Moving a Live Oak Tree
 

Our house was built in the Woodlands, TX just north of Houston in late
1998 and a live oak tree was planted about five feet from our concrete
driveway and about eight feet from the house. The tree has grown
significantly since we bought the house in 2000 and it is obviously
too close to both the drive, our house and the neighbor's house.

Our house backs up to a golf course and I asked the head greenskeeper
if he would like to transplant the tree from our yard onto the golf
course. He said he would like to do so but wants to wait until
October when weather conditions are more favorable.

My questions a

1. Is it feasible to move a healthy live oak that is about 9 years
old?
2. Is October a good time to move it? Should some prep work be done
now?
3. The tree is apparently planted on top of the water line coming
into the house and the lawn irrigation system. Any thoughts on
dealing with those lines?
4. If a professional tree service moves the tree using one of those
large trucks with the pointed hydraulic shovels, what is the risk the
weight of the truck and tree will crack the driveway?

If it is not feasible to move the tree, we will simply have to cut it
down and replace it with a move suitable type. We hate to do it
because the tree is actually quite beautiful.

Moving a Live Oak Tree
 

wrote in message
ups.com...
Our house was built in the Woodlands, TX just north of Houston in late
1998 and a live oak tree was planted about five feet from our concrete
driveway and about eight feet from the house. The tree has grown
significantly since we bought the house in 2000 and it is obviously
too close to both the drive, our house and the neighbor's house.

Our house backs up to a golf course and I asked the head greenskeeper
if he would like to transplant the tree from our yard onto the golf
course. He said he would like to do so but wants to wait until
October when weather conditions are more favorable.

My questions a

1. Is it feasible to move a healthy live oak that is about 9 years
old?
2. Is October a good time to move it? Should some prep work be done
now?
3. The tree is apparently planted on top of the water line coming
into the house and the lawn irrigation system. Any thoughts on
dealing with those lines?
4. If a professional tree service moves the tree using one of those
large trucks with the pointed hydraulic shovels, what is the risk the
weight of the truck and tree will crack the driveway?

If it is not feasible to move the tree, we will simply have to cut it
down and replace it with a move suitable type. We hate to do it
because the tree is actually quite beautiful.


Late fall.
Dave

Moving a Live Oak Tree
 

On 25 May 2007 20:15:14 -0700, wrote:

Our house was built in the Woodlands, TX just north of Houston in late
1998 and a live oak tree was planted about five feet from our concrete
driveway and about eight feet from the house. The tree has grown
significantly since we bought the house in 2000 and it is obviously
too close to both the drive, our house and the neighbor's house.

Our house backs up to a golf course and I asked the head greenskeeper
if he would like to transplant the tree from our yard onto the golf
course. He said he would like to do so but wants to wait until
October when weather conditions are more favorable.

My questions a

1. Is it feasible to move a healthy live oak that is about 9 years
old?
2. Is October a good time to move it? Should some prep work be done
now?
3. The tree is apparently planted on top of the water line coming
into the house and the lawn irrigation system. Any thoughts on
dealing with those lines?
4. If a professional tree service moves the tree using one of those
large trucks with the pointed hydraulic shovels, what is the risk the
weight of the truck and tree will crack the driveway?

If it is not feasible to move the tree, we will simply have to cut it
down and replace it with a move suitable type. We hate to do it
because the tree is actually quite beautiful.
To transplant a tree, the goal should be a root ball one foot in
radius for every inch of trunk diameter. So, if the tree is 5 inches
in diameter, the root ball would be cut at the edge of the drive
ideally. Any larger, and your chances of success decline.

Fall is a good time for transplanting in TX, since the roots will have
a chance to establish in the new site before hot weather sets in. You
could prep the area by defining the ultimate root ball, dividing it
into 6-8 sectors, and severing the roots at that point through every
other sector with a sharp shovel (i.e., cut through half the roots so
they can start regenerating and the ultimate dig will not be as big a
blow).

The root ball needn't be all that deep, which means you may be able to
leave the water line intact and pluck the tree off the top of it. You
may as well start plans to replace the irrigation system (at least the
part of it nearby).

The final question depends a lot more on the drive than anything. How
thick is it? How well is it reinforced? Incidentally, the equipment
you're thinking of is called a tree spade.

good luck,
Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist #TX-0236AT