Shifting Norway Maple.

[wrsni]

For reasons of management within the woodland I need to shift half a dozen or more Norway Maple. They are in the ground 5yrs but it's a nice loam they're in so I should be able to get them out with little upset given a bit of time. However what worries me is replanting, they've really shot up this past couple of years with some of them probably ten to a dozen feet high and although they're really just a big long whip with little side growth they're still capable of catching a fair bit of wind. I don't really want to get in to staking and such like so would it be acceptable to cut them back to say five feet or so at the same time as they are being shifted.

 

On one hand I can see it being advantageous as there'll be less tree to feed for a couple of years while the roots re-establish, on the other hand I'd be worried that two shocks at the same time may be tough on them.

 

Thoughts and advice welcome.

 

Thanks.

[DanSmallLGL]

Cutting back could effect the future form of the tree, and therefore the value when someone come to felling them. Why aren't you keen on staking?

[wrsni]

Multiple shoots below the cut on a few trees doesn't bother me, in years to come there'll be thinning to do, wood used for firing, etc, as long as I have plenty of healthy growing trees there'll be a job for all of them.

 

Staking is just a matter of work efficiency, I have a finite amount of time to spend on the whole area so transplanting them in a way that they become independent again as soon as possible would be preferable.

[slack ma girdle]

If they are growing well why bother?
Surely six maples can not be in that much of the way.