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Transplanting Douglas Fir

15 years ago

We have two 4-5 foot Douglas Fir seedlings that have grown since babies, and we want to transplant them to another area of the yard so that they have more room. When is the best time to do this? and what is the correct way of doing so? I remember my dad and I transplanting ferns, and trees. We just dug a hole, made it "soupy", made sure to dig up the item we were transplanting with all the roots, and plunked it in the soupy hole, filled the rest of the dirt in, and kept an eye on them. No biggie, but my significant other seems to think that Douglas Firs are not to be transplanted. He says that I am going to end up killing them. Help!?!?!

Thanks!!

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Comments (8)

Embothrium
15 years ago
Fall.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
at that size.. with your level of expertise... it is very possible ... that you will fail ...

i would try one this year.. and if it works.. do the second next year ...

google BALL AND BURLAP techniques .. never mind.. hit the link ..

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
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The tree will regrow the taproot. Losing a part of it is a problem, but most of these taprooted trees can survive transplant well when planted and maintained through the establishment period with care--mulching and careful watering when needed. But to avoid damaging the taproot when transplanting again later, I would plant them in their permanent place now. But you don't really have to--it has been a number of years since I have transplanted some of these concolor firs, but I don't think I lost any, and they were somewhat larger than yours will be in two years. But to be perfectly honest, I can't really remember just how much of a taproot these trees actually have. I transplanted some Douglas fir trees at about the same time, and they have a heck of a taproot. If the concolor firs had taproots just as large, I think I would remember. Anyway, as the tree gets older the taproot will be less and less prominent and the root system will begin to look like that of other trees. But that will take many years, at least for some kinds of trees. --Spruce
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ian, Thanks for taking the time to explain the importance of continual root pruning in the survival rate of transplanted large trees. None of these trees have been root pruned and after reading your post I don't think the guy is going to have much success transplanting any of them. We planted the acreage as forest with the intention to start thinning this fall by cutting selected trees to the ground. morz8, Any digging would be done late fall and the guy interested in them would not be using them for reforestation but for resale to landscapers. I don't think he's expecting them to be used as ornamental but more as privacy barriers. We went into this arrangement with the agreement that no money would be exchanged and we would like to make sure he doesn't get the short end of the deal. We have no intention of taking advantage of this guy and if he's not able to sell any trees, we will pay him for his time. muddy, No, my landscaper didn't screw me. Apparently I didn't explain myself well in my last post but the ornamental 'landscape confers' I mentioned were planted in my yard. Since they are doing so well, I have to assume they were root pruned as ian described. The Douglas Firs in question cover several acres on our property and the person interested in them is not a landscaper but someone who has worked in reforestation. I'm not unhappy about any of this. Doesn't matter to me whether they're dug out or cut down.......I just need them gone.
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many weed seed are air borne ... and they will sprout in any uncovered soil ... so the other reason not to smother whats there with soil.. is you will just be bringing in more weeds ... and the reason they end up under there.. is due to the dead air zone under the tree ... you note its bone dry ... no matter what you plant there... you will have to water the transplants heavily ... and the bigger the plant.. the more often you will have to water ... until the appropriate plant is well established to the point of any drought tolerance they might have ... imo ... god free gift of needles is the most natural and FREE mulch.. so i wouldnt disturb that .. as much as possible ... and i agree that hand digging the weeds there is probably the best. though not easiest solution ... you can do it with least disturbance to the free mulch ... if you want to get ahead of the curve.. do not let the weeds go to seed .. by leaving them there for years.. while whatever you planted grows to size ... i dont think there is an easy way to do this.. short of hard work ... ken
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Did you have any luck?
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cascadians
15 years ago
I've heard Douglas fir don't like to be transplanted. I had 2 B&B that were healthy, planted them Dec05 and they both croaked. Got huge warts all over the trunks, turned brown and crisped. Couldn't believe it, thought it was impossible to kill dougs in Oregon. Good luck! Most everything else has taken well.
spruceman
15 years ago
These may have strong taproots. Do you know the best way to handle those? If not, let me know and I can give you some hints.

--Spruce
pineresin
15 years ago
The roots will be wide-spreading, but not especially deep, Douglas-fir isn't taprooted in the same way that some oaks etc., are. I never had any trouble transplanting them, though the ones I've moved were a bit smaller. Don't make the planting hole too soggy!

Resin
chester_grant
15 years ago
If you are moving the trees a short distance in the same yard I dont think there is a need for Ken Adrian's Balling and Burlapping.

If you make the hole soggy there is a high probability that the roots will end up BELOW the grade when the thing dries out - and the trees will not last long that way. No need to water the holes until the trees are actually in the ground and backfilled.
spruceman
15 years ago
Resin:

Well, I transplanted Douglas fir trees 4 or 5 feet tall only three times, but they all had very large, thick taproots, much like the white oaks I transplanted. Maybe it depends on the soil they are growing in.

--Spruce
pineresin
15 years ago
Hi Spruce - could be; another option is seed origin, mine were coastal subsp. menziesii, I wouldn't be surprised if the more drought-adapted interior subsp. glauca had more of a tendency to develop a taproot.

Resin

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