I understand by reading in the forum here that to move a peach tree you need to cut a girth about 2' around the trunk of the tree and 1' foot deep. I would like to move my young peach tree during it's dormant state sometime in January or February time frame, just wanted to make sure that was an optimal time for moving it. This particular tree is a young tree planted about 1-1/2 years ago by my son who didn't think to ask where. Now we are extending the back deck and the tree has to be moved. It is approximately 6 feet tall, and has a trunk diameter of about 6 to 8 inches, fairly small tree. Q: Is this an acceptable time period to move AND is this and acceptable girth and depth to remove the tree for replanting? Oh and while I am here, I would like to ask another question regarding the peach tree: During this young stage in it's life I was told to remove all fruits to allow the tree to grow more rapidly, so for two seasons I have removed the fruits from the tree right after they appear. They were massive!! Q: Is this an acceptable practice also? Also I would like to move a young apple tree just a tiny bit smaller than the peach, about 5' tall and a 4 to 5 inch base, it doesn't grow very rapidly, at least not like my peach. Q: Will I be able to move it, as well? Thanks way in advance!! Cycy
Arbitrarily cutting 2 ft. wide rootball does not allow for variations in sizes of root systems. 6-8 in. diameter trunk is fairly large for a peach tree, surely it is not that big after less than 2 years from planting. Anyway, dig around it, removing soil as you go (barerooting) with the aim of getting most of roots rather than taking a compact soil ball. Especially if on a dwarfing rootstock probably big enough to allow to bear by now, stripping fruits of newly planted trees done just to allow it to get up to size before diverting much of energy into fruit production. Many do not know about this and do not practice it.
