Question
I have a river brich tree in my yard that is not growing ,its in a bad location i've had it{tree}for about 4 years and it has'nt growed at all, it was bought at 6 feet tall and is still 6 feet tall, i would like to move it do you have any advice how to do this.

Answer
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.

Although all trees and shrubs can be moved in either spring or fall, there are some which establish themselves better when moved in the spring, such as the softwoods (willows, poplars, birches). So now is a good time to do this transplanting.


When you want to dig up a tree or shrub for transplanting, retain as much of the root system as possible. Deciduous trees  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 rootball and as deep and fill with good top soil or potting soil. Mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. This will help hold moisture around the roots. Do not fertilize for a year after moving the tree. Water once a week with 1 inch of water --put a pan under the tree and turn the sprinkler on and  when the pan has 1 inch of water in it stop. IF you get a dry period not rain within two weeks I would water every fourth day until it rains.