Tree Transplanting

TREE TRANSPLANTING- Establishing Landscapes

History, Methods & Machine

GROUP 1: JACQUILINE TEH JAE CHENN GS35388 SITI AISHAH GS35845 SHAMSUL JOHARI GS34706

Introduction, History, Guideline

Moving from one location to another site operation.

INTRODUCTION

Digging

Successfully Condition:• Techniques and care -proper soil preparation, planting methods,

follow-up care.• Duplicate the original conditions as closely as possible, to

reduce stress on the tree.• Soil type, planting depth, staking, watering and mulching

Transplant shock: • The process of digging and transplanting puts a lot of stress on the

tree.• Due to stress result from removal of substantial portion of

transplanted trees’ root system (root- shoot imbalance Watson, 1985)

Moving

Replanting

NEED to transplant:• Overgrown original location• Move from one site to another better suited• Save it from construction/road• Change aesthetic appearance (INSTANT LANDSCAPE)• To harmonize urban development & landscape with human needs.

Common Tools:• Nursery spade (preferred tool) or digging shovel• Larger Tree Spade: Mounted on modified trucks with outrigger

stabilizers support and level the four blades.• Tree Spade :Machine- use Hydraulics to force triangular blades into

ground

S.P. McClenahan Company (1911), Seymour P. McClenahan1930's, involved the transplanting of five hundred Pine trees.Elm Tree at Hill- Stead, April 18, 1902

Marty, Finger Lakes area of New York State 1920s, transplanting large tree

John Y. Culyer 1867, designed a machine for moving trees, in Prospect Park

HISTORY

Dryland Sodder (1979): • To strip the topsoil and vegetation

including small trees or shrubs and then transport theundisturbed material to a site for transplanting.

• Used a specially designed loader-bucket to scoop and hold the soil and vegetation.

• 400 to 500 horsepower wheeled loader is required to push the bucket through the

soil. • The bucket is tipped and the sod slips

onto the ground as the loader moved backwards at reclamation site.

• Since ancient times. Egyptians transplanted trees – 2000B.C.• Early temple pictographs : Worker transported frankincense trees (Boswellia sp.) in

containers. • By SHIPS from faraway lands (Campana, 1999).• Increase in mechanization and knowledge of arboriculture.

TRANSPLANTING GUIDE1. Selecting high-quality treesa. Trunk and Branch Characteristics (straight, well-spaced and have good branch attachment)b. Foliage Characteristic (good color, with no sign of insect pests and/or diseases)c. Root and Rootball Characteristics (avoid plants with weedy rootballs.)

*If rootball is above ground longer than an hour: (within 2 hours) Wrap the root ball in the tarp/ plastic bag/ burlap, or heel the tree into woodchips or organic mulch.

Bare-root transplanting:• limited to deciduous shrubs and small

deciduous trees (up to two inches indiameter)

Balled-and-burlapped (with an intact soil ball):• All evergreens; trees greater than two

inches in diameter.

2. Handling, transporting and storing trees

a. Handling- Always carry the plant by the rootball, never solely by the trunk or branches.

b. Transporting - Tarp all plants in transit, preferably with a breathable mesh covering.

c. Storing trees- Make sure plants are well watered, in shady location

3. Transplanting ball and burlap, container and bare root trees

a. The Planting Hole • Dig the planting hole 2 - 3 times the

diameter (width) of the rootball and no deeper than the depth of the rootball.

b. Removing Rootball Coverings • Natural burlap, Synthetic burlap, carpet

backing, Wire baskets.

c. Placing the Tree in the Hole & Backfilling - Plant tree at the proper depth.

d. Planting Bare Root Trees

e. Completing the Planting

4. Post-planting Maintenance

a. Maintenance in the First Growing Season- Irrigate the plants as frequently- Maintain the 2 - 3" mulch layer- fertilizer

b. Planting in Poorly Drained Soils- improve drainage within the planting hole.

Tripple Brook Farm: (TBF Root Cutter- reach under root ball)• Remarkable simple + effective new approach to tree digging. • Replace of tree spade for use under difficult digging conditions• Less costly• Root ball neatly cut and shaped• Can outperform tree spades

Punkin Hollow Tree Farm:

• Heavy duty performance with protective touch• Scalable, flexible, designed for safe transport

Digging System

1. Initial Preparation:• Preliminary root investigation• Health diagnosis tree• Treating infected tree

2. Soil Sampling, Testing, Site Selection

3. Root Pruning, initiating fresh root growth

4. Tree packing, feeding, monitoring for adaptation

5. Transplantation of Trees:• Crane- to lift the packed tree.• Trolley/truck- to transport tree• JCB- for digging pits

6. Mechanical Support & Pruning:• Scaffolding- 1.5 months to give external

support.

7. Post Transplantation Treatments

METHODOLOGY- Manual (Traditional)

Manual (Traditional)

Why transplant?• Putting in plants that are new to your garden• Moving plants to more favourable locations• Getting plants out of too-small containers into bigger ones• Relocating plants that are grown indoors to the outdoors

Best practicesCreate a favourable soil environment• Transplant when it’s damp/cool• Avoid root disturbance• Don’t let roots dry out• Be gentle with the roots when untangling root-bound mats• Transplant to the right depth• Make sure that only one plant from the original container gets transplanted to the new

pot/garden space• If there are more, snip all but the healthiest one off at the soil line

Manual (Traditional)

Select a sapling to transplant

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Choose a suitable spot to receive the new transplant

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Dig the hole to receive the transplant first

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Dig up the transplant tree

Remove the sapling by grabbing it near the ground and lifting it straight out of the hole

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Choose a suitable spot to receive the new transplant

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Fill the hole level with the adjacent ground

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Rewater the tree after the initial watering has soaked in

Stake the sapling

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Soil Structures• Clay soil will contribute to a smaller rootball • Sandy soil will have an extensive root system. • Other soil factors include the level of soil

compaction and moisture. • Field-grown trees should not be transplanted

to open, exposed locations. They may be structurally weak and have a shallow, spreading root system that extends well beyond the crown of the tree.

METHODOLOGY- Machine Tree Spade

• Variety of types and sizes. • Capacity to move a tree with a maximum

trunk diameter of eight to 10 inches, or a soil ball up to 90 inches in diameter.

• It must be large enough to accommodate a root ball that will sufficiently sustain the tree after planting.

• When determining the spade size needed to move a tree, deciduous trees are measured by trunk diameter and evergreens are measured by tree height.

• A tree spade can be used to move one tree at a time or a pod trailer may be used to move as many as three trees at one time.

Supplies and Specifications: Tree Spade

Tree spade size Deciduous tree - trunk diameter Evergreen tree - height

44 inches 2 to 3 inches 5 to 7 feet



Trunk diameters are measured using a caliper, six inches above the ground for tree four inches in diameter or smaller and 12 inches above the ground for trees with a large diameter.

Moving and Transplanting Trees with a Tree Spade

• More costly , but saves labor, planting time and years of maintenance of the juvenile tree. • Eliminates the possible risk of mower damage that commonly occurs on younger, smaller

trees. • Commercial nurseries use tree spades to lift large, field-grown trees out of the soil, and

wrap the root ball in burlap and twine (termed "ball and burlap" or B&B) for retail sale or compact storage.

• Landscape companies and arborists use spades to plant large trees that are nursery-grown or have been moved from elsewhere in the landscape.

• Landscape professionals use a tree spade to create an "instant landscape" by digging and transplanting large trees from one location to another.

• Homeowners use to locate trees on residential sites. • Trailer-mounted spades that can hold a soil ball up to 44 inches in diameter are available

at some rental centers, and strongly recommended that individuals hire an experienced contractor specializing in tree spading to transplant trees.

Procedures : Moving and Transplanting Trees with a Tree Spade

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• Prepared site by tilling the soil and raking it smooth.

• Remove turf within the drip line of tree and replaced with mulch to prevent competition as well as mower damage.

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• Dug hole to receive new tree.• Proper size of tree spade - Hole will

accommodate the a root ball substantial enough to support the tree.

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• The operator controls the spade from the truck.3

• Hydraulic supports provide a stable foundation and prevents the spade from tipping over.

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• The spade blades are inserted into the soil.

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• The blades are closed to contain the soil ball.

• The ball is positioned correctly for transport using the spade hydraulics loaded onto a truck and hauled away.

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• The tree spade is now used to dig the tree.7

• Before backing up, the frame and rear blades are opened to encircle the tree.

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• The blades are positioned around the tree to insure the root ball is an equal distance on all sides of the trunk.

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• The frame and rear blades are driven down hydraulically into the soil.

• Each of the blades is moved several inches at one time until they are all as deep as possible.

• The blades are closed, tree is removed, root ball intact

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• Adjusts the tree spade for safe transport. Depending on the species of the tree, the time of year, and the travel distance, the tree canopy may be covered with a tarp.

• For highway transport, a special "diaper" is used to cover the spades to prevent soil loss.

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• The operator does some root trimming/pruning.11

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• The tree is lowered into the ground 14

• The operator positions the spade over the new hole.

• Adjustments can be made at this time if the tree has not been growing straight. If possible, the tree should be oriented in the same direction as its original location.

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• Once the transplanting operation is complete, the tree should be staked to provide support until the roots become established.

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• Removed the blades. Tree should placed 2-3" higher than the original grade to allow for settling.

• If it is planted to shallow, roots may be damaged by temperature fluctuations and lack of soil moisture.

• Planting it too deeply will cause girdling problems.

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• The wires are attached to metal stakes or fence posts which are set in the ground in a triangle to support the tree evenly.

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• The arborist wraps rubber hose around #9 or #12 wire to support the tree to cushion the tree limbs and prevent girdling.

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• Wooden dowel or screwdriver is inserted between the two wires and twisted to tighten the wire, to support it evenly.

• Root ball should be flooded with water during this process. Any final adjustment can be made to straighten the tree by tightening one side more than others.

• Staking method also allows the wires to be loosened and eventually removed as the root system becomes established.

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• After the tree is staked, continue to water the root ball slowly and thoroughly, allowing for the water to penetrate the soil ball and surround soil. If large air spaces are apparent between the soil ball and the surrounding soil, additional soil can be added during the initial watering. This will insure good soil contact with the newly developing roots.

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• Newly planted trees should be watered regularly and the root ball should be saturated to a depth of 12". The staking should be removed as soon as the tree is well-rooted. All new trees should also be mulched for moisture retention, to prevent damage from mowers, and to reduce weed competition.

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Education

Tree Transplanting