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Tree roots

The Big Trees Transplanting Process

The tree transplanting process transforms a field grown tree into a healthy, vigorous specimen tree in a box or tree spade. Big Trees Nursery utilizes the latest horticultural technology to provide you with a superior specimen tree that you can be sure will survive and thrive.

The transplanting process:

  1. Initial treatment- Only trees with good conformation and free of pests are selected and irrigated for a period to bring them out of drought stress. Minimal pruning is then done to enhance the natural branch structure. We invest considerable sums in automatic irrigation systems to ensure that from selection to shipping, the tree is never water stressed.
  2. Sequenced root pruning- To allow the tree to recover from the shock of cutting its roots, root pruning is done in a staged sequence of 2-4 events. This is accomplished by mechanical root pruning, and the use of root initiation fabric and stages of boxing. This root pruning is done in the shape of the tree-spaded root ball, or in the proper box size, ensuring that all roots initiated by the root pruning process will be harvested when the tree is transplanted. This staged process takes from 3-12 months. Special symbiotic organisms called mycorrhizae may be added to the root system, which aid in root regeneration.
  3. Root regeneration hormones and protective substances are applied to insure a healthy root system. Recent university research has demonstrated the efficacy of several new materials and no, they don’t include the old liquid, super root hormones still prevalent in the industry.
  4. Careful handling and shipping- There are many details, which we attend to, that minimize shipping damage to the tree. We use special slings and pulleys to pull in the branches to legal highway dimensions, as well as proper tarping, and support of the trunk during transit to prevent stress on the root ball. Trees delivered in a tree spade have a completely intact root ball that is a big aid to survival.

Survival of transplanted trees.

By utilizing the above process we are able to have a 98%+ survival rate. There is a misconception that field-grown trees need to be held in the boxes for a year or more before you are sure they will survive. In fact, once a few months have passed any significant transplant shock is evident and it best for the tree to be replanted. In the rare case where the tree shows a lot of stress and shock after boxing we will not ship it. These trees are held in the nursery or replanted until they recover.