Question
Hello Jim,
Thanks for your time and expertise!  
We live in Southern Delaware (Sussex County) and are trying to create a barrier line of trees to separate our yard from the farmland next to us.  We have the opportunity to move about 15 White Pines to our yard.

The pines are 9 years old and range from 12-15 feet tall.  My questions are:
1. Is transplanting this type of tree a good idea / are they likely to survive?
2. What would be the best way / time of year to transplant the trees?
3. What type of watering / care would they need and for how long?
4. How susceptible to bagworms or other pests are white pine trees?

Thank you,
AR from DE

Answer
Evergreens should be moved early in the fall so they have time to form new roots. They need at least 6 weeks before the ground freezes. In DE now I would wait until the early spring say in March.

All ages of evergreens, can be successfully moved only if a ball of soil is left around the roots. The exposed roots should be protected with moist burlap or newspaper or with polyethylene sheeting. Every effort should be made to reduce root exposure to wind and sun, keeping the ball as moist as possible. It's best to prepare the hole before digging up the tree you wish to move.

Size of the root ball and size of the hole:

For trees and shrubs the soil ball should be:

Width = 9-12 in. in diameter/every 1 in. of tree diameter
Depth = 6 in./every 1 in. of tree diameter

For example: A tree trunk 2 inches wide would need a soil ball of 18-24 inches wide and 12 inches deep.

Dig the new hole twice the size of the rootball and as deep so the new ground level is the same as the top of the rootball. Fill the hole with good top soil. Mulch around the trees with not more than 3 inches of organic mulch(pine straw is good. Water with 1 inch of water each week.Place a pan under the tree and turn the sprinkler on and when the pan has 1 inch of water in it stop. Do not fertilize for the first year.

Are they likely to survive---if taken care they can but tree this large usually will take the use of a machine to dig the trees up and transplant them. This is called a tree spade. They can be dug by hand but it will be a big job. It would be better to buy balled pines and start with smaller trees--they will grow fairly fast and the smaller bought trees have a greater chance of survival.

I would not worry about the bagworms or other pests-a healthy tree can survive these attacks. And you can treat the tree IF they do have pest problems.