Transplanting mtn ash - Ask Extension
My father has a five foot tall mountain ash in his yard that we would like to transplant to my cabin. Can we do it now or do we need to wait till it b...
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Transplanting mtn ash #876298
Asked July 08, 2024, 10:28 AM EDT
My father has a five foot tall mountain ash in his yard that we would like to transplant to my cabin. Can we do it now or do we need to wait till it becomes dormant in the fall?
Marquette County Michigan
Expert Response
I will assume you tree is a European Mountain Ash. These trees grow best in moist, acidic (<6.0), well-drained soils.
Plant in a cool moist location. It does best in full sun but will tolerate some shade.
The best periods to transplant northern mountain ash are during late winter/early spring. This gives the plant enough time to establish its roots before the growing season begins.
I'm sure you are aware that the larger and more established the tree is, the more difficult it is to transplant it successfully. A 5-year old tree likely has developed a fairly large root system. To estimate the size of the rootball, a general rule is to double the diameter of the trunk, in feet from inches, eg. 2" trunk = 4' rootball. That's would be a large rootball to dig and handle.
One thing you should do this fall to reduce the size of the root ball is to root-prune the tree. Root pruning is the process of cutting back long roots to encourage a tree or shrub to form new roots closer to the trunk. Tree root pruning is an essential step when you are transplanting an established tree or shrub. The link below will tell you how to do this properly and why it is important.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/root-pruning-trees-shrubs.htm
This will the tree a chance to recover from the initial shock, do some healing and even start new roots within the root ball before it is moved.
Prepare the new location ahead of time. When you're ready to dig and move the tree, be sure it has been watered well and deeply. This will help hold the root ball together during the transplant. Do not leave the roots exposed any longer than necessary or they will dry out.
Below is some general information about caring for your mountain ash tree:
https://www.thespruce.com/european-mountain-ash-sorbus-aucuparia-3269316
Plant in a cool moist location. It does best in full sun but will tolerate some shade.
The best periods to transplant northern mountain ash are during late winter/early spring. This gives the plant enough time to establish its roots before the growing season begins.
I'm sure you are aware that the larger and more established the tree is, the more difficult it is to transplant it successfully. A 5-year old tree likely has developed a fairly large root system. To estimate the size of the rootball, a general rule is to double the diameter of the trunk, in feet from inches, eg. 2" trunk = 4' rootball. That's would be a large rootball to dig and handle.
One thing you should do this fall to reduce the size of the root ball is to root-prune the tree. Root pruning is the process of cutting back long roots to encourage a tree or shrub to form new roots closer to the trunk. Tree root pruning is an essential step when you are transplanting an established tree or shrub. The link below will tell you how to do this properly and why it is important.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/root-pruning-trees-shrubs.htm
This will the tree a chance to recover from the initial shock, do some healing and even start new roots within the root ball before it is moved.
Prepare the new location ahead of time. When you're ready to dig and move the tree, be sure it has been watered well and deeply. This will help hold the root ball together during the transplant. Do not leave the roots exposed any longer than necessary or they will dry out.
Below is some general information about caring for your mountain ash tree:
https://www.thespruce.com/european-mountain-ash-sorbus-aucuparia-3269316
