transplanting dwarf indian hawthorns.

[joan jaeckle]

We are going to have to move our dwarf indian hawthorns. I would like to move them to the side of my house. I live in Granbury (Pecan Plantation). Is this the best time of year to transplant? How should I prepare the soil?

[Nadine]

The best time to transplant anything is when it is dormant. Things are usually between Christmas and the end of January. Then again, what is "usual" about the weather? Today is the 23rd of November and the thermometer in my truck read 79 degrees around 3 pm!

To prepare, dig a wide shallow hole with rough edges. Do not put anything back into the hole except for the dirt that you dug out (minus anything green that might have been growing on the top). Know that the tree will settle deeper into the ground. Make sure you can see the root flare. If there are any girdling roots, cut them away.
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Q. Our town is having a tree dig and I am wanting to know what type of trees do well in transplanting? We were wanting to try some oaks that could be clumped together. What are the guidelines in doing this? Also, I am wanting to plant a cypress in an area that holds a little water. It is within 15-20 feet on our neighbor’s house. Do I need to be concerned about the root system being too close to the house? – R.B., Flower Mound, TX

A. The cypress will be fine there and will not hurt the foundation. Most of the native trees will transplant easily. The best choices would be cedar elm, eastern red cedar, Texas red oak, and small pecans. Ornamental trees like yaupon holly, Carolina buckthorn, rusty blackhaw viburnum and redbud. You will not have very good results with post oaks, blackjack oaks, soapberries and mesquites. You shouldn’t even try to move the short lived trees like hackberries, mulberries, Arizona ash, cottonwoods or willows. There are some old nurseries in Flower Mound that might still have some unusual trees that also do well there – including laurel oak, chinkapin oak, durand oak, dawn redwood and lots of specimen crape myrtles. You can cluster any of the trees but I wouldn’t recommend it. Individual trees are much better in many ways.
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