This landscape would be a good example of an older planting in need of a renovation.

The Japanese Maple (green leaf variety) on the corner of the house met the criteria for a good value, high degree of success transplant.

Maybe some of you noticed this maple is in leaf and are thinking “You should not be transplanting this plant now!”  You are correct.

Preparation For Transplanting – Not To Be Taken Lightly

There are circumstances that have you transplanting at less than optimum times of year.  In this case we were confident of success if we did additional preparation.  Prior to the transplant we treated the plant with BioPlex.  This is a special liquid bio-stimulant that dramatically reduces transplant shock.

Plant nurseries practice a process called root pruning.  They do this because the roots of plants instinctively grow outward well beyond the point where a root ball would be dug.  You therefore risk cutting off too great a percentage of roots reducing the transplant’s  chances of survival.

With root pruning you literally dig down, perhaps a year before you intend to move the plant, and prune the roots at a point where you anticipate the root ball to eventually be.  This causes the remaining roots to “branch-out” and produce a denser, more fibrous root system.

We have done root pruning on project sites where it was necessary and justified, but it does require planning, extra cost and a schedule that allows the extra time.  More often we just practice good common sense tactics such as:

• water the plant in advance of digging to insure good soil moisture around the root system.
• try to dig on cool, cloudy days which can help with reducing plant stress and transplant shock.
• use a bio-stimulant product (like BioPlex) for increasing your success rate

Clear the area.  You can’t have too much room to work when digging a plant for transplant.  If surrounding plants are to be removed, do it before digging.  If surrounding plants are to be transplanted, tie all of them up to get branches out of the way.

Dig the smallest and easiest transplants first.

With the area as clear as possible and branches tied up, begin by shaving the top, loose soil over the roots.  At this point you can mark a line that shows the future diameter of the ball as specified in the American Standard for Nursery Stock.

At a distance slightly outside of the marked circle begin to dig down.  Use a sharp spade, with its back side toward the plant, to cut through the soil and smaller roots.  Use a lopper to cut larger roots.

These 4 tools help to make the transplant job go smoothly.  Starting from the left is a spade, lopper, long-handled shovel and a solid steel root-cutter.

Your objective is to dig a trench around the prescribed sized root ball.  Continue to dig down to the depth recommended in the Standard for Nursery Stock.  Shape the ball like a flower pot, tapering in slightly as you go deeper.

When you reach the proper depth (I usually go slightly deeper), you must make a decision as to whether the root ball will be drum-laced or not.  Drum-lacing should always be done if the root ball is either large or appears to be weak and fragile.  You don’t want the root ball to break apart or become loose during the transplanting process.

If you are drum-lacing (this Maple is drum-laced) the base of the root ball remains attached to the ground.  It is only after the root ball is securely drum-laced that it can be undercut.  Drum-lacing is an involved technique and really warrants a detailed post with pictures.  Actually, this would be a good technique to video.  I hope to have video as a part of LandscapeAdvisor content in the near future.

When the root ball is smaller and appears nice and solid (usually due to plenty of fibrous roots and cohesive soil), you probably can skip the drum-lacing.  So now you can begin to undercut the ball with the spade to sever any remaining roots and to separate the root ball from the ground.

Once the root ball is free at the base you must set it on a square-cut piece of burlap by either of 2 ways.  If the plant is not too heavy it can be carefully lifted and placed on the burlap square.

If it can’t be lifted easily, roll the burlap square half way, then lean the plant over slightly.  Tuck the rolled side of the burlap in the crease where the ball is still touching.  Now lean the plant over in the opposite direction and unroll the half of the burlap square.  Presto!… I don’t think I’ve ever gotten it right in the middle of the burlap, but usually close enough.

Once the root ball is sitting on the burlap square, lift and tie the opposite corners over the top of the ball by the neck of the plant.

If you look closely at the picture to the right (click to enlarge) you’ll see a “chain-cradle” around the root ball.  This will be used to lift the plant out of the hole and into its new location using a backhoe.

No doubt there are other techniques, tips and perhaps questions out there on this broad topic.  We’d all like to hear them; possibly pick up something new, and help those in need.  Feel free to leave a comment.

To estimate this type of work accurately you must be clear on what this particular transplant job requires from start to finish.

First off, consider the size factor.  This is one of those times where size does matter.  Given the standard root ball sizes as recommended by the American Standard for Nursery Stock (see below), you’ll know right away how big a root ball you will need to create.

Weight is another serious consideration.  Once the plant is balled and burlapped you’ll have to move it to its new location.  Generally speaking a root ball measuring 15″ wide and 15″ high should weigh around 200 lbs.  Amazing, isn’t it?

And you can’t be “wrestling” with the plant either.  It’s critical you handle it carefully so as not to disturb the solid connection between root ball and upper plant.

The size and weight information you calculate will tell you right away what kind of equipment (and manpower) you’ll need to handle the plant.  Basically it comes down to either a plant small enough to manage by hand (typically using a ball-cart or hand-truck) or big enough to require equipment with hydraulics to lift and maneuver the plant.

Be conscious of the work area size.  Maybe the space is so small that simply maneuvering around is difficult.  Maybe the plant you intend to move is so close to a building or other structure that digging and shaping the root ball presents challenges.

Look for overhead obstacles like wires and low branches from other trees.  How about fences and gates?   Do you have to remove them for access and then re-set them afterwards?

As with anytime you dig, think about underground utilities, drains, seepage pits, septic systems, etc.  Calling for a utility “mark-out” is always a good idea.

Don’t forget the work involved to restore the work area (and possibly the access path) when the job is done.

In the next post I’ll talk about the process for hand-digging a plant for transplant.  The more care taken in the process the better your chances of success.

As you can see there is a lot to consider when transplanting.  If you justify the cost and see the value in moving a plant, then give it your best shot. Be aware of all the logistical aspects of the job from start to finish.

It has been my experience over the years that those who do transplanting well with good success rates are among the more experienced landscape companies.  What do you think?

Some of the reasons to transplant are:

• to correct “overcrowding” where a group of plants are too close to one another.
• to relocate a plant that has outgrown its space.  For example: too close to a building, driveway or walkway; too large and now overpowering an area or blocking a view.
• to save desirable plants in the way of planned construction.
• to re-arrange for design purposes.  Sometimes plants are just not arranged properly.
• to move to a better suited location / exposure.  Plants are often placed in incompatible spots and struggle to survive.
• sentimental reasons.  You want to bring a plant that has special meaning in your life with you – or, you would like someone else to have it.

Transplanting From A Contractor’s Perspective

A contractor who is looking out for the homeowner’s best interest should consider the value aspect.  Does the plant type, condition of the plant, logistical challenges of the move  and the chance of success justify the cost?

These are some things to consider:

• does this type of plant transplant well?  Some plants, by their very nature, are not good candidates for transplanting.
• is this a good time of year to attempt the move?  Generally you might think early spring or fall, but that too can vary depending on the particular plant.
• how is access to the plant and space to work?  Sometimes it can be extremely difficult or, in fact, impossible (I try never to say that) to work with and around a situation.
• how important is the plant to the homeowner?
• can I replace the plant (or come close to it) with a new one as compared to the cost of transplanting?
• what is the risk factor as it relates to  cost?  This is where it sometimes comes down to the homeowner’s decision.  For example:  If you estimate the cost of a transplant to be $1500, but in your opinion (and from experience) you feel there’s a 50% chance of success, the customer may decide one way or the other based on their perspective. Typically there are no guarantees for transplants.

Transplanting From A Homeowner’s Perspective

If you’re considering transplanting and are speaking with a contractor, look for someone that has knowledge and experience in this area.  Costs will be absolute and success will be a variable (again, typically with no guarantees).  There are companies that specialize in transplanting and often have equipment just for this purpose.

For the do-it-yourselfer you may consider all of the above before “digging in” (did I just say that?).  Gather as much information as you can on the specific plant you want to move.  Perhaps take a few pictures, measurements and even a branch sample to a reputable nursery to help them give advice.

Also feel free to ask questions and leave comments below.

Transplanting is a huge topic and I’ll be sharing with you more information and experiences in upcoming posts.

Yes, this could be a “do-it-yourself” job, but somehow I don’t think so.  There is enough larger

Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or a member of the trade, there is a fundamental principle of landscape design: complement, don’t compete. Frankly, this principle could be applied to most categories of design.

There is some subjectivity to this principle based for the most part on personal taste. As a designer I deal with this all the time.  The challenge is always to interject that “style” that reflects the homeowner’s taste and gives individuality to the design, but at the same time follows that basic principle: complement, don’t compete.

The two levels of “complementing considerations” in landscape design are:

1. How the overall design complements the home and the surroundings.
2. How the individual elements within the design complement and relate to one another

This planting is in a front yard.  The house is just to the right, and you can see the curb line in the foreground.  The background and setting is beautiful – look at the rolling hills and woodland.  Right away we have this great opportunity to echo these surroundings in our designed landscape and make the home appear nestled into the setting.

Good architecture strives to design homes that integrate with the land.  As landscape designers we should follow that goal and avoid creating settings that compete against the home for attention.

On the point of each element in the design complementing and relating to one another, look at the variation of the elements in the picture above.  It appears to be more of a collection rather than a composition.  As far as the artificial palm trees go, I’ll confidently let you come to your own thoughts on those.

Good News – Bad News

Since a majority of the work I do is renovation, the “good news – bad news” line often comes up. And, just as it would for the design above, the short of it is: “The good news is most of the plants you have here we can transplant and reuse.  The bad news is you’ll have to incur the cost of the labor, equipment and some new materials to get the proper look.”  Most homeowners have a positive outlook and write it off as a learning / home improvement experience.  The notion that a good design will not only improve the look & value of their home, but last for many years, helps to ease pain.

Speaking in general terms, a number of the plant types and elements in this design would be better suited to an “interest garden”.  An interest garden is one that is designed to deliberately draw attention.  This could be your goal by a patio.  Or perhaps you’d like to create a focal point out in the backyard.

In the situation of this front yard, (again speaking in general terms) I would select three or four natural plant types (i.e. not ornate & unusual) and create groupings that are unified and complement each other.  I would also specify some large growing shade trees to give scale to this wide open space.

Dug In Minutes

Although mechanical tree spades have been around for some time now, they’re not too common a piece of equipment for most contractors. Why? Because tree spades are specialized equipment that cost alot of money, and for most contractors it’s not something they would use often enough to justify the expense.  Landscape contractor Dave Kennedy has been transplanting trees for most of his years in the industry and has equipped himself with machines in the mid-size range. In the first picture the spade is positioned to dig a Norway Spruce.   It opens like a clam shell and closes once around the tree; all with the power of hydraulics driven by the skid steer.

The 4 metal blades are independently controlled (again by hydraulics) and are water lubricated to help them penetrate the ground.  When the blades are beneath the earth and around the root system, the tree can be safely raised.  A wire tree basket lined with burlap awaits the freshly dug tree.

To dig this tree the conventional way, i.e. “balled & burlaped” by hand, it would take two men at least 2 hours. One of my upcoming posts will show a hand-dug transplant so you can see and compare the process.

Tree Spade Territory

The biggest use of these machines is in the growing nurseries where thousands of plants are grown and dug for market.  Their ability to do volume work in a short time makes them the industry standard. As you would expect, mechanical tree spades need room to work.  Just the large blades themselves require a certain amount of clearance to operate.  On some project sites there is simply not enough room, or the land is too sloped, or there are underground utilities “too close for comfort”.  These are just some of the conditions where “hand-digging” would be the method of choice.

In less than an hour Dave’s mechanical tree spade had these 2 existing trees out of the ground and into wire tree baskets with burlap. The crewmen shave the excess soil off the tops of the balls, fold over the burlap and tie the upper loops of the basket in a “criss-cross” fashion to make a tight package. These trees are ready to be repositioned and replanted.

Is The Plant Worth Transplanting?

This question prompts me to write another in-depth report because to answer it thoroughly I need to show you all the considerations when looking at transplanting.  For this short article, here are two that top the list:

• Percent chance of success: Generally speaking, certain plants make better candidates for transplanting than others. In addition, one must consider all the surrounding conditions that the plant had been growing in.
• Cost to value ratio: When you know the real costs of the transplanting process (including replanting), compare that to an appraised value of the plant.  At the very least visit a nursery and get an estimate for purchasing and installing a similar plant.

These two considerations should help you make an informed and practical decision.  I should mention too that sometimes plants have sentimental value and that can certainly weigh-in to your decision.

Illustrated in the photos is the art of “drum-lacing”.  This process is more often done completely by hand, however occasionally a machine might help dig the trench surrounding the root ball.  As you might suspect this method is a labor intensive process. I would estimate the cost to move this plant at approximately $300.  Now this would be totally justified because:

• The plant, ‘Montgomery’ Blue Spruce, typically transplants quite well. We know from the homeowner it was a smaller, nursery-grown plant installed about 5 years ago on this property.  These points give us confidence for a successful transplant.
• The appraised value of the plant is at least $400 (probably more) and with installation would be over $700.  The value of this plant easily exceeds the transplanting cost.

The decision to transplant is not always this obvious and sometimes requires more analysis and contemplation.

Is transplanting a part of your business? If so, does it happen on most of your jobs? Let us know in the comments.

We all know the two main purposes of screen plantings: privacy and block an unsightly view.  But there are other things to consider when planting a screen.

You should be familiar with the term “outdoor room“.  It’s that fundamental principle of dividing a yard into “spaces” according to their purpose and use.

One of the ways to create these “spaces” is by using vertical elements like walls, fences and plantings.

Screen plantings are such a great tool to help make these rooms.  Plants offer color, texture and level of density.  By level of density I’m referring to the thickness and cover that the planting can have. Your screen planting may not have to be so thick and dense to accomplish the degree of screening you need.

Sometimes just the open branching of an ornamental tree or multi-stem shrub is enough to diffuse the view and distract people (on both sides) from looking through.

As you can see in the picture above, screening would be important from both sides – the neighbor looking in from their second floor windows and our homeowner who’d rather not look at the neighbor’s house.

If you’ll notice there already is a row of evergreens on the border, but they are arranged in a mix of varieties that disunify the composition. By transplanting these existing trees we were able to bring unity to the design by grouping similar varieties.
The tallest of the existing evergreens were placed where they’d give the most coverage from the pool’s patio area.

We installed a River Birch clump forward of the evergreens to give an additional layer of screening. The birch also gives immediate height until the evergreens grow larger.

Layering like this adds depth to the screen planting. Plus, with the generous space between the birch and the evergreens, they can all grow and coexist without harsh pruning.

So look at your screen planting as more than just a wall to block a view.  It’s an opportunity to accomplish so much more in your design.

Here’s the previous post for this project. And here’s the next.

Older landscapes often have larger plant material that’s in relatively good condition and can be utilized in the redesign & renovation. Newer landscapes that were poorly designed and/or arranged can literally be “disassembled” quite easily and redone.

Today we still practice the conventional method of transplanting called “balled & burlap,” which you can see in the photo below. In some circumstances it is the only option you may have.

However, when the transplanting situation can accommodate a larger piece of equipment, you can accomplish the task in much less time and often at a lower cost using specialized equipment.

In this next picture you see a mechanical tree spade mounted on a skid steer machine. This particular tree spade can make a root ball up to 52″ in diameter. This could mean moving a tree that’s up to 18′ tall.

Here are some of the advantages to transplanting larger plants on these renovation projects.

• We can establish (or preserve) a substantial scale in the design or create an impressive privacy screen.
• It would normally be more costly to supply and install new plants this size than the cost of transplanting.

Yes there are real advantages to transplanting and using the larger plant material, but not without first considering the specific details of that particular move. Every transplant is different and comes with its own set of circumstances.

Once you’ve listed and realized all the logistical factors, it will be clearer to you as to whether transplanting is the right decision. It often comes down to a cost : value factor, i.e. “Is the cost worth the risk and the “real value” of the plant?

From experience you should be able to estimate the potential (or percentage) of success. You should also know the approximate cost of supplying and installing a new plant to compare that cost. This information will help with the decision and in your discussion with the homeowner/client.