saving trees from a new garden building
Jo Pedder
Posts: 4
Hello,
I'm looking for advice and suggestions on what to do with two trees which would otherwise be lost. I'm building a cabin office in our small garden as I run a business from home, and the only viable location will require removing a small apple tree (2m, but very thin) and a rowan tree (2.5 m with a sparse 1.5 m canopy). Both trees have high sentimental value - the rowan was planted 6 years ago when my son, Rowan, was born and the apple was grown by him from seed and produced it's first tiny apply this year.
We just about have space in the garden to move one of the trees, the other would have to go in a pot. They have to come out in 2-4 weeks time, so I can't wait for the dormant season. If possible, it would be good to to put the rowan into a container, so that we could move it if we ever move house, but I suspect it is too large.
Any ideas appreciated, even if it is 'no chance, they'll die!'
Many thanks in advance, Jo
Posts
Bumped up for Jo.
Bumping again .... anyone got any ideas?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks for the bumps - we took advice from our local garden centre and moved them at the weekend.
Watered them well over the day and prepared two holes as large as we could muster, approx half the crown spread (wouldn't have been able to lift the weight of soil if more than that. Pruned them both very heavily. Lined hole with compost and watered well. Dug a spade's depth around the tree, then rocked to get the root ball up (we were advised to be looking for a tap root to cut, but couldn't find one).
Getting the Rowan out of the hole was tough as we couldn't lift it, but we ended up wedging a plastic sledge under and that worked a treat. Transported to new hole, packed compost around the root ball with soil on top and firmed, then watered heavily again. Will continue to water daily for the next week or so. We were told to expect the tree to drop it's leaves, but they are still holding on.
If we had to keep the trees out of the ground for a while that would have been ok apparently - tie the roots with string to keep them close and put the root ball in a plastic bag and tie it at the top. If watered before lifting, the moisture should be retained in the bag and would be ok for a few weeks.
Oh yes, we were also advised to tell the tree what was going to happen to it so that it was warned first, and if storing them in bags keep the trees together to 'help each other through the transition', but we skipped that bit!
Glad you have resolved your problem and sounds like you have a very good garden centre. All the best with the building of your business cabin and hope that the trees do well next year.
thanks Forester
Hi Jo,
Glad you got your trees sorted.
The last paragraph in your last post... Really?! Someone said that?
lol - yes they did. Harmless advice, at least it wasn't just that!
My neighbour talks to her rowan tree - apparently it's a tree steeped in mythology, as it was believed to protect one's home with its magical powers.
My neighbour refuses to move hers, even though it's in the wrong place for her to grow other things, because moving it could harm the witch spirits who reside in it.
Shes lovely, my neighbour
I bet that's why my spindle died when I moved it- not keeping it informed