# Transplanting a fully grown Red Oak? Possible?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transplanting-a-fully-grown-red-oak-possible/229525>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 16, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transplanting-a-fully-grown-red-oak-possible/229525 "2004-02-16T19:43:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transplanting-a-fully-grown-red-oak-possible/229525/1 "2004-02-16T19:43:34Z")

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Logistically, is it possible to transplant a fully grown oak tree? There’s a 40 foot red oak sitting all by it’s lonesome near the front of my property. I was wondering, if I had: A crane, my backhoe, lot’s of ropes, several willing workers, some harnesses could I _theoretically_ dig out the roots (being as careful as possible not to harm too many of them) somehow get the tree uprooted, carry with said crane to another locale ( with similar soil composition) and successfully transplant it with little to know long lasting damage?

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**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transplanting-a-fully-grown-red-oak-possible/229525/2 "2004-02-16T19:52:40Z")

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Yes, you can. Whether or not _you_ can is another question.

[Here](http://www.heartwoodconsulting.net/transplanting/) is a company that will do it for you. They claim to routinely transport and transplant trees over 50’ tall. It ain’t cheap, but then again, there’s not too many companies or people that can do it successfully.

You could try it yourself, I suppose. But the cost of a crane, truck, people, backhoe, etc. would probably be more than having someone do it for you. Plus, you’d probably kill it.

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**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transplanting-a-fully-grown-red-oak-possible/229525/3 "2004-02-16T19:55:15Z")

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Sure you can. Be sure to prune the top waaay back. You may also need to pay attention to the growing season in your area to time the move.

Finally something like this [http://www.bigjohntreetransplanter.com/](http://www.bigjohntreetransplanter.com/) would be an immense help.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transplanting-a-fully-grown-red-oak-possible/229525/4 "2004-02-16T21:45:43Z")

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In most cases, It is necessary to support the root ball, otherwise it will just crumble away when moved and you’ll never be able to replant the tree properly.

I’ve seen a very large conifer moved by means of driving a set of curved, tapered, interlocking piles into the ground - eventually forming a rigid metal bowl which could be lifted out by a crane and lowered into a carefully-prepared matching hole, then the piles withdrawn one by one.