Question
I am a first-time homeowner from Phoenix.  I have a small orange tree that's planted in a part of my yard so that it only gets sunshine on one side.  I get tons of oranges on the sunny side, and one or two on the bare side.  I'd like to move the tree to a place where the sun is more abundant (not hard in Phoenix!).  How do I do this without killing the tree?  Thanks.

Answer
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 root ball and as deep. Mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches of organic mulch and water.