Brigid Arnott / aremediasyndication.com.au
Large, established trees have a certain grandeur. Standing proud with their crown high and arms outstretched, they provide your landscape with a unique look, as well as relief from the blaring summer sun. So it would be a shame to lose such a feature if you were to move house. Or perhaps your grand specimen is overshadowing your property, and needs to be relocated to a more suitable area of your lot.
You may be relieved to know mature trees can be moved, depending on the size and health of the tree and as long as you get the professionals to do it (for trees less than 1m tall you generally replant it yourself) as the root ball of the tree will be deceptively heavy, requiring machinery to move.
If you’ve settled in a new place, you can also buy a mature tree and transplant it into your garden. There are many nurseries that sell species and often times can plant it up for you (depending on the size) – as well as look after it until it’s established. Here’s how transporting a mature tree to your block will unfold.
STEP 1 A hole large enough to accommodate the tree’s root ball is dug into ground.
STEP 2 Tree is removed from pot or hessian wrapping and soil is loosened around root ball.
STEP 3 Tree is gently placed in hole, backfilled with soil and mounded to create a dish, so water can be directed to tree’s root ball.
STEP 4 It’s watered once a week for a month, then once a fortnight thereafter. This will help it establish and grow into a strong, healthy tree.
What to consider beforehand
- Is this tree too big to move myself? If it’s over a metre high or wide, you’ll need to engage aborists due to the weight of the root ball requiring machinery. Check the costs of this before you get your heart set on relocating your tree.
- Am I allowed to excavate this tree? All councils have a policy on trees which outlines rules for tree maintenance and removal. In New South Wales, for example, this is called a Tree Preservation Order. This policy allows you to determine whether your tree can be removed without council approval (and what paperwork to fill out should you require approval).
- Is it a special variety, or can I buy a new one? If you know the name of the variety, check with your new local nursery to see if you can readily a new one, which you can replant when you’re settled into your new home.
- Will it suit my new climate? Don’t move trees out of their climate zone; take into account frost, rainfall and summer heat.
- Am I allowed to bring this tree to my new location? If you’re moving interstate, keep in mind some states prohibit certain species from being imported or require quarantine certificates. Sometimes the red tape will outweigh any attachment you have!
- Do I have somewhere to plant it in the new garden? Consider if you have the right amount of space in your new location.
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