I have two japenese maples in my Atrium that have outgrown the viewing window. I want to move them out and replace them with a smaller version. One is about 12' tall; the other about 16' tall. My question: How big is the rootball? How deep is it? How wide might the extensions have travelled? Overall: should I even attempt to dig them up or is it such a chore that another solution should be considered? Thanks.
Varies with the individual specimen. Start well out from the trunk and work your way in at first, until you get an idea of how wide most of the part of the root system* you wish to lift extends. Do this after the leaves have fallen. If the roots do not extend outside the structure it may also be possible to attempt to bareroot the trees instead. This has the advantage of not involving a heavy, clumsy, soil ball. However, Acer palmatum is usually grown in a container or sold balled-in-burlap, suggesting that it is thought to have roots too sensitive to exposure to air to be handled commercially as a bareroot item. The siginificance of this for you is that you will want to attempt to move yours without soil on a rainy day, perhaps hosing them down frequently to keep the outside of the roots moist at all times - or move them with soil balls. *Trees dug with soil balls always end up with most of the roots being cut off, as only the larger, denser roots near the trunk are able to be saved inside a ball small enough to lift and transport successfully.
http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=1621&highlight=maple a link to an old thread with pictures of a big maple I moved, root ball is as big as we were able to move, a bit larger would have been better. The tree is doing fine, minimal shock and still at the nursery on consignment, I think its priced at about $1750 if anyone is interested let me know.
