Winter Is the Best Time to Transplant Trees and Shrubs

Transplanting trees and shrubs is a smart way to change up your landscaping without spending lots of money. But digging up trees at the wrong time of year risks damaging them. Transplant during the winter for the most success. Here’s how.

As the weather starts to turn cold, you might begin to look at your landscaping in new ways. Trees and shrubs that never bothered you before may suddenly seem out of place once they lose their leaves. The good news is that winter is the right time to transplant perennial trees and shrubs to other parts of your yard.

However, moving an established tree is a challenging project. Going about the process the wrong way will do more damage than good, and you might be left needing to buy new plants in the spring.

Here’s a guide to successfully transplanting trees and shrubs to give them the best chance of surviving the winter and beyond.

Planting vs. Transplanting

Despite what many people think, planting and transplanting are two different processes. Planting is the act of putting a plant in the ground that wasn’t in the ground before. There’s no root damage because you didn’t dig it up from where it was already established.

In contrast, transplanting involves digging up an established plant and moving it from one part of ground to another. Even though you’ll dig a large hole, the odds are good that you’ll damage the plant roots in the process. This makes transplanting a traumatic process for plants, and it needs to happen at the correct times of year to reduce the risk of damage.

When is the Best Time to Transplant?

It’s generally best to transplant trees and shrubs in the late fall and winter, when the plants are entering dormancy.

Throughout the summer, trees rely on their roots to funnel water through the branches to trigger growth and leaf production. Transplanting while the root system is active cuts off the plant’s water access and causes it to suffer transplant shock. Some never recover.

But if you transplant during dormancy, you won’t disrupt this water flow because the plant isn’t actively producing new leaves and branches. You also give the plant more time to recover from the transplanting process before entering a growth stage again.

Plants will enter dormancy after a hard frost, when temperatures dip below freezing for several hours. After this point, they are safe for transplanting.

How to Transplant Trees and Shrubs

Transplanting will set up your trees and shrubs for success or failure, so it’s essential to follow the correct process to give them the best shot of thriving in their new location.

Choose Carefully

First, consider the physical size of the plant you want to transplant. The larger the plant, the more it will struggle when removed from the ground. It’s wise to only transplant trees that have a main trunk that’s smaller than one inch or two centimeters in diameter. Any larger, then you should consider working with a landscaping service for professional help.

Prune and Tie Up Lower Branches

Once you’ve selected appropriately sized trees or bushes, prune away any old stems along the soil line and tie up the lowest branches. This prevents them from getting in the way when you’re digging.

Start Digging!

Dig a trench that circles the plant but keeps several feet of distance from the main stem. Use a sharp, clean shovel so you sever the roots without creating large wounds.

After you’ve circled the plant with this ditch, angle the shovel at a 45-degree angle to start digging the roots out of the ground. Sizes will vary, but you can plan on about 11” or 12” of root ball for every inch diameter of the main stem. Try to get it out of the ground with as much soil attached to it as possible.

Clean Up the Root Ball

Once you have the plant out of the ground, move it to a container or onto burlap to rest before placing it in its new planting location. If it’s going to be several days or weeks before replanting, cover the roots with the burlap as if you were wrapping a present, and use pinning nails to hold it in place. This helps prevent the roots from drying out.

Prep the Planting Space

Go to where you plan to transplant, and dig a hole that’s two or three times the diameter of the root ball but no deeper than its height. You don’t want to bury the main stem any deeper than it was previously in the ground. Otherwise, you’re putting it at risk of rotting.

Note: Don’t add any fertilizer to the hole, as it can prevent the tree roots from branching out into the nearby soil and harm its growth in the long run.

Place and Plant the Tree or Shrub

Once the planting hole is ready, place the transplant in the middle and begin refilling it with the dirt you dug out. Keep the main stem straight, and pack the soil down tightly around the root ball.

You can apply a few inches of organic mulch on the soil’s surface, taking care to leave spacing around the main stem, so you don’t encourage rot. Thoroughly water the plant after transplanting.

Water and Monitor Over Time

For the next few weeks, water the plant enough to keep the soil moist but not saturated, and monitor for signs of stress. The plant should remain dormant until the weather warms again in the spring, at which point you’ll see new growth starting to form.

Plan Your Transplanting for the Winter

Transplanting trees and shrubs is a cost-effective way to change your landscaping and improve the appearance of your yard. Take care to do the process right, and you’ll ensure your plants have the best possible chance of thriving in their new location.

Do the work today, and by springtime, you’ll be more than happy you put in the effort.