Learning how to transplant a tree in summer gives you a useful skill that will come in handy down the line. In this post, Trees N Scapes Unlimited, Bentonville’s professional tree service, explains how you can successfully transplant trees in early spring or summer. 

How To Transplant a Tree in Summer

Here is how you can successfully move your tree and shrub in spring or summer. 

Prune the Roots in Winter

The winter before the move, trim the roots carefully to encourage the tree to send out new feeder roots. Use sharp tools to make clean, strategic cuts, and never remove more than a third of the root ball. 

Not sure what to do? Call our team for professional assistance. 

Make Sure the Tree Is in Good Health

The most important lesson in how to transplant a tree in summer is ensuring that your tree’s in good health. If it’s sickly or infested, it is unlikely to survive the move, so you should wait until it is better. 

Choose the New Site

Find a suitable location by carefully researching what your tree needs. Trees are resilient but are unlikely to survive two transplants. Find the perfect spot in terms of light, space, soil, and water. 

Water the Tree

The day before the move, water the tree deeply so that the soil is moist. Doing this ensures that the tree is better prepared for the shock and makes digging easier. The moist soil also keeps the root ball intact. 

Dig the New Hole

The new hole should be the same depth as the roots but three times as wide. Digging too deeply encourages root rot, while not making the hole wide enough stifles the roots. Set aside the topsoil, which is a valuable resource, and then water the hole. 

Dig Around the Tree

Carefully remove the topsoil from the trunk and roots, without cutting into the root system. Dig a perimeter about six inches outside of the outermost roots so as not to damage the new feeder system. 

Then dig a foot or two down so that you can come up under the root ball. If there are the odd roots that extend beyond this, lop them off. If there are several roots, dig deeper. 

Loosen the Root Ball

Dig under the root ball, severing odd roots here and there while leaving most intact. You can rock the tree slightly to see if you have removed enough of the roots. If the tree won’t budge, dig deeper. 

Then gently lift the root ball and slide a burlap sack into the hole. 

Lift the Tree

Gently lift the root ball and center it on the sack. Make sure that the sack covers the entire system and, if possible, loosely tie the burlap in place. 

Move the Tree

You can now move the tree and place it in its new hole. Ensure it’s even and then fill in the hole, gently tamping down the soil occasionally. Now deeply water the tree. 

Mulch 

Finally, add mulch from about a foot away from the trunk all the way to the outer edge of the roots. This layer should be about two or three inches thick. 

Contact the Professionals for Help

Now you know how to transplant a tree in summer and a little bit about tree preservation and protection as well. Does this seem like more work than you bargained for? We understand how big the job is, which is why we offer affordable services to help you successfully transplant your tree. Call Trees N Scapes Unlimited at (479) 802-5766 for service in Bentonville, AR, and the surrounding areas.