Transplanting Large Trees? Here's How to Do It Safely

It's not shocking to learn that transplanting large trees is a big job. The project differs from moving small perennials and similar-sized plants because of size and their preparation and aftercare needs. Transplanting trees that are a couple of inches in diameter is possible as a DIY project, but professional assistance can offer insurance toward success. Trees larger than that require the services of an arborist and a tree-moving pro. 

Why Transplant Large Trees? 

Transplanting large trees is a labor and patience-intensive task that risks the tree’s health. However, trees take years to mature and are valuable for aesthetics, home value, and shady comfort, among other things. Moving them is sometimes far more desirable than destroying them. There are many reasons you might consider transplanting a large tree. Adding a home addition in the location, changing landscape designs, learning the tree is now too large for its spot, or undertaking new construction are all valid reasons to consider moving a large tree.

How Much Does It Cost to Transplant a Tree?  

The cost to transplant a tree depends primarily on its size and how far you plan to move it. Smaller large trees with diameters of up to 2" will cost several hundred dollars to move them from one side of the yard to another. More mature trees with diameters of up to 15 inches will likely cost between $1,500 and $3,500 for the same move. 16-inch diameter trees and larger can cost up to and over $10,000 to transport from one property to another. 

How Big of a Tree Can Be Transplanted?

The maximum size of tree professionals can transplant depends only on the size of the equipment they can access. The steps for tree transplanting are the same whether the tree is a few years old with a 1-inch diameter trunk or dozens of years old with a trunk diameter of multiple feet. However, the smaller the tree, the more likely the transplant will succeed.

Professional tree movers spend a great deal of time on each tree they move to increase the odds of success. Arborists and soil technicians commonly evaluate each tree move before greenlighting the move of a very large tree.

How to Transplant a Large Tree

The size of the tree you could transplant on your own depends on your tools. A tree with a trunk diameter of around three inches is about the maximum size a homeowner should attempt to transplant without calling in the tree removal pros for safety and the tree's health. 

1. Plan Ahead 

Transplanting a tree takes time, not because of the task itself, but because you need to prepare the tree. Choose a calendar year in which you'll have time to perform the pre-moving steps in the late winter or early spring, the moving steps in the fall or following early spring, and the aftercare from then on for up to several years. You'll also want time to perform soil tests and amendments, if necessary, in the new tree location. 

2. Prune the Roots

In the late winter or early spring before the leaves begin growing, prune the tree roots to allow them to form smaller root ends closer to the tree's trunk. This step is crucial so the tree can feed itself after the move when most of its large roots are gone.

Prune the roots by digging at least 2 feet deep around the tree in a circle-shaped trench that will allow for an eventual root ball equalling one foot for every inch in diameter of the trunk, cutting the roots as you go. Refill the trench after completing the circle. 

3. Dig a New Hole

In the autumn, after the leaves are on the ground, or the following early springtime, excavate a new hole for the tree. The hole should be twice the width of the tree's root ball and a few inches shallower than its height.  

4. Dig the Tree Out

Along the same line as the root-pruning trench, dig the tree's root ball out of the ground. Encircle the tree with a trench before digging out from underneath it. When the tree is free of any roots holding it in place, lift the plant out by its root ball. Avoid pulling on the tree itself to remove it from the hole. 

5. Move and Place the Tree

For smaller trees, place the tree, standing up, on a tarp, wheelbarrow, truck, or other means of transportation and move it to its new location. Line the tree up in the same orientation towards the sun as it was in and carefully lower the tree into position. Backfill the space around the rootball.

6. Care for Your Tree

Place mulch around the tree's base and water it immediately. Stake the tree in position for at least the first year or until after its roots have some time to establish themselves. Continue watering the tree daily for at least two weeks and approximately once a week for the first year, depending on soil conditions, drainage, and the tree's response to the move.

Taking Care of a Large Transplanted Tree

Depending on the size and the condition of your tree before and after transplanting it, the aftercare can be intense but essential to give it the best chance of survival. Your tree will need at least one year to recover for every inch in diameter of the trunk up to medium-sized trees. Here are additional tips to help ensure tree transplanting success.

• Mulch to a depth of about three inches and not much less or more. Leave a few inches of space between the mulch and the tree trunk.

• Water the tree daily for the first couple of weeks and at least weekly until the recovery is complete.

• Diligently monitor the tree's condition. It may look worse before it looks good again.

• Water the base of the tree directly instead of using a sprinkler.

• Stake your tree with material that won't cut the bark, allowing a little movement.

• Avoid fertilizing your tree until it's well on its way to a full recovery.

DIY Tree Transplanting vs. Hiring a Pro

There's no getting around the fact that transplanting a large tree is a job for your local tree-planting service and its team of tree-moving professionals. While it's possible to move trees with a small diameter, the job can be dangerous and risk the tree's life.

It's unlikely that many homeowners will have access to the tools necessary to move a tree with a trunk larger than a couple of inches.  If you have a tree you need to move, consider the risks of moving it yourself versus the cost of hiring pros from the standpoint of the well-being of the tree and your back.