Digging up fruit trees?

[il_cacciatore]

Hi.

We are moving house and we have a Cherry tree, a plum tree, an apple tree and a pear tree in the ground. We want to take them to the new house but my question is, will digging them up at this stage damage them?

To be fair we will dig them up anyway but whats the opinion?

[Flummery]

I'd prefer to try it during dormancy but as you say, what the heck? You'll need to water them VERY WELL first. Then dig out the tree with a HUGE rootball - maybe 3ft across. Try and get some old sacking or derelict curtains or similar and wrap the rootball in it so that the soil and root mass stay intact. A small amount of root damage shouldn't do too much harm - they do it to bonsai trees all the time. Dig a hole the right size in their new location and bang em in. Make sure they don't run out of water this season - they don't need the extra stress.

Oh, and good luck!

[nick the grief]

it definatley the wrong time to move them now as they are starting into growth, you would have done better to have dug them up and potted them in the winter really.

If you make sure they don't dry out ( but don't drown them either) you may get away with it, but if we have a summer like last year I wouldn't hold out much hope.

I think you'd do better to leave them where they are & get some new ones later on no you can put them where you want them after weighing up all the available space.

[TPeers]

Good Luck with the move - do remember that plants are counted as fixtures and fittings and if you intend to take them you must list the fact upfront.

[rustylady]

A lot depends on how big they are. If you have an apple tree the size of the one in my garden you have no chance - it's huge and you'd never get the roots out or physically be able to move it. Do remember that if you've signed contracts you are supposed to leave anything "permanent" including plants which are in the ground as opposed to in pots.
Having said all that, if your trees are small enough, go for it! Get out as much root as you possibly can, move them and get them re-planted asap. Good Luck

[il_cacciatore]

Just to point out that I am planning of digging them up before our house goes on the market. I'm thinking ahead!

Yeh, I should have pointed out they were planted last year and would guess are 2 - 3 years old...

[TPeers]

Try lifting them this weekend and putting them into pots then. You will need the biggest pots you can physically manage, soil based compost and a watering system!

When you lift the trees dig a trench around them at the width of the pot you intend using, go down at least as far as the pot is deep, then undercut. Remember you will inevitably have to cut the trees main tap root. Lean the tree over to one side and slide sacking or something similar underneath, lean the tree the other way to complete a sacking 'sling'. This sling allows you to lift the rootball in an intact form as far as possible.

Do make sure that the pots you use have sufficient drainage, and the most obvious thing - one you have moved them they will have very little support, keep them out of high winds, and you are their sole support in terms so food and water - each tree could do with a drip supply of water, on through a large part of the day - large trees will transpire a masive amout of water, and even a small one may need several gallons a day at a slow drip.

Good luck, and don't be suprised if the shock of moving wrecks this years crop.

Terry