How To Move Big Trees

 San Diego Landscape Designers are sometimes asked to create a landscape with large trees where no large trees currently exist.  Some home and business owners simply want the beauty of a majestic tree without waiting years for it to grow.  Have you ever wondered how this is accomplished?

How Do Landscape Designers Move Large Trees?

In any San Diego landscape design involving moving or relocating a large tree, the first question a professional must ask is whether the proposed site is suitable to the tree.  The professional will consider the growing conditions of the spot, including water and light availability, the pH of the soil, and how the area will drain.  Further, the landscape designer will probably want to know how much wind exposure the tree will be subjected to and how this may impact the tree’s growth or health.

After calculating all of these factors, the landscape designer will be ready to move and place the large tree.  If possible, for about a year prior to moving the tree, the landscape designer will try to prune the roots for maximum growth.  Pruning encourages new feeder roots to develop; the higher the number of strong feeder roots a tree has, the more likely it is that the tree will thrive in its new location.  Nurseries who sell large trees for transplanting understand this and purposely prune their trees carefully to encourage them to settle into their new homes quickly.

Once the tree is prepared for the move, the next question is what equipment will be required to move it.  Most smaller trees can be moved by hand using a wheelbarrow or mechanized equipment such as a forklift.  However, when trees reach a certain diameter, moving them this way becomes too risky.  It then becomes necessary to use heavy moving equipment such as a crane.

The area to accept the tree is prepared by digging out the properly sized hole for the tree.  It is very important that the new hole be dug to the correct depth and width, or the tree may not thrive.  Once the site has been prepared through digging, the tree is ready to be brought into position.  For very large trees, a crane will be used to move the tree.

Craning a tree is an exercise in engineering.  Not only does the tree have to be hoisted properly and lifted into place, but once there it must be properly set.  Theoretically, a crane can lift a tree of any size.  In reality, however, good landscape designers know there are limits to the capability of moving a tree based on its root ball size and overall height and width.  Cranes make it possible to lift large trees, but placing them requires technical knowledge of how to make a tree grow in its new location.

Juniper Landscape Company has been working on landscape design for San Diego homes and businesses for decades.  Give us a call to learn more about how we can help you with all of your landscaping needs, including moving large trees.