Transplanting Fruit Trees

Correy says...
Ouch indeed. I would suggest to wait until they go dorment again however it sounds like your mind is made up that now is the time.

If you can try and get a lot of the root system dug up to try and not upset them and then when you re-plant make sure you pander to them with Seasol once a week and keep the water up to them. Also try to minimise heavy sun exposure.

lachlann and Diane gave some fantastic advise here:
Fruit Tree Transplanting

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1

Correy says...
Can you tell me how you go with the mango after a few months Also if you do have a chance I would love to see a few pictures of what you have done.

I had a bad experience with transplanting a mango tree this year and since have learnt to be much more careful.

amanda says...
I am wondering if this will work.... we are leaving here in the near future and I don't want to leave my fruit trees here to just die..(too far for me to move them also) I was thinking of advertising the trees on a "you remove" basis....as the trees are all healthy and producing.
I am not sure if I should charge anything for them as such? The main thing is to see them go to "good homes" :-) (but they may not survive being dug up - hence charging money for them might be a bit unfair?)
Has anyone done this before?

amanda says...
Yea SG - I might advertise locally this winter and see what happens - looks like the weather is finally going to change!? Hooray!! Can't wait :)

amanda says...
YAY!!! We got 7mm rain last night too!! Only the second time it has rained in about 5 months...

Jason says...
Awesome!, I know you don't want to hear it but we got about 25mm :) second time it's rained in two days !

:D (it was actually getting pretty dry before that).

snottiegobble says...
Amazing how the WA native flora cope isnt it, Brad? A lot of the trees & shrubs just kill one limb or branch at a time to combat the drought then kick on once its over!

Gav says...
Are you still in Geraldton? Would be happy to save your fruit trees.

Nick says...
I wish I could help you out, but its probably difficult to send to Vic. I'd hate to see such healthy trees go to waste after all the hard work you've done! :)

denise1 says...
It is a big shock shifting any tree. It is uaually done in stages . Firstly cut two parallel trenches either side of the tree. Some time later ( at least a few weeks?) then cut the last two sides of the tree so that the trench completely surrounds it. A few weeks later cut it out from underneath and shift it into its new site. If the rootball is too wide it will easily collapse from the soils weight. When cutting underneath you can rope some narrow boards under the edge to help prevent collapse when uplifting the tree.. When back in the ground give it a big soak and then dont water again for some days. Remember the cutting of the root system has to be matched by trimming the foliage. If possible shift the tree during cool, humid or cloudy weather. You can spray or dip the foliage in an antitranspirant from your garden center. Also wrap the tree with frostcloth or shadecloth until it is settled..Of coarse some of the hints are difficult for a larger tree. Someone else may advise the best time for shifting.

Bangkokii says...
I just killed a large achacha by removing it.

But i learned from it..here we can buy huge fruiting tree's in a 80 liter pot.

It takes many weeks preparation.
You first make a circle about the rootball you want to get...not too large because that's too heavy.

You start cutting the roots in the circle bit by bit...stick the shovel in the soil at a few spots to cut them roots...few weeks later you do some more spots....few weeks later you do some more spots untill your circle is totally round...

You have to wait a few weeks so the tree can make new roots within that circle. Don't think the dormant period is good for that but feel free to correct me.

When the circle is round you dig around the circle, remove all the soil so you can stab the roots under the circle.

Now you have a liftable rootball and can move it.

After that you prune the tree, not the main branches but the smaller ones.

Keep the tree wet, spray it every day untill it starts to flush again.

Here i see huge tree's from 5-6 meters tall and many meters wide with a rootball of 80 liter for sale...guess this is how they did it. Those tree's get watered several times a day (hot here).