Question
We have a second home in Colorado.  We are updating the deck and will have to move what looks like a blue spruce.  The tree is about 8 to 9' tall.  We will have someone with heavy equipment move it while they are digging the posts for the new deck.  The move will take place in early Dec.  My biggest worry is watering since we will not be in Colorado to water it.  My questions are:
Is this a good time to move the tree?
What do we tell the person moving it to do to maximize the chance of success?
Exactly how do we prepare the new hole?
How much water will it need this time of year and any suggestions on how to do this without us being here?  I read somewhere you can put a barrel with a small hole in it.  

Thx for any insights you can offer.

Karen

Answer
Hi Karen,

Sorry for the delayed response. My wife had a baby on Tuesday!!
We actually live in Denver.
In terms of time of year it is ok to move it as long as the ground
is not frozen. The trees are considered dormant at this time of year
and moving will not effect next years growth.
With a tree that size I would be hesitant to move it with a backhoe
because I am not confident that a proper excavation of the roots can be achieved.
The preferred method of moving would be with a tree spade. Tree spades range
in size from about 32" to 120". A good rule of thumb is if you measure the trunk
of the tree and for every inch of tree you should have a spade of 10". So for example
if you are moving a tree with a 5" Trunk you should be using a 50" Spade. If backhoe
is the only option than i would be sure to dig the hole first (It should
be dug twice the size of the root ball in width and as deep as the root ball is high) then excavate the tree and transplant immediately with a good screened topsoil. The tree then should then be staked with 3 tree stakes and secured with wire and tree straps around the trunk.
I would water the tree at least once when transplanted then at intervals of about every two
weeks over the winter. If we have a lot of moisture (rain/Snow) you could go longer in between waterings. In terms of how much water, a good rule of thumb for a tree that size would be about 2-3 minutes with a standard garden hose.
Never heard of the barrel trick,but sounds logical to me! Best of luck and
let me know if I can be of any more assistance

Kind Regards,

Keith Anderson ASLA