I posted a thread in September last year about being sold something other than an Acer Palmatum Osakazuki (purchased in winter when the plant had no leaves). This Maple is now struggling to survive and I have decided to transplant to a new location at the back of my property (more shade and protection). I have ordered an Acer Palmatum Osakazuki (which is what I had originally wanted) as its replacement. The replacement tree is rather large and expensive at 3m tall and I would like to seek advice on how best to transplant the tree to ensure optimal survival? I was going to dig the hole at least two pot sizes wide and backfill with bagged organic soil. I was then going to water with seaweed solution. Given my poor success with the previous maple, help on this matter would be really appreciated.
It is autumn in Australia at present (I think), which is a good time to plant, the roots will still be active and allow the Acer to establish somewhat before next spring. Most advice you see these days is to backfill the planting hole with native soil, no amendments, when planting trees of all types. If the "soil" on the rootball is a radically different texture (eg. a peat/bark mix) to garden soil it would be a good idea to remove most of it prior to planting, to ensure the planting zone has even drainage and moisture retention. It is also a good idea to dig the hole a couple of inches shallower than the rootball and plant so the tree sits slightly higher than the surrounding area, to allow for any settling that may occur. After planting mulch well with pine bark or similar, leaving a few inches clear space around the trunk.
I am countinuely digging out and moving mature maples. Here in the PNW people give away mature trees for free. I have experment a lot with the durablity of them in moving and found that to the most part if the tree is healthy they can be dug out of the ground, with a quality rootball and left alone, only watered and they still will survive fine. I am not recommending this as a way to treat your trees but my point is if the tree is healthy they can be moved and planted in a new location without any extra sizes hole or new soil and it will grow well. Of course if you plant it in bad soil it is best to take care of that issue first. Your Tree "Osakasuki" as you mentioned is not well, so it is important to give it some help. A product called Dr Earth is very helpful for new root stimulation is good. I have found that by potting the tree in a compose black bark that I have had some of my best success with getting good root growth. For a stuggling tree.
