Hi everyone, I was wondering I planted 5 different little trees last year, And they are about 10 inches tall, Do you think I could move it this time of year because its right in the way of my garden, I'm in zone 6 and its still cool at night but in the 50s in during the day. Do you all think it would be ok? I don't really know why I planted them there now, that I think about it. I would really appreciate any help you could give me. Thank you margie
Haha, I've done that too. Planted where things shouldn't be, I mean. And I moved them when I realized my mistake, a few months later. What I did was prepare holes for them where I wanted them and made certain they had a good clump of dirt around their roots when I dug them up, in order to not disturb roots. I don't think our little ones even realized they had been moved.
Margie you should be able to relocate your trees at this time of year. They will just be coming out of their winter dormancy so now should be perfect - as long as there are no severe frosts due. Here's what I do if I have to re-position any of mine. Dig around your tree in a deep, wide circle before slowly prying it up with a shovel you should be able to ensure that the taproot will stay intact. This is the comparatively long, thick root extending from the trunk and it will give your saplings the strongest chance of survival. Transplant your young trees in their new location in a deep hole that will cover part of each tree's trunk. Crumble the dirt around it evenly — make sure your trees stay upright as the pat the dirt in place. Water the young trees in well and let the water soak into the ground to settle the dirt and nurture the transplanted roots. Pour slowly to keep runoff to a minimum. Keep an eye on your trees progress and feed and weed them as necessary. Within a month or so your new transplants should be firmly established in their new spot. Hope this helps.
Eileen's advice is "spot on"... the only other thing I would do is add a nice thick layer of mulch (3") under each baby tree. Mulch will protect the roots, and keep in moisture, and discourage any weeds.
