I've got a 5 year old red maple that's in bloom right now. It's about 8
feet tall. The local electric company has marked it to be cut down in
about 4 weeks (evil NES - the tree won't be anywhere near their lines
for a good 10 years.) Anyway, I've never transplanted a tree that size
and am looking for advice.

Kate (the black walnut thread inspired me to post)

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 15:04:09 -0600, kate wrote:
I've got a 5 year old red maple that's in bloom right now. It's about 8
feet tall. The local electric company has marked it to be cut down in
about 4 weeks (evil NES - the tree won't be anywhere near their lines
for a good 10 years.) Anyway, I've never transplanted a tree that size
and am looking for advice.

Figure there's as much tree mass underground as above. First dig
your new hole, located at least 30 ft from anything it might get into...
mature size is about 40-60ft x 40-60 ft.

Mark the north side of the tree.

Then dig the tree, leaving a good root mass, and transport gently to
the new site, lowering the tree into the hole gently, and reorienting
the mark you made to the north. Backfill and water. When transporting,
do not attempt to use the trunk as a handle... you need slings or a
tree spade under the root mass.

Since red maples are fast growers and tend to be not the nicest species
to have around, I'd personally be more inclined to let the power crews
have at, and replace it with a species better suited to the yard and
space available.

Kay

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Kay Lancaster wrote:
On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 15:04:09 -0600, kate wrote:

I've got a 5 year old red maple that's in bloom right now. It's about 8
feet tall. The local electric company has marked it to be cut down in
about 4 weeks (evil NES - the tree won't be anywhere near their lines
for a good 10 years.) Anyway, I've never transplanted a tree that size
and am looking for advice.


Figure there's as much tree mass underground as above. First dig
your new hole, located at least 30 ft from anything it might get into...
mature size is about 40-60ft x 40-60 ft.

Mark the north side of the tree.

Then dig the tree, leaving a good root mass, and transport gently to
the new site, lowering the tree into the hole gently, and reorienting
the mark you made to the north. Backfill and water. When transporting,
do not attempt to use the trunk as a handle... you need slings or a
tree spade under the root mass.

Since red maples are fast growers and tend to be not the nicest species
to have around, I'd personally be more inclined to let the power crews
have at, and replace it with a species better suited to the yard and
space available.

Thanks, Kay. If I lived in New England, where maples are plenty, I might
feel differently but here in TN, this tree is five years old and about 8
feet tall. I planted it when it was about a foor tall and it's really
lovely. The power company made new rules about trees three years ago.

Peace,

Kate