"If I were to do this, should I do it in late fall after the leaves drop?......or wait till spring?"

I'd probably wait until early spring to transplant this species. The fleshy roots can compartmentalize damage to severed/damaged roots more effectively at that time.

"Which I know can be VERY late or not at all in a Liquidambar seedling..."

Say what???

"How deep of a rootball should I try to get??"

Here is a rough/generic rootball size guide for transplanting trees and shrubs. Soil type, tree species, and other factors are not taken into account, but it will give you an idea:

For trunk diameter below 1/2", multiply the diameter by 20 to get approximate rootball diameter.
For trunk diameter between 1/2" and 1", multiply the diameter by 18 to get approximate rootball diameter.
For trunk diameter between 1" and 1-1/2", multiply the diameter by 16 to get approximate rootball diameter.
For trunk diameter between 1-1/2" and 2-1/2", multiply the diameter by 14 to get approximate rootball diameter.
For trunk diameter between 2-1/2" and 4", multiply the diameter by 12 to get approximate rootball diameter.

Here are guidelines for rootball depth*:

For a rootball with a diameter of 1', depth should be approximately 8".
For a rootball with a diameter of 2', depth should be approximately 1'.
For a rootball with a diameter of 3', depth should be approximately 15".
For a rootball with a diameter of 4', depth should be approximately 18".

*For this species (and especially if you are removing it from well-drained soil, where deeper root growth can be expected), I'd probably multiply the depths above by 1.5 for a little extra insurance.

"Are there early preparations i can make to help it along like some root-pruning?"

I wouldn't really suggest that in this case.

Check out the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Planting a Tree or Shrub

Re: your "say what" response...I have seen young liquidambar seedlings act very stubborn towards defoliation in the fall...often hanging on to leaves well into January, or until a very hard freeze.

Interesting the differences climate can make I suppose. In zone6 st louis they are naturally of spectacular color in the fall but drop their leaves normally enough.

Curious, are you right near the coast?

my LA usually refuse to drop leaves.. much later than all the rest.. until a VERY HARD freeze ... when they turn to mush on the tree.. and all fall off.. in about one hour..

when a leaf turns to its fall colors the tree is dormant above.. and can be transplanted... regardless of whether the leaves are still hanging on ... they will no longer be a drag on teh severed root system ...

i would bare root it.. and no bother with a ball of soil.. in the proper season ..

i moved a 12 footer.. in fall.. in z5 .. and it lived until a very late very hard frost/freeze killed it in spring .. just as the buds were elongating ...

but then my ground freeze.. and its associated suspended animation.. may not be the same as your z7 .... so i would defer on that ... never forget.. winter is usually the driest season ....

ken

I understand now. I didn't even think to read it that way.

Ken's right, the presence of leaves doesn't necessarily indicate whether or not the tree is dormant. But, as previously indicated, early spring is the preferred time to move American sweetgums.

Toronado, I am originally from NE Ohio, where about 50% of LA's color very well, usually at the tail-end of the leaf season, and the other half hold green leaves until mid to late November when a 20-degree freeze finishes them off.

Here in the mid-atlantic, they ironically color BETTER, I think because the longer, warmer fall gives them time to mature their leaves.

However, seedlings seem to hold their leaves later overall in both areas from what I have seen - the seedling in question in fact still had green leaves last December if I remember right.

ok.. we got past the leaf issue..

so when would be best in z7????

late fall.. or early spring ...

its just so confusing to think about a clime where the ground doesnt freeze solid for 4 to 5 months.. lol ...

if no one comes up with a suggestions [which i doubt] .. call your county extension office ..

ken

Ken,

How dare you not thoroughly read my valuable first post with the answer! (-;

So...the transplant never happened, due to a job change and the associated business in March. The little tree is now 42" high and growing FAST. Also, we may be moving (locally) next year...so...would it be possible to move it next spring and containerize it to plant in the new yard? How well does this species tolerate that?

Pic linked below:

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:395186}}

{{gwi:395186}}

So, if I have a half inch thick trunk, and then determine my rootball is 10" diameter, that IS diameter, not radius, correct? Meaning I only have to dig out five inches from the trunk all around it?

prune it up a bit ... starting to shape it more as a tree ... which will also give you digging room ...

and just dig it up in dormancy ...

i would dig about a foot and a half from the trunk .. so that when it i is out of the ground.. i could use the hand shears to trim up the root ends .... also.. sharpen your shovel first.. it helps digging ...

and forget about the tap root if any.. its just another root ... do what you need to do ... and dont fixate on it ...

below is a pic of a much larger transplant than that puny little thing.. lol .. just to give you an idea on how it should look when you are done.. IN DORMANCY ...

as to potting.. the media is very important.. its not soil.. and its not your common house plant peat mix.. buy a bag of cactus mix ... drainage is prime ... and after the move.. you leave it in the pot.. in shade.. until the next PROPER PLANTING TIME ... no transplant with leaves ...

ken

{{gwi:325678}}

Isn't that a sour gum tree? I have something just like that that volenteered itself in my yard. It was hidden behind a rose bush that was pruned earlier in the spring. I was thinking of transplanting mine as well, seeing how all the maples are dying in my area. I also found a Maple, not sure what type, and I think a honey locust in my golden rod hedge. Might move them too.

Update - this tree is now 69" tall - 2 inches taller than me. The leader has soft ends that are still in an active growth flush, in fact, this "flush" has been constant since late April...will it ever stop and harden off? I've kept it well watered along with the bed it resides in despite the heat and drought (we've actually had a lot of rain the last couple weeks though).

Last year it did have about 3 inches of tip dieback because it never really went dormant willingly, it had to be frozen into dormancy (which took a while given the mild winter)...

I agree with Brandon: fleshy-rooted species seem to respond to a spring move better. I see no reason in particular why you couldn't then pot it up and move it. Do as Ken suggests-use a very well-draining potting mix, although if I've got the sequence right, it may not be in the pot for long.

+oM