Trees anchor themselves into fertile soils. When you transplant trees or shrubs, their roots quickly spread into new garden dirt as they explore the site and lock themselves in. A few tricks help ensure this process is smooth and seamless, with little damage to your sensitive shrubs and trees.
Whether transplanting large 25-gallon shrubs or small sapling trees, the process is the same. You’ll want to prepare the site, transplant your plant, and then follow up with some aftercare. A watchful eye during this process allows you to catch pests or diseases before they spiral out of control. Monitor your saplings daily, and you’ll notice problems before they evolve into bigger issues.
To start, you’ll need a shovel, compost, and a hose or watering can. Weak saplings may need tree stakes, as they benefit from added support when young. After transplanting, you’ll want pruners and more compost for follow-up care.
Let’s get your trees and shrubs in the ground! Without further ado, here are 11 pro tips for transplanting shrubs and trees.
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Select Healthy Shrubs
Prepare for transplanting success by choosing healthy shrubs and trees free from pests or diseases. Strong, resilient saplings mature into tall, hardy specimens. Look for diseased branches, dead wood, or leaf spots as warning signs of weak plants, and leave them behind for healthier specimens.
Container trees may get root-bound over time, especially if they live in containers longer than a year. Avoid picking root-bound container trees, since they struggle to adapt more than non-root-bound saplings. Their circling roots struggle to grow outwards, and as they thicken they choke the plant.
When selecting bare root trees, look for even branching in the crown, with a few scaffolding branches sprouting from the central trunk. Inspect the roots before purchasing, as they’re excellent indicators of overall health. Leave behind any saplings with black, mushy, or rotting roots and stems.
The last option for trees and shrubs is B&B material, or “balled-and-burlapped.” These trees have a thick layer of burlap over their root ball and are often wider and taller than container or bare root material. Look for well-structured branches with healthy leaves free of blemishes as indicators of good health.
Prepare The Site
A month before planting, it’s a good idea to amend soils so they’re crumbly and rich by the time you transplant. Choose a site with enough space and sufficient sunlight for the species. Mature sizes tell you how big the plant will grow in maturity—use these sizes as guidance, as all trees eventually reach their mature height.
Prepare sites by mixing in compost or a similar organic amendment. Rake them in so they come in full contact with your garden’s soil. They’ll start breaking down, putting nutrients where your sapling will be. Compost also introduces beneficial worms, fungi, and bacteria that make a cozy, fertile home for your new shrubs.
Preparation is best in fall or spring, a month or two before you’d like to transplant your shrubs and trees. Midsummer is a difficult time for fresh plantings to adapt, as dry soils combined with intense heat shock new saplings. A general rule of thumb is to transplant in spring if your climate has freezing, icy winters. Do so in the fall in mild winter zones.
Loosen Coiled Roots
Before digging a hole, we’ll want to inspect the root ball. Container specimens may form circling roots in their pots, and B&B trees may have synthetic materials around them. Preparing for transplanting ensures they lock onto your native garden soil and creep into new areas.
If using container plants, pop them out of their pots. Some shrubs form thick, woody roots that prevent pots from coming off. Using shears, cut the nursery pot open until you can slide the root ball out. Once your plant is out, you can loosen circling roots with your fingers so they drape down. Some roots may be too woody to pluck with your hands—use pruners to slice them off and loosen up the rootball.
Bare root shrubs rarely need loosening, as they’re free of soil and sit temporarily in sawdust until you purchase them. B&B specimens need a little extra care to ensure they grow well. If their roots have burlap around them, all you’ll need to do is loosen up the top before planting. Leave the burlap on the bottom, as it protects the root ball and allows roots to grow through it.
Synthetic B&B wraps sometimes find their way into nursery settings. They have plastic in them and will not decay properly like burlap will. Although it may damage the rootball, you’ll want to remove synthetic wraps before transplanting. Use extra caution to avoid snapping tender roots.
Dig A Hole
After a month, your garden soil is ready to accommodate your saplings. Your soil should be soft, crumbly, and free from weeds or small plants. Research shows that proper amending and weeding can tremendously improve tree growth and health.
Start digging a hole, making it as deep and twice as wide as the root ball. B&B transplants should sit two inches above the soil line, and need a hole a bit shallower than their roots.
If you garden in the Southwest, you may deal with caliches and hard, unworkable soils. Gardeners in this region should dig a hole three to five times as wide as the root ball. If you have a caliche or hard deadpan below the site, dig through it with a soil auger, shovel, or jackhammer. This helps water flow through the thick layer, encouraging healthy, downward rooting from trees and shrubs. You can also plant your tree in a large raised bed to avoid jackhammering or augering.
Stake Weak Trees
The best time to add stakes is during transplanting. You can drill posts in the empty holes, giving them firm footing below your transplants. Use two stakes on opposite ends of your tree, digging them in deep.
Then, tie one to your tree trunk and a stake using soft, non-damaging materials like padded wire, plant tape, or silicone ties. Repurpose an old hose by cutting a section to use for this purpose. Attach the other tie above the first one to the trunk and the second stake.
Remove stakes within six months to a year after transplanting. Your specimens should have sufficient roots by then, and be strong enough to carry their weight. If they still struggle to resist strong winds, stake them again for another three months.
Use Native Soil
What is native soil? It’s the dirt you have in your yard already. Whether clay, sand, or silt, it’s what your garden ornamentals and crops have to grow in. When you amend the hole with excess amendments and potting soil, it discourages roots from spreading into native soils. Amend soils a month ahead of time, then transplant using the soil you dig out of the hole.
The only time to add compost during transplanting is for B&B shrubs in gardens with good soils. B&B materials often come with hard, dense clay around the roots, as it helps keep them in place. If your soils are healthy and crumbly, they’ll soak up water more efficiently than the B&B plant can. Fix this by placing lots of compost or organic mulch into the hole surrounding the rootball.
With your tree in the hole, you’re ready to add soil. Use the dirt you dug out and fill the hole until it reaches the soil line. If you’re planting B&B material, fill the hole to two inches below the B&B trunk and add compost.
Prune Excess Top Growth
Loosening up the root ball inevitably leads to some of them falling off. Don’t worry, as this is a good thing! It encourages new ones to sprout into your garden soil. Pruning roots means your shrubs have fewer feeders to support their crowns; prune some branches off, and you’ll balance them out. They’ll support themselves better with an equal amount of roots to leaves.
Start pruning during the dormant season, either in fall or early spring. Some species require pruning during the growing season, as they sprout flowers on old wood. Know your plant, as it’ll help you decide when best to prune.
Remove excess growth by slicing off crossing and inward-growing branches. Leave a few branches so the top growth matches the root ball size. If many roots fell off during transplanting, you can prune up to a third of the top off without hurting your tree or shrub. Wait to prune further until new growth occurs in spring, and you can then assess the health of your sapling.
Monitor For Pests And Diseases
You’ve kept the soil moist, pruned dead branches off, and added compost mulch on top of the soil. Now what? Simply inspect your transplants weekly for changes. Watch as new growth buds, flowers, and seeds emerge. With a watchful eye, you’ll notice aphids or powdery mildew before they spread out of control.
Deciduous trees thwart most diseases in autumn by dropping their leaves. Evergreen trees are different, and their foliage tells you how they suffer. Watch for yellowing, browning, or spotty leaves. Most issues result from excessive irrigation or too little water. Ensure consistent moisture, add compost, and prune infected stems off when you see them. Healthy plants are resilient and will thwart most attacks before they morph into serious issues.
