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Transplanting A Dwarf Fir Tree

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Jamjar74 | 18:25 Fri 07th Aug 2020 | Gardening
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I wish to transplant a dwarf fir tree which is about 3 ft high and 1 1/2 ft wide. It has been in the same spot for about 8-10 years. Is it worth taking a chance. Any info. would be most helpful.

Many thanks
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If you are in the UK you are doing it at the wrong time of the year. It will be like digging concrete.
Wait until November/December. Hopefully we will have had enough rain to go down to the roots and soften the soil.
Mark a circle around the tree with approximately a 12" radius using your spade.
It is then a case of jumping on the spade to shear the small roots off. Go all the way round and then do it again to get the ones you missed the first time.
Sit down and have a cup of tea and think about why you should have got your mates round for this !
It is just a case of pulling the tree over a bit and chopping at what roots you can see, until you have gone right round the tree. It will come out with a bit of brute force and effort.
Dig the hole in the new location .. you now know how big the hole needs to be as you can see the rootball.
Throw in some blood, fish and bonemeal into the new hole and lift the tree into the hole making sure the rootball is level with the existing ground. Give it plenty water.
Dont even dream about doing it now, wait until the autumn when trees and shrubs are dormant and you wont stress it and kill it.
I would come and give you a hand, but I will be busy that day !
..8-)
Leave it until October:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=293

Small fir trees are remarkably tolerant to being transplanted though, even in midwinter. When I was a kid, my day would always buy a rooted Christmas tree, rather than a cut one. Once Christmas was over, he'd plant the tree in our front garden (with no preparation whatsoever, other than digging a hole for it) and leave it there until next December, when it would be uplifted again for Christmas - being temporarily planted in a pot indoors - before being replanted outside again in January). Each tree would last at least 5 years before eventually succumbing to the stresses of being moved once too often, so I reckon that the chances of your similarly-sized tree surviving a single move at the right time of year (and with proper preparation of the soil, rather than just digging a hole) must be pretty good!
I agree with waiting until the autumn to transplant it.
A bigger rootball as you can manage, causing a minimum of root disturbance to the fine roots.
Keep it well watered but not saturated. A mulch will help keep it to retain moisture too.
With luck you should succeed.
Question Author
Thank you all for the valuable info. Much appreciated.
Sorry you are unable to come and help!!!
I dont care what day it is .. I'm still busy !

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