Question
I have some land up north where a planted 200 Colorado blue spruce about 10 years ago in sandy soil. I would like to transplant a few of them that are about 3-4 feet tall on my home property where it is mostly clay soil. I have been told to take as much of sandy soil around the root structure as possible when I move them and to water daily. I was also told to use fertilizer when I water them to help the tree but over watering then can cause rotting. How much water should I give the trees a day or week and what type of fertilizer should I give them? Any other tips you could offer would be appreciated. Thank you. Nick

Answer
Hello Nick

Ok, the trick when transplanting trees is to choose the correct season above all else. Like that, even if one makes a mistake when moving the tree, it has a much better chance of surviving. The correct time to transplant an evergreen treeis early spring but it can be done in late fall. Transplanting in the fall can leave the tree open to the frost during the winter and that's why I would suggest transplanting them in early spring- when the risk of frost is far lower.
Dig as wide a hole possible around the tree (at least 3ft for a medium tree of about /6 feet tall). Then carefully dig around the roots to create a 'root-ball' that contains the root system, this will ensure that the root system recovers quickly and that the tree is capable of taking up water as soon as possible after the transplant. Cover the root ball immediately with a damp sack or even just plastic and keep it covered until planting.
Make a hole that is roughly a 1/3 larger than the root ball, line it with some peat and dig it in to the soil. Mix some more peat into the soil that you removed from the hole and backfill- making sure that all the roots have been covered. If you live ina windy area it would be advisable to put a large post in the hole, as close the trunk as possible before you backfill. The tree should never be planted deeper than the old soil mark on the trunk and this mark should be level with the new soil level. Then, with the extra soil left over from the hole, make a sort of moat ring around the tree (again at about 3ft wide) - this will trap any rainwater and make it easier for watering.
Dig in a handful of granular NPK fertiliser (any good garden place will know what that is) and water well.

Your tree should be just fine!

Good luck and thanks for any bonus points in advance.

Jonathan Radford www.ecologicagardens.com