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Relocating a Tulip Poplar

9 years ago

We have a 8' tall tulip poplar and is around 4-6" in diameter. How hard will it be to relocate and how do I do it? How big will the root system be?

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
sounds kind of short.. for the size of the trunk ...

the size of the root mass is irrelevant ...

will your soil hold in a ball???? if not.. skip it ...

start digging a 4 foot root ball ... wrap the sides in burlap ... undercut it.. and finish the burlapping...

and then figure out how to lift a 2 to 3 HUNDRED root ball.. out of the hole ...

in the mean time.. dig a new hole... then figure out how to drag it across the yard ....

i got mine as mail order whips ... for under 10 bucks.. years ago ... frankly i dont know why you want to invest a day or two.. in supreme extensive hard labor ... in my world.. its simply not worth it ...

once you get it in the new hole ... hopefully at the proper level.. because i doubt you will be able to lift it out ... backfill about half way.. flood it ... backfill the rest.. flood again ... [and i am presuming your soil will properly drain ...] .. see link for various other variables ....

then mulch properly.. and be in charge of water for two years ...

this would be best done.. in full dormancy.. 6 to 8 weeks before the heat of summer.. and 4 weeks prior to leaf out.... since you dont say where you are.. who knows when that is .... minutes after ground thaw... in my MI ....

again ... i wouldnt waste my time ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
9 years ago
Blake, I have made the mistake of moving a crepe myrtle that was almost as tall. Don't do it! It isway easier to buy a new 4 foot tree and olant it. Higher success rate also.

If the tree has sentimental value then where there is a will there is a way. That way should involve heavy equipment.

FWIW I saw a series of videos from an old boy who bare rooted some similar sized maples it seemed way easier to move them about than moving a large chuck of dirt just waiting to snap roots or a tunk off.
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I see two things that are problems. While you may have been watering, you have to do more than put a small stream on the base of the tree for a minute or two. Since the grass is giving up, that says whatever you may be doing in way of watering has been completely ineffective. You have to water DEEPLY when you water, or it does ZERO GOOD. What's more you have to water AROUND the tree, not just at the trunk. The roots that can take up water are not at the trunk, they are in the area surrounding the tree trunk. Therefore for a tree that size, I would say you need to saturate a5t least a 10' x 10' area around the trunk MINIMUM. Second problem. LOSE THE WEEDEATER! It appears pretty obvious you have be hitting the trunk with the string ALLOT. There is no taller grass all the way to the trunk (should be mulch in the first place as Ken said), and the projecting knot shows you have been tearing the hell out of the trunk. Even if you stop now, you may have already killed your tree due to the damage that has already occurred. As Ken says, need better closer pics to that area. Arktrees
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I've observed Liriodendron for decades, it's probably my favorite tree. I'd ask the same questions that Tom has, and add this: the tree looks to be under great stress, it has been pruned to remove dead wood or maybe to 'balance' the loss of roots with the top, there are more dead branches in the top of the crown, and the foliage looks undersized. I've seen forest trees exhibit these same symptoms when the area they are growing in is heavily logged or severe weather removes many cohorts. A WAG (and I hope I'm wrong), the tree will continue to decline and become stag headed. There will be many epicormic shoots from the main limbs and trunk. It will never again regain it's former glory. It will probably live on for years, maybe decades, unless removed. Unless MASSIVE amounts of the root system were removed and the tree is structurally unstable, it won't fall. Large upper crown limbs that die may, however. Old poplars (and many other old trees) do not like to be messed with.
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>The tree may get "trapped" in the amended soil and not root out properly into the surrounding soil< If you are referring to the idea that plant roots circle around the edges of amended planting holes this does not happen. Roots are geotropic, always grow away from the center of the plant unless deflected by solid barriers - such as pot walls. Failed or failing specimens exhumed from amended planting holes, found to have circling roots with little rooting out having occurred were in poor condition at time of planting, did not overcome the two edged sword of being compromised to begin with + being placed in amended planting holes. And subjected to the adverse effects on movement of water into and out of planting holes that amending of back-fill may often create. In my area at least many retailers do not care for plants on offer at all well, with watering often not occurring until it has been noticed that wilting - or even shriveling - has taken place. And it being the case that fertilization and in particular potting are not consistently practiced. So that comparatively enduring woody plants may have sat around in the same containers and soil for years before being purchased by end consumers, no longer be able to establish vigorously.
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bengz6westmd
9 years ago
Save your back & get a new tree -- they grow remarkably fast.
hamburglar1
9 years ago
Agree with the other posters. Moving a fast-growing tree like tuliptree is not worth the effort. You would probably have to water the heck out of it too. Mine tends to be thirsty.

By the way, I noticed there is a new variety available through mail-order called "Emerald City". That might be worth a shot. In my area, the open grown tuliptrees tend not to have a straight leader all of the way up, and can often look lop-sided (the ones in groves or woods are straight as an arrow).

Reason I mention this... when I planted my specimen a couple years ago, I searched for a variety that had a tendency for straight leader and regular branching. Came up empty, but it's interesting to see that tree breeders are working on the issue. I'm all for it.
sam_md
9 years ago
Hi Blake,
By all means you can dig your tulip poplar. You won't find the answer to your question on this forum. Come over to the professionals forum for a detailed answer to your question. We dig trees for a living. see link
As far as why to dig a low $ value tree, sometimes a tree was planted as a memorial, birth of a child, birthday present or otherwise has sentimental value.
Sometimes it is as simple as a tree that was grown from seed and we want to keep that individual tree.

Here is a link that might be useful: prof forum post
davidrt28 (zone 7)
9 years ago
Huh?
You can move it, whether or not you're a "professional", but be prepared to dig to China. They are probably my #4 or #5 worst tree seedling weed, after maples, ashes, and cherries. I have tried to merely dig up a 2-3 footer - only a year of growth - and in good deep soil, I think its tap root had gone 2-3' deep. I just gave up after 18 inches and cut it off with some loppers. Now I know that unlike maples and cherries, I have to dig them out the minute I see them.

This post was edited by davidrt28 on Tue, Feb 3, 15 at 12:35
davidrt28 (zone 7)
9 years ago
Sorry Sam, I see why you linked to that. At first I wondered "are they already changing gardenweb", and assumed it was some kind of promotional or advertisement post. Excuse my cynicism. I had never heard of the professionals forum and thought it was a new feature.

This post was edited by davidrt28 on Tue, Feb 3, 15 at 12:50

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