I have, growing in my rose bed, a small voluntary oak tree. It’s about 12" tall right now. I like it, and would like to keep it, but it can’t continue to grow where it is (it’s only a foot from the house, which is much too close.) What do I need to know before moving it? Will it be more resiliant when it’s older and larger, or should I relocate it before its root system gets too big? Is there a best season for tree transplanting?
This is a great time of year to transplant trees and shrubs. They have time to establish roots in their new location before they go dormant.
As far as moving it, dig up a healthy amount of soil all around the sapling. That way, you’ll get as much of the root system as you can.
When you replant, don’t set it any deeper than it was in its original location. Dig a nice, big hole, so there’ll be nice, loose soil for the roots to grow into. If you have a lot of clay in your soil, add some organic matter (compost, peat, etc.) in the bottom of the hole before you replant.
And water, water, water. If you go more than 3-4 days without rain, give that sapling a nice soak.
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Yes, move it while it’s small. You’re correct in thinking that the bigger it gets, the bigger the root system gets. That will just make it harder to move and easier to damage the roots if you give it a year or two.
About six years ago, I moved a volunteer Eastern redcedar that was no more than a foot tall. It’s HUGE now.
Please don’t put it where it will be butchered in the years to come. I hate to see something like an oak where the road crew cuts off the side on the road. The city comes along and cuts off the side facing the sidewalk. The utilities cut off the top below the power lines. You end up with a 15 foot tree with branches on two sides.
Word!
Fill the freshly dug hole with water so the roots have some moisture to grow down into. Rule of thumb: roots don’t seek water, they follow it.
No expert, but I believe oaks tend to have wide spreading shallow root systems. So if choosing between possible sites, you might wish to lean towards the one that will have the least digging/soil compaction in the immediate area.
Also, Oaks like acidic soil. So put some dried oak leaves in the hole you plan to put the little guy in. This will replicate the soil content of a naturally growing oak. It’s not everyday you get an oak from an acorn, the process is difficult and hearty. Oaks are amazingly resiliant, but they are very slow growers. That sapling is probably 2 years old at twelve inches. Meaning the acorn it came from fell two seasons ago…
Never get between a baby tree and its Mother. Trees will attack when provoked!