the ends of mature, hardened shoots is what causes the root tips to grow at this time of the year. Spring planting is culturally inferior because the soil has been chilled all winter and summer heat and drought are around the corner. Bare-rooted stock from grower warehouses is only planted in spring because the feeder roots are all dried up and dead, need to be replaced before the specimen is fully functional - fall-planted bare-rooted stock is essentially hardwood cuttings with old roots already present but still needing to be protected from the worst winter conditions. New roots grow in spring in response to the opening of winter stem buds. Both in fall and in spring these buds generate hormones which cause the roots to grow. This is one of multiple reasons you don't want to cut tops back at planting, you are reducing the amount of hormones that will reach the roots.