I Have A Weeping Alaskan Cedar That I Purchased Some Time Ago. It Is Now Approx 15-20 Ft And Has Grown Into A Beautiful Specimen, But Unfortunately I Originally Planted It Too Close To My House. I Would Love To Transplant It To The Middle Of My Lawn And Make It The Focul Point That It Deserves To Be But I Am Afraid That It Might Die In The Process. Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Feasible And What If Any Precautions I Could Take To Help Ensure Its Survival?
That must have been quite a chore to capitalize every word in that paragraph.:) If I were you, transplant the tree sometime in Febuary while it's still dormant. Take your time in digging. Try to keep as much of the root system w/ the tree. Have hose near by to keep the roots damp. And once transplanted, water every day. Ultimately, the tree may die so beware.
It can be done but there some challenges especially if you are going to try this by yourself considering the size of this conifer. If your soil is clay the root ball will hold together with out seperating as opposed to sandy soil. Regardless wrap the root ball with burlap and heavy twine after you have severed the roots and the ball free. The biggest problem will be the issue of getting the ball from the hole you have dug. I use cribbing . Gradually crib up till you have reached exhisting grade. If you don't have a 2 weel hand cart I suggest you go rent one. If not lay down 4x8 sheets of ply wood so you can slide the ball to your planting area. Have your new planting hole already dug twice as wide as the ball the day before and fill with water and let drain. Taylor the hole to fit you root ball and crown conifer 2 inches (5cm) above grade. Good luck, Dave
