Question
I have a Kusa Dogwood that is about 8 feet in diameter. I need to move it. When is the best time to prune it? I will have to cut it back severely. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer
Deciduous 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 colour up until the ground freezes.

When you want to dig up a tree 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. Mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. and water good.

The best time to prune is after the the tree blooms in the  spring or you will not get many blooms. I would only prune dead branches and those too low that you have problems going under the tree. They really do not need much pruning.