Reasons for transplanting

• Trees may have been planted too close together
• Trees may have outgrown the available space
• To prevent the loss of a tree due to construction works
• To create space for building additions
• To alter the design of a landscape
• To relocate the tree to a site better suited to its needs
• To create an instant affect in the landscape
• To create a mature landscape

Growing Wisdom

Work, health and safety issues

• Protection from the sun
• Wear PPE: covered footwear, gloves optional, day glo vest
• Beware of sharp implements like mattocks and secateurs
• Lift heavy objects carefully
• Use wheelbarrow or crane to carry tree

Wiil Hirst

Preparing the planting site

• Prepare the new site before removing the plant from the old site
• Make sure the planting hole is big enough to take the root ball
• Make sure the root crown is at the same height as it was before 
• Make sure it is possible to orient the plant the same way, facing north.
• It is impossible to transplant a plant without cutting or breaking some of the roots.
• Root material is sacrificed when transplanting which ultimately places the plant under stree
• Deep or tap rooted plants resent moving
• Young plants move easily
• Plants with fibrous root systems move easily
• Trees with rapidly developing root systems move successfully
• Plants with brittle root systems need more care

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Preparing the tree

• Leave the plant to recover before moving
• New feeder roots will establish in the soil mix
• Either in late autumn or winter, transplant the tree.

DigTheDirtTV

Transplanting: lifting and moving the tree

• When transplanting small trees ensure that the tree to be transplanted has a healthy root ball.
• The root ball is protected and kept moist
• The tree and the root ball must be manageable in size

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Replanting

• Replant the tree as soon as possible
• Make sure the planting hole is big enough to take the root ball
• Position the root crown at the same height as it was before. ie at the same depth
• Orient the plant the same way (facing north)
• Remove the ties around the root ball
• Remove the hessian or tarp used to wrap the root ball

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Aftercare: staking, mulch, watering, fertilising

• Backfill the planting hole
• Untie the branches
• Trim any damaged branches that may have occurred during transport and handling
• Water in the root ball and surrounding ground
• Mulch, stake and fertilize as required.

GardenContinuumINC

Transplant shock

Signs of Shock:
Leaf scorch is a common symptom of transplant shock. Leaf scorch first appears as a yellowing or bronzing of tissue between the 
veins or along the margins of leaves of deciduous plants (those that lose their leaves in winter). Later, the discoloured tissue 
dries out and turns brown. Other symptoms of transplant shock appear as wilting leaves (especially on recent transplants), 
yellowing, and leaf rolling or curling
Actions to minimise shock.
 Disturb the roots as little as possible during planting.
 Keep the root ball moist at all times, but check the drainage. Consistent frequent water is essential for their survival. 
Failure to maintain regular watering when a plant is first planted will cause your plant to suffer adverse effects. All of our 
plants are drip irrigated twice a day during summer and the potting mix is always moist. Initially your plant needs a 
similar water regime when at home. A mature tree should receive 12 litres (a bucket) two to three times a day during 
moderate temperatures. Over time this should be reduced to a couple of deep waterings two or three times a week. 
Note during a plants first summer, when the temperature exceeds 30 degrees, the plant will need to be watered several 
times during the day. Failure to do so may result in the plants death. The plant needs to be watered whenever it shows 
signs of wilting,
 Check the drainage. If the plant sits in water, this will cause further stress, as oxygen can’t get to the roots and the root 
tissue will slowly die. If the plant is sitting in water the soil becomes toxic and will not support microbes necessary for the 
plants health. If drainage is poor this will need to corrected immediately,
 Apply Seasol if evidence of stress is visible. This is like giving your tree a dose of multi-vitamins. It helps to promote 
improved root growth, stimulates production of good microbes in the soil and thickens cell walls. Seasol is well known as 
an excellent all-round plant tonic and is really useful in helping plants to cope with the stress from transplanting, heat and 
drought.
 This first application should be more than twice the normal rate and is only intended for the first few 
applications. Regular application rates for large trees are 100 to 200 ml of Seasol per 9 litres of water. 
This means for large or stressed trees you apply 200 to 400 millilitres for the first application. For 
stressed plants, the rate is 40 to 100 ml of Seasol per 9 litres of water. For stressed plants, this means 
you will mix 80 to 200 millilitres to 9 litres of water for the first application.
 Repeat the double strength application one week later.
 Scale back application rates weekly until you reach the normal rate of Seasol to 9 liters of water.
 Apply Seasol at regular rates to the soil around the tree or plant every two to four weeks throughout 
the growing season.
 Add a light mulch to encourage earth worms and other activity around the roots. Keep mulch away from the trunk, 
otherwise the trunk will rot.
 Spray and antitranspirant such as Stressguard on the foliage to minimise moisture loss from the leaves

 All of these products are available from Bunnings. 
(Blerick Tree Farm , 2014)

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