Question
Hello, a couple months ago I transplanted 2 year old Firs in our property. Now the trees have died completly (I think) We added mulch, watered every other day, added compost and did all the neccessary steps to plant the new Fir trees. Now they are completly brown/reddish top to bottom. Are they dead? and is there any chance that they will survive if I keep watering the trees? Thank you:)

Answer
Sorry they sound like they are dead. Conifers can be difficult to transplant. Here is a method that works best.

Deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs may be planted either in the spring or the fall. Deciduous plants may be moved in the spring as soon as the frost is out of the ground, up until the time when new foliage is partly unfurled. In the fall, they may be planted once the leaves start to turn color up until the ground freezes.

Evergreens should be moved earlier in the fall than deciduous plants so they have time to form new roots. They need at least 6 weeks before the ground freezes. In the spring, Evergreens can be planted up to 4 weeks after deciduous trees have opened their leaves, providing that the newly planted trees receive adequate water.

When you want to dig up a tree or shrub for transplanting, retain as much of the root system as possible.

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 deciduous 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 root ball and as deep fill with good top soil and mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk.