moving a magnolia

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

got costumer who want me to move a 20 year old magnolia.

 

they are getting extension but want to save the tree.

 

any tips?

[gibbon]

Havent done this very often, but here are a few photos of the last one. Hope it helps.

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/picture-forum/27-general-tree-pics-522.html

[Giles Hill]

Magnolia's can be very intolerant of root damage and they don't move very well. What kind of Magnolia is it and how big is it? Might be best to have a replacement lined up.

[burrell_]

make shore u take as much soil with the roots as u can if not this time off the year it will die. make shore the costumer knows they will have to keep it well watered.

[Gareth Dalzell]

I assume it has to be moved right now - cause its probably the worst time of the year, but it can be done. Big tree and shrub moving is something we specialise in. Firstly protect the stems from machine damage when digging. A bit of root prep, dig around as in the photograph gibbon linked to, but under no circumstances put any slings around the stem or it will ring the bark, especially at this time of the year.

 

After you have trenched around the root, start undermining the root ball from every side. If you don't have any root ball meshes use heavy chicken wire to hold the root ball together, by wrapping it around it twice and cable tying it to itself.

 

Lift it with root chains or slings around the root ball - again not the stem. Or drag it up onto a sheet of plywood.

 

Depending on access and equipment available, get it up onto a pallet for forklifting or use a pallet truck over scaffold planks to get it to its new position.

 

Dig and prep hole and plant. Firm very well and ensure it's well staked with not root ball movement. water well but don't flood it on a regular basis.

 

If you where over in Northern Ireland, we'd come and do it for ya - the bigger to tree the bigger the challenge - the bigger the buzz!

[renewablejohn]

What Gareth said

 

plus take a compass bearing and replant in same direction if possible.

[mdvaden]

What Gareth said

 

plus take a compass bearing and replant in same direction if possible.

 

In our area, that would be more due to avoiding sunburn on the South and West sides of the tree, if applicable.

 

If a tree was shaded on all sides, it wouldn't matter much. But would need screening for a while.

 

Sharpen tools. Sharpen the shovel, the ax and the pick.

[renewablejohn]

What Gareth said

 

plus take a compass bearing and replant in same direction if possible.

 

I was really referring to the effect of the prevailing wind which can make specimen trees lop sided.