Moving flowering cherry tree

[barney]

I have just moved into a new house with a flowering cherry tree in the middle of the drive- Tibetica serrula ( Snake bark cherry) - tree is approx 8 feet tall. I need to move the tree as space is needed for a builders truck and skip soon.
Is it feasible to move it now? Will it grow in a large pot or be happier in soil? Possibly thinking of moving to a border at the front of the garden if pot idea is not feasible.
Would be greatful for any advice?

[WendyC]

What a strange place to plant a tree! If you are going to move it, and it sounds like you have little choice, you need to get a move on and do it whilst the tree is dormant. Ideally it will go back in the ground but I guess if you can find a large container and are prepared to water, a container will do. Prepare your planting hole first and dig it up with as big a root ball as you can manage. It may be a two person job! It will need regular watering in dry spells this year.

[barney]

Thanks WendyC. Will move it tomorrow if weather allows.

[Paulieb]

Asap would be good, but if you could choose any time of the year I'd probably got for late autumn a few weeks after the leaves have dropped.

I've noticed a few flowering cherries starting to flower round here so ASAP would be okay.

What diameter is the main trunk? This will help to determine how old the tree is. A 2year old tree could be 8ft and not have many roots, but a 5/6 year old tree could also be 8ft if pruned and would want a lot more roots to be moved with it.

[Invicta]

A lot of flowering cherries are grafted onto wild cherry [Prunus avium] rootstock. If it is, this rootstock is very vigorous and shallow rooted, so tends to be widespread from the trunk. You should be able to see a graft mark if this is so where the bark will be different. As this species is grown for its bark it would be close to ground level.

[Kirk]

As you have to then do it as soon as possible, say this as the raods around me have flowering cherries lining quite a few and I noticed last weekend that many are starting to come into flower - mild winter we have had.

Not sure of the Somerset weather or temperatures but here I have seen sloe/blackthorn in flower and now the cherries.

[Scarlet]

Well, some of the cherries have started to flower here and I'm a stones throw from Somerset. It may be a little late and could mean a death sentence for your poor tree....