Breaking the tap root?
 

"Jones" wrote in message
news:2006081510422216807-at@yourhousenet...
Hello all,

I have a big mahan pecan tree in my yard. This is a self-fertile
cultivar, and every year about this time, I find lots of baby seedling
pecan trees growing under it.

I want to transplant some, but I keep finding that I cannot dig them up
deep enough to get all of the tap root, especially among the seedlings
that are last year's stock. These "trees" are only maybe 12" tall and
1/8" or less thick, but their tap roots are often more than 12" long
and 1/4" thick.

I've always heard that if you break the tap root of a young tree, that
it will either die or fail to thrive, but I wondered whether that's
true or just an old wive's tale.

I mean, we can take cuttings of trees and woody shrubs, and they will
grow, so why can't a tap root regenerate itself?

Thanks for any help or info.

Cutting the taproot is apparently not a problem. There's lots of good
info he

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/e...can/pecan.html

"Dig the planting hole only as large as the root system (Figure 2). Extra
deep or large holes back-filled with soil allow the tree to settle. Settling
or planting too deep can cause root damage that results in poor growth or
death of the tree. To avoid settling, rest the base of the taproot firmly
against the bottom of the hole. If the hole is at least 2 feet deep and the
taproot is longer, cut the taproot off to fit the hole."