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Can I transplant a scots pine now?

wild edgeswild edges The north west of south east WalesPosts: 7,559
in Plants
Hello all. A plot of land near me is being prepared for construction and there's a young scots pine (probably 5' high) that's going to get bulldozed if I don't move it somewhere safe. I've moved smaller ones in the past with success but they were much smaller and it was during the winter. The tree is showing signs of vigourous growth at the moment so I imagine it won't appreciate the upheaval. It will die whatever happens but it will be a lot of work to get it out of the ground with a big enough rootball, get it to the road and into my truck and then dig it in with my other rescue trees in my parents' field. It hasn't rained for a while now so I bet the ground is like concrete.
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  • punkdocpunkdoc Sheffield, Derbyshire border.Posts: 11,360
    It will probably not survive, but surely worth a go, given lots of TLC, for the next year, it just might do.
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  • hogweedhogweed Central ScotlandPosts: 4,037
    At 5 foot it won't have too big roots so I would say give it a go. As long as you can look after it diligently at the other end for the next year it may just survive the journey to a new home. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • UpNorthUpNorth South Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 376
    give it tonnes of water the day before.  worth a try.  i would just add, do you have a suitable destination in mind for such a large tree?   its unlikely you could gift it away in a pot!  
  • wild edgeswild edges The north west of south east WalesPosts: 7,559
    Yeah I've been expanding a woodland edge into an underused field for a few years now. 3 other scots pines have gone in and are thriving but I add any trees that turn up as seedlings in the garden or that I rescue from other places. I havent moved anything this big though.
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  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,901
    Could you cut it back by half to reduce evaporation?  Not ideal, I know, but it may make the difference in survival.  It will send out some side shoots.. and just prune it back to one for a new leader.  At that young, you probably won't even notice the 'kink' in the structure of the tree in a few years.  
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  • carol.springgaygMj_In6Xcarol.springgaygMj_In6X Posts: 1
    Hello I would like to find out how you got along with your Scots Pine? Did it survive transplanting? We are about to transplant Scots pine too (4-5ft). warmest wishes Carol
  • wild edgeswild edges The north west of south east WalesPosts: 7,559
    The tree is actually still there as the development is on hold at the moment. I wouldn't be so worried at this time of year though but I didn't want to have to move it during the summer. I've transplanted some small ones in the winter before now and they're getting really big now. Are you transplanting from pots or digging them up?
    A great library has something in it to offend everybody.
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