In the world of gardening in decoration, sometimes it is necessary to learn to transplant trees to carry them from one place to another or change the place where they are planted for reasons of tree survival. In these cases we must know what are the necessary tools for it and what is the way to do it so as not to damage the tree.
For this reason, in this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know to learn how and when to transplant trees and what aspects you should take into account.
Aspects to consider when transplanting trees
When it comes to moving a tree, either because it gets in the way or because it was bought from a nursery and needs to be planted in an orchard or garden, it is important to consider the time of year to do it. If your tree is growing in a pot and you want to know when to transplant it to a larger pot, you need to know more about the tree. The same goes for trees transplanted bare root, that is, they are uprooted from one place and planted in another.
For pot-grown, root balled trees, the time of year you transplant is really irrelevant unless conditions are too harsh. This difference is due to the fact that, in the first case, the tree loses most of its roots when it is uprooted -especially the finer roots, which are the really important ones.
Regardless of this imbalance, it only takes a few days of dry, sunny weather for the tree to wilt, losing more water through the leaves than it replenishes through the roots.
Importance of the time
In fact, a bare root tree can be transplanted at any time of the year and the process goes smoothly, but if done at the right time, there are fewer risks and steps. The season affects transplants mainly due to these two factors that we will see below, although the second depends on the first.
Cool, moist weather with little sunlight is ideal for transplanting, as explained in the introduction: the loss of water by transpiration must be balanced with the absorption by the roots. Obviously, if the weather is humid and cool, this requirement is easier to meet because the amount of evaporation will be reduced.
Dry winds must also be taken into account because, like the sun, they greatly increase the transpiration of the leaves. Avoid transplanting during the driest and sunniest months of the year, where the risk of losing the tree is much higher.
tree state
At this point, you should consider when the tree goes into a vegetative state to rest or at least reduce its activity. For deciduous plants, the situation is simple: from when it loses its leaves to when it replenishes them, it is more or less stationary. The rest, the evergreen trees, although they are active all year round, they have little or no activity during the hottest winter and summer months.
Based on the above, we can give the best date for transplanting bare root trees in most climates. Sometimes it is good to transplant deciduous trees before they are lost and restore them again.
Early repotting is recommended, from late fall to mid-winter, before the tree’s roots begin to grow again, which is usually some time before spring blooms. If this is not possible, the canopy should be reduced by pruning, providing some shade and covering the canopy with plastic to create a more humid environment.
Also take advantage of the rainy season since the ambient humidity will be higher and the soil will remain moist, which will help the root system take root faster. For all other trees, transplant from late summer to early spring, avoiding peak above-ground growth, which is typically mid-spring and dry, sunny summer weather.
When to transplant potted trees
For trees with a root ball, that is, their roots contained in a piece of soil that retains its moisture, all in pots, pots, bags, etc., the transplant is usually less delicate, but more necessary.
It is not as brittle as bare root work, apparently because the tree does not lose contact with the ground at any time. It could be said that for him there was no transplant.
However, this is usually a very necessary operation for trees that are growing, that is, those that are young and are planted in a container that is already fully rooted.
As mentioned earlier, potted trees that have not yet reached adult size or need a lot of nutrients, for example, because they bear fruit or flowers, they tend to quickly deplete the fertility of the substrate. Although this consumption can be saved by adding liquid fertilizer to the substrate, it is often necessary to transplant it into a larger container and renew part of the substrate.
space requirements
The roots of potted trees tend to colonize the entire substrate very quickly, even giving the impression that the root balls are all roots. In this case, they begin to circle around the pot along the walls, piling up and entangling each other. As if that were not enough, in addition, when they pile up on the walls of the pot in search of expansion, they reach precisely the areas that least indicate. When the growing medium is too dry, cracks can develop between it and the pot, exposing those outer roots to the air. This is not good for the plants.
Without a transplant, the tree will slow down or stop growing due to lack of nutrients and space. Sometimes this is the most obvious sign that you need a transplant. It has no buds and looks very old.
With these tips you can learn when and how to transplant trees to have a better yield.
