Question
Sir:
I have a home in Coastal North Carolina. I also own property in (lot) in Carova North Carolina. The property is blessed with hundreds of live oaks young and old. I would like to transplant several to my home so I can enjoy their beauty.

Please advise me of how to proceed. I would be grateful to have the knowledge.

Best Regards,
Irene Matzgannis


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 color up until the ground freezes.

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.

The new hole should be dug before you start the digging of the tree. Dig the new hole twice the size of the root ball and as deep. Place the root ball in the hole so that the ground level is the same as the top of the root ball and fill the hole with good potting soil, mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches of mulch and water.