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Trees Idaho Gardening garden

Transplanting trees to new house: Quaking Aspen & October Glory Maple

3 years ago

Hello,

We planted 2 Quaking Aspen trees and 1 October Glory Red Maple in spring 2020 and are now moving to another house in May 2021. I love these 3 trees and would like to bring them with us to our new location. We are currently in hardiness zone 5a, 5b, 6a and moving to 5a. The trees were approximately 10-12 feet tall when we bought them and they have new growth on them now.

I've read they are best moved when dormant but we don't have that choice right now. Should we dig them up now and put them back in large pots until we are able to plant them in the ground on May 22? Or should we wait until the last possible minute (May 15) to dig them up, wrap their roots in burlap and then put them in the ground on May 22?

Can anyone offer advice on the best way to bring these trees with us and mitigate shock to them?

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Comments (4)

callirhoe123
3 years ago
If I wanted take the trees to a new location, I would talk to a good local nursery and get their advice. And hire them to do the transplanting.
User
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Or just buy 3 more trees and plant them at your new place. Less chance of damaging the root systems and putting them into transplant shock like you would moving established trees that are leafed out already.

You didn't say but if you're selling the house you're in now, the buyers might not appreciate you taking landscape objects out of the ground after they have already made the agreement to buy.

Either way, it's just so much less work to replace the trees than to move them.
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Think I am set with shade tree options and understand it's not going to be instant. They will be planted on the southwest/west side of my house so I will get shade on my west deck after they are 12-15' tall. I already have a roof so mid day is not a big deal, it's later afternoon and early evening when the sun gets lower and shines under the roof that gets me. It also heats the brick on the west side of my house to 95-100 degrees and that heat radiates long after sunset. Did some measuring and think I can get away with planting two trees with the following minimum spacings: 25' from house 40' from neighbors house 40' between trees 13' from paver patio That would allow me to plant both trees side by side off the southwest and west side of my house. Assuming my soil conditions check out, I would also like to plant a sugar maple about another 50-60' further west. This way if the closer trees get to big and have to come out in 30-40 years (not that they should) there will still be a well established sugar maple out on the west side of my house to give that much needed afternoon/evening shade.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
A pretty risky proposition to attempt to move them at this time of year and at that size. I agree with Bill that just buying new trees for your new home is a smarter plan.

And if you have already closed on your current house, you can't move the trees without the new owners' permission. They are considered fixtures and belong to that property.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
at 10 to 12 feet .. plus new spring growth ... i just dont see how you do it successfully ..

i had to rebuy 3 trees when i moved ... i kept the memory.. if not the exact tree ...

and save some money.. there is no reason to buy a 12 foot maple.. it will be 12 feet 3 years after you buy a 3 footer .. and you will save enough to buy the other 2 trees ...

smaller transplants get established faster and grow larger.. faster than large transplants ...

ken

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