You will have to dig @ least 2 feet out from where the canopy ends and you will have to dig down about 2 feet to get the whole root ball
You can’t be cheap or lazy when doing this and it will take some time to do as well
Maples are pretty hardy but this thing looks like it has been in the ground for 15-20 years so it should live but it may also die
Soil preparation will be key when transplanting it …
Scary_Perspective572
I would suggest looking on youtube to see how people ball and burlap trees- I have done it many times and this tree looks like a good candidate but explaining it via text is not as helpful as a video
however you may not be able to move the tree around this way as I suspect these trees were root pruned over the years- remember dig big first and then reduce base on the amount of roots you find when digging
make sure you scrap excess loose soil off of the top before you start digging
Both-Ad1169
Good luck, I wouldn’t want to be the one doing it.
Agitatednunchuck
Basically, Japanese Maples don’t like being moved unless they were just planted in the last few years. Very rare to have them take after cutting off roots while transplanting. You’ll want to make as big of root ball as possible and hope that the roots hold the soil together when you lift it out. Even if you have success and it survives the transplanting, prepare for the tree to have severe die back of some of the branches.
Mdeyemainer
Can be done but no one will guarantee survival. On issue is how close to the foundation it is. Most foundations are backfilled with sandy gravel. good for drainage, not very good for root balls. Roots don’t meet much resistance in this material and will run.
fallstand
Timing is key. Wait til buds begin to swell but before they leaf out.
6 Comments
You will have to dig @ least 2 feet out from where the canopy ends and you will have to dig down about 2 feet to get the whole root ball
You can’t be cheap or lazy when doing this and it will take some time to do as well
Maples are pretty hardy but this thing looks like it has been in the ground for 15-20 years so it should live but it may also die
Soil preparation will be key when transplanting it …
I would suggest looking on youtube to see how people ball and burlap trees- I have done it many times and this tree looks like a good candidate but explaining it via text is not as helpful as a video
this generally how we approach these digs [Can You Dig It – Learn how to dig a tree or shrub to transplant](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxFjClQf_2g)
however you may not be able to move the tree around this way as I suspect these trees were root pruned over the years- remember dig big first and then reduce base on the amount of roots you find when digging
make sure you scrap excess loose soil off of the top before you start digging
Good luck, I wouldn’t want to be the one doing it.
Basically, Japanese Maples don’t like being moved unless they were just planted in the last few years. Very rare to have them take after cutting off roots while transplanting. You’ll want to make as big of root ball as possible and hope that the roots hold the soil together when you lift it out. Even if you have success and it survives the transplanting, prepare for the tree to have severe die back of some of the branches.
Can be done but no one will guarantee survival. On issue is how close to the foundation it is. Most foundations are backfilled with sandy gravel. good for drainage, not very good for root balls. Roots don’t meet much resistance in this material and will run.
Timing is key. Wait til buds begin to swell but before they leaf out.