I can't recall the source, but I ran into information not long ago indicating that root toners can actually be detrimental to helping new root growth form on cuttings. To be honest, I've rooted cuttings with and without using a rooting hormone powder or liquid, and I've not noticed a huge difference there, either. So, it appears to me as though the gardening industry is more interested in making a profit than in making good gardeners out of their customers. Just the soil offerings on the store shelves should show us that much. In today's world, most unfortunately, avarice has replaced ethical business practices and honesty. Any good marketing blitz can psych people into buying almost anything, whether they need it or not, whether it's a viable product or not. The gardening industry is not immune to this drive for the most profit. But, once a gardener spends the time to learn what's actually happening beneath the soil surface, and they learn what the basic requirements of the plant world are, they can easily wade through a garden center to find what they need... leaving behind all the brightly packaged items they don't need! And the internet, itself, can be a curious thing... for every article written, there's usually another written in opposition. And nothing on the internet is vetted, meaning anyone can write an article and post it, whether it's correct or not... through a blog, a forum, through their own website, or where ever they want, really... so locating the truth about some issues can be more difficult than we might think. We have to come prepared to dig deeply, using good old fashioned logical, cognitive thought, problem solving skills, and a good dose of common sense. We have to separate the facts from the fallacies, realizing that opinions are only opinions, and personal experience is only one piece of some puzzles. It helps to take what we read with a large grain of salt and tad bit of skepticism, too. One way to find out what's truth and what's fiction is to use a product for yourself... except, any advice you give will pertain to how you tested the item and also to your individual environment, which will differ from others. Another way to learn is to go directly to a trusted source. How does all this fit in with a conversation on transplant shock? Well, some people recommend Superthrive and similar products, while others don't seem to think they're worth the price tag... who's right and who's wrong? I think Al said it best, and Al is considered to be a trusted source... "Reduce 'transplant shock' by making the plant's new home as culturally favorable as possible and by making sure the plant's energy reserves are abundant when you transplant." If we follow this simple idea, we won't need any extras to ensure healthy plant growth.

Root-pruning in advance, as far as I have seen (without making a point of looking for latest research) has not been demonstrated to increase transplanting success in a situation like this. It certainly makes no sense that it would. The main problem with the idea is that new roots grown from cut root ends are liable to be cut off when the plant gets dug up later. Commercial growers cut roots of kinds of stock appearing to have a tendency to form skeletal root systems based on the notion that the pruning will cause them to form additional roots behind the outer shell of actively expanding roots. Theoretically they are then getting a denser ball at digging time. Fine when (and if) that actually happens. The Bottom Line  Best management practices are constantly changing as a result of ongoing scientific research  Most nurseries do not have resources to research and write educational materials  Educational materials for both customers and employees need to be updated annually to ensure validity  Information on best management practices is readily available from WSU and other land-grant university extension offices Here is a link that might be useful: The Myth of Indisputable Information

Lynn, As I understand it you have two main questions. What should you do now with the transplanted citrus to improve their chances of survival and how/when should you transplant the remaining citrus to improve their chances of survival? I would check the small branches on the repotted citrus for life by cutting off a few tips. If the centers still show green your tree has a good chance of survival. If the centers are not green, continue to trim until you see green. If you see no green, the trees are dead. If your trees are alive, do not over water. The roots have probably been damaged to some extent as others have said. Spray the tops with water frequently, but only the tops, or tent them in vented plastic to increase humidity, again as someone else has said. If they are still alive they will probably resprout. As to the second question: others have well addressed soil composition. Another issue is roots drying out. Oklahoma can be very dry and you took about 20 minutes to repot. I think that this is likely to have caused the problem. Repotting in Spring would probably have the advantage of more humid conditions, personally that would not deter me from Fall planting, but I would take extra care, either using water to get soil out of the roots (as described above), or spritzing with a water bottle frequently and covering exposed sections of root that you are not actively working on with plastic. I hope your plants "bounce back". Cath

If the water-holding capcity of the hole and the surrounding soil is simiar, so that the hole is neither more wet or dry than the surrounding area, then things are probably fine. You will lose the leaves and maybe some wood, but that is the price you pay when you move and want to take the plants, you do the best you can. We moved last June and I did the same. The plants had a miserable year and they are still recovering this year. Sometimes a dirty maple that may have some Verticillium or other disease in it can truly suffer as the disease can take hold and the plant never returns to its original health, or maybe even dies. You should mulch well, water when dry, probably 1-2x per week, and trim back any dying wood or twigs as you notice them. If there is a branch in decline, I suggest removing it so the tree doesn't have to expend energy trying to compartmentalize the damage. I didn't take all my maples when we moved, but the ones that did not obviously impact the landscape plan came with me. I had a very large and beutiful Aratama that was incredibly happy in its old home. I dug it into a 25 gallon can and it has not been the same. It is still alive and will be for a while but it will never be what it was and I often wonder why I did not just leave it for others to enjoy. I would probably dig it up again, but I would still feel like I made the wrong choice after the fact.