Arcy

I'd think aspen would be easy to transplant. When you dig, use plenty of oomph, and a nice sharp shovel so that you cut roots cleanly rather than just bang into them, knocking the soil loose, which you don't want. I'd think it pretty hard to fail with these. Do watch for critters gnawing on them though. There's something about newly transplanted trees that seems to act as a kind of magnet for such feasting!

+oM

That's what I need, a quacking aspen, the perfect cultivar for my swamp arboretum! It will run around the yard eating slugs, lots of fat slimy slugs, while fluttering in the breeze. It will happily paddle in all the winter water and quack welcomes to other aspens and ducks. All the ducks and quacking aspens will eat slugs, zillions of slugs, and grow strong and tall and richly verdant. The quacking aspens will congregate into a lush grove and no slugs will be seen for miles forevermore. Please send me some of these! I will pay you a handsome price!

OMGosh!! How did I do that. Of course I meant quake. I am excited to hear success is very possible. I live on two acres of mostly burr oak and I am trying to save the few aspens I have. If I could move a few babies all the better!!

Lol! I'm glad some folks have a sense of humor. Some folks on forums are way too serious, imo. I think gardening - and talking about gardening - should be fun.

It is done. Yesterday I moved three. I was surprised to find Aspen send out roots that then generate a new tree. Their root system was very shallow except the tap root that led back to the mother tree. Now we wait and see how they do.