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thecitychicken

I transplanted some Alberta spruce - PICTURE

thecitychicken
16 years ago

A couple of days ago a neighbor said I could dig out five of her Alberta spruce. It's not my fave species, but they were free! :) Within one day I had them all back in the ground, along my back 4' tall chain link fence. How old would you guess these trees are? They are taller than the 4' fence, so I want to guess like 15 years old, since the Albertas grow so slow. What percentage chance would you give me for having these guys survive the transplant? The ground where I dug them from was very soft due to lots of rain, and we weren't too careful getting up all the roots; we just pulled on them until the roots broke off in whatever natural place they broke off at. There was quite a bit of fine roots left, but of course some of the bigger diameter roots were cut.

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Comments (17)

  • pineresin
    16 years ago

    Depends on how much of the roots got broken. I'd say probably not too good. Water regularly through the summer.

    Resin

  • thecitychicken
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I should mention that I should have worn long sleeves when I dug up the five Alberta spruce. My forearms were covered in a fine red itchy stinging rash when I was done. :) That happens when I mess with juniper, too. I washed my arms and then put hydrocortisone cream on my arms and all was well. :)

    -Katy

  • thecitychicken
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks, pineresin. I do enjoy watering everything in my yard daily in the summer. One of my destressers. So I hope I can get some to liiiiiivveee.

  • thecitychicken
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Okay, how about Mugo pine? My friend has two large ones she says I dig. Do they survive transplant any better? Thanks!

  • botann
    16 years ago

    No, they don't. I wouldn't bother, myself.
    Good luck though and keep em' watered!

  • dcsteg
    16 years ago

    I wouldn't water the Alberta spruces every day. After the initial planting and watering don't water again until soil is dry 2-3 inches down then water again throughly. Use a hose and trickle water at the trunk crown over night.

    Dave

  • treelover3
    16 years ago

    If a large number of root were lost, you may want to shade the trees from any intense sun to give the plants a fighting chance to survive.

    Put some stakes in the four corners and a couple in the center and then put some cloth/sheets/etc. over the plants and tied to the stakes to provide some shade. It won't look good, but it is temporary to help the plants survive being ripped out of the ground. Without some shading, I doubt that those trees will survive.
    Good luck,
    tl³

  • thecitychicken
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    It's funny because when I ask here at this forum, people say Alberta spruce don't take transplanting well. But when I look up articles with Google, I often find articles that say, "Alberta spruce are easy to transplant." Well, at least I can try! Thanks everyone!

  • treelover3
    16 years ago

    Transplanting and ripping plants out of the ground are two different things, entirely.

    Since you did not take care when removing the plants from the ground, you will need to take extra care to get the plants to survive (and even with extra care, it is unlikely that the plants will survive).

    If you had carefully dug the trees out of the ground with a good-sized root ball and then moved them, yes, the DAS would then be easy to move and have few problems.

    From what we read above, you didn't take care when removing the plants from the ground (you didn't move them correctly), so that is why we are giving you some extra suggestions.

    Don't be too disappointed if the DAS turn brown and die in the next couple of months.
    Good luck,
    tl³

  • Embothrium
    16 years ago

    Since these may be sad plants I wouldn't let the top 2-3 in. of soil dry out before watering again. Shading the tops this first summer could be important, even critical - if there was severe root damage your transplants are basically cuttings and will need to be given similar treatment to make up for the lack of roots.

    This tree is prone to mites which can be inhibited by hosing off the tops frequently during dry weather, this would also serve to help them get by until the roots come back more. Some new roots should come out of the cut root ends when shoot growth starts this spring, but these roots won't grow long enough to start replacing the lost overall size of the original root system until this coming fall. You've got a whole spring and summer ahead with them not having enough roots.

    Do apply a mulch if you haven't already, this will shade the soil.

  • thecitychicken
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks, bboy. So, it's fine if I spray water directly on this kind of tree? Like I wrote before, I like to walk around and water things, so in addition to watering near their roots I could also shoot the foliage with water? Thanks!

  • dcsteg
    16 years ago

    You need to slow trickle at the root flare. Probably for the first year until root system can establish itself. Don't over water and drown the plant. Spraying the foliage and watering near the roots won't put water where it is needed.
    Spraying the foliage would be only beneficial in cooling down the plant in hot weather. Good idea.

    Dave

  • flattie
    15 years ago

    Glad the naysayers were proved wrong. Good luck.

  • karinl
    15 years ago

    The Pacific Northwest is very forgiving for this kind of thing, and gardeners get lazy as a result. I probably would have done it the same way, given the time of year it was (and the kind of plant, although I have to admit that some of the mature ones I see around here are getting quite cute with age).

    But I would really take that shade idea seriously as summer arrives. I usually put a patio umbrella over some of my more vulnerable plants. I can move it around so each section gets some protection, and the shadow moves across the area during the day anyway, plus it gives me a sheltered place to stand while watering.

    I sympathize with watering for relaxation (that's when I commune with my plants) but hope you're not TOO cavalier with fresh water use in summer... just a thought :-) (I use grey water and rainwater as much as I can).

    KarinL

  • brugreene
    9 years ago

    Now we are in april 2015! I dont know whether the people above will see this post. I hope so.
    I have transplanted 6 of these little trees, 2 of them twice and layered-in holly tone in the process. Only 2 of them have not prospered like i would have liked but i think i know why: they are deluged by rain run off when it rains hard. I just transplanted 4 more again with holly tone.
    I didnt see any commentary in previous posts on the use of fertilizer in tranplanting these trees from ceramic pots to unamended ground. Comments would be appreciated!!!

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    i dont know why you buried this is some 6 year old post.. feel free to start new posts ... [newbie learning curve i see now]

    i NEVER fert conifers.. ever... never .. ever ...

    that said.. hollytone is about as benign as you can get.. isnt it something like 1-1-1 ...

    whether that or something else killed the failures is left to the mysteries of mother earth ... unless you care to give us more facts about the whole process ...

    in my cheap butt world.. the hollytone is just a waste of money ... but hey.. if you got it.. use it at will ...

    and i have no clue what you mean by layering it in ... it should be top dressed after the planting ...

    see link for a good planting guide... in regard to soil type.. water management, including drainage .... mulching.. etc ...

    welcome to GW ... we need more friends ... come back often.. with your own posts... look at your post above.. next to your name.. it says NONE... if you go to your members page.. and can change that to zone nd maybe a state.. like i did ... it will help us...

    ken

    ps: by my calender.. its still 2014... lol ... did i miss a year??? ... lol ...

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

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