Transplanting Hazards of
Woody Ornamentals
Edmund R. Gregan II – Coastal Northeast Field Representative
[email protected]
Harvesting, Planting and Transplanting

Harvesting - the digging and packaging of a plant.

Planting - the setting and backfilling a plant into it’s final growing
location.

Transplanting is harvesting and planting within a ‘reasonable’ time
period.
Important Harvesting Factors
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Method of harvest/ Root package – Bareroot, Balled and Burlapped,
Fabric bag, Container, etc.
When harvested – Time of year.
Where harvested – Part of country, nursery grown or other e.g. plantation,
job site, woods, etc.
Type of plant and characteristics – Deciduous, Coniferous, Broadleaf;
Family; Coarse or Fibrous rooted; thin barked, etc.
Type of soils – Loam, Sand, Clay or a combination.
Weather factors – Seasonal and current
When pruned – Top growth and root systems
Age of plant – Overall and age in the ground
Handling – Moving once packaged
Most common nursery stock packaging

Bareroot (BR): Harvested plants from which the soil or growing
medium has been removed.
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Container (Cans): A flat, pot, tub, etc., usually made of plastic, wood,
ceramic, or metal, used to grow or hold one or more plants and which
generally prevents the growth of roots beyond its side walls or bottom.

Fabric Bag: Used above ground as “containers” or in the ground as “inground fabric bags” to manipulate root growth to develop a fibrous root
system within the bag, without manual root pruning.

Balled and Burlapped (B&B): Plants established in the ground that
have been prepared for transplanting by digging so that the soil
immediately around the roots remains undisturbed. The ball of earth
containing the roots of the plant is then bound up in burlap or similar
mesh fabrics.
Other packaging methods

Processed Balled Plant: A plant dug bare root, while dormant, to which a moist growing
medium is added around the roots to form a ball designed to sustain plant growth.

Balled and Potted (B&P): Plants dug with a ball of earth and placed in a container in
lieu of burlapping.
Harvesting schedule

B&B, BR, B&P and Processed Ball Plants
Spring – harvesting starts when the ground is no longer frozen
Summer – when the first flush of growth is ‘hardened off ’
Fall – when plants are dormant
Winter – when ground is frozen

Root bags and Containers
Almost anytime – with exceptions…
Starch testing
Determining
‘True Dormancy’
Where and when harvested

The South – At times there is little to no groundfrost and harvest starts at dormancy and normally
ends in March.

Mid-Atlantic – Harvest can start as early as January
an continues until late May.

Tristate Area – Mostly starts in Early March Long
Island can start earlier and ends in Early June.

Northern New England – Commonly starts in MidMarch and ends in June.

West Coast – Similar to the south
Fall Harvesting - Starts when evergreens
harden-off and deciduous trees drop leaves.
Nursery grown, Plantation grown or
Naturally occurring/ other site
Types of Plants

Deciduous – trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally
(most commonly during autumn). Maples, Cherries,
Forsythia, Viburnum, etc.
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Coniferous - any member of the Pine family that usually
have needle-shaped evergreen leaves and seeds attached to
the scales of a woody bracted cone. Pine, Spruce, Fir, etc.

Broadleaf Evergreens - those that have large or broad
leaves that commonly stay on a plant throughout the
growing season. Rhododendron, Boxwood, Holly, Skip
Laurel, etc.
Plant Characteristics and Effects on Transplanting

Root systems
Coarse rooted – don’t have many fibrous roots tend to regenerate slowly. Also more difficult to dig
a hand-good root ball.
Shallow and finer rooted - can be subject to dry desiccating periods during the winter.
Fibrous rooted – hold a root ball well and are the easiest to transplant.

Bark, branches and leaves
Thin barked -There is more cambial activity on sunny days and thin bark does not do a good job
of retaining moisture.
Abundant twigs - There is an increased surface area exposed to potential inclement conditions
allowing trees to dry out quickly.
Broadleaf Evergreen trees and shrubs - In general are notoriously difficult to transplant in the
fall because they tend not root quickly. This makes them rapidly desiccate during cold windy periods
in the winter. The amount of leaf surface is also a factor.
Compound leaf - have relatively fewer branches and tend to be the safest to transplant in the fall.
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Plants that ‘Harden-off ’ later in the fall – These plants retain their leaves deep into the fall
and digging them too early will promptly dry them up without dropping a leaf.
Plant Family
Plants in the same family carry many of the same
characteristics.
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Betulaceae – Birch, Carpinus, Alder, Filbert, Hophornbeam
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Rosaceae – Rose, Cherry, Plum, Pear, Shad (Amelanchier), Chokeberry, Cotoneaster,
Hawthorn, Crabapple, Ninebark, Cherrylaurel, Mountainash, Spirea, Blueberry
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Fagaceae – Oak, Beech, ‘true’ Chestnuts
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Ericaceae – Rhododendron, Azalea, Enkianthus, Mountain-laurel, Leucothoe, Sourwood,
Andromeda
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Pinaceae – Fir, Pine, Atlas Cedar, Larch, Hemlock
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Ulmaceae – Elm, Hackberry, Zelkova
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Leguminosae – Redbud, Coffeetree, Goldenchain Tree, Peashrub, Honey Locust, Amur
Maackia, Black Locust, Pagodatree
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Taxodiaceae – Cryptomeria, Dawn Redwood, Baldcypress, Yew
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Oleaceae – Ash, Forsythia, Privet, Lilac
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Cupressaceae – Juniper, False-cypress, Arborvitae
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Magnoliaceae – Tuliptree, Magnolia
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Salicaceae – Poplar, Willow
Soils Types Effect Transplanting
Soil is composed of many particles of varying sizes. Soil scientists have classified
soil particles into three major groups: sand, silt and clay.

Clay soils - Clay is basically a catch-all for a family of minerals that are heavy, sticky, and
dense. Clay soil can look different in different places, but it usually acts the same way - it
tends to be slow to drain and quick to harden.
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Loamy soils - is one that combines all three of these types of particles in relatively equal
amounts. Loamy soil is ideal for most plants because it holds plenty of moisture but also
drains well so that sufficient air can reach the roots.
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Sandy soils - Sand particles are the largest and tend to hold little water but allow good
aeration.
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Mixed – these are soils that contain all the above but may include things like shale, peat
moss, aged wood, fiber or bark, etc.
Different Soils: Root Package to transplant site will have a big impact on survivability!
Weather
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Plants grown in different hardiness zones
Plant hardiness
Shipping timing
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Seasonal changes
Colder or hotter than normal
Dryer or wetter than normal
Large temperature fluctuations
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Daily and overnight temperatures
Hot to cold
Cold to hot
Pruning
Top pruning – shapes plants and builds
structure.
Root pruning - Controls excessive growth
between branches, encourages root mass and
controls tap roots.
Age of Plant
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How old
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How and where grown
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Preparation
Handling After Packaging
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Firm strong packages free of damage
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Don’t ‘Man-handle’
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Proper transporting – Tarping! Boxed vehicles.
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Protection – trunk wrap, tied tops
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Storing
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Maintenance
Plants That are Difficult to Transplant in General
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Timing
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Betula - Early spring/ fall hazard
Quercus acutissima, Sawtooth Oak,
Daphne - Late spring/ summer
Quercus alba, White Oak,
Fraxinus - Spring/ late fall
Juglans nigra, Black walnut,
Liquidambar – Late spring/ fall hazard
Carya glabra, pignut hickory,
Hamamelis sp. - Fall
Castanea mollissima, Chinese chestnut,
Pyrus calleryana – Spring/ late fall
Taxodium distichum, Common Baldcypress
Malus sp. - Early spring/ never in leaf
Populus sp.
Salix ssp. - Early spring/ fall hazard
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Some Viburnums
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Coarse rooted
Tap rooted
Juglans sp., Hickories
Fleshy rooted
Quercus rubra, Red Oak
Crataegus sp., Hawthorn
Nyssa sylvatica, Tupelo, Blackgum
Magnolia sp., Magnolia
Sassafras albidum, Sassafras
Parrotia persica sp., Persian Ironwood
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Twiggy/ thin barked
Quercus phellos, Willowoak
Betula sp., Birch
Salix sp., Willow
Side Note:
Scarlet Oak roots required
three to four times more time
to regenerate than Pin Oak
roots needed to heal the cuts
and thrust out new branch
roots. The ideal time to dig
and transplant trees of this
type is just as they are
breaking dormancy in the
spring.
From other lists
Acer buergeranum
Cotinus sp.
Cupressocyparis leylandii
Daphne sp.
Hedera helix
Hibiscus sp.
Ilex opaca sp.
Juniperus virginiana
Kerria sp.
Koelrueteria paniculata sp.
Lagerstroemia sp.
Magnolia sp.
Oxydendron arboretum
Populus sp.
Prunus - all stone fruits
Pseudolarix
Sassafras albidum
Sophora japonica
Tamarix sp.
Ulmus parviflora
Chart by Matthew Stephens,
Director of Street Tree Planting
for the City of New York
Department of Parks &
Recreation
Some family exceptions:
Quercus palustris
Quercus bicolor
Fall Dig
Hazard
Plants
Summer Digging
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Easiest - (after August 1st) most evergreens: Pines (White, Austrian, Japanese
Black, Umbrella, Weeping Red); Hemlock, Spruces (White, Colorado & Norway);
Blue Atlas Cedar & Firs (Douglas, Fraser); Holly (Blue, English hybrids &
Chinese); Boxwood
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Easiest - (after August 15th) most "red-leaved" trees: Japanese Red Maples,
Redleaf Plum, Crimson King Norway Maple, Purple & Copper Beech.
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Somewhat Easy - (after Sept. 1st) Maples (Norway, Sugar, Red), Honeylocust,
Zelkova, Oaks, Sweet Gum, Beech (European cultivars), Franklinia, Dogwoods
(Kousa, White Flowering), Shadblow, Camperdown Weeping Elm, Magnolia
(Saucer, Star), Dawn Redwood, Larch & Redbud. (Some may drop their leaves
earlier than normal, but will survive well & leaf out in spring as usual).
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Hardest to Summer Dig. - Flowering Pear, Crabapples, Hawthorn, Linden &
Birches.
Some trees can be safely & easily dug in full-leaf.
Steps to Improve Survivability
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When possible, substitute for a plant which is not considered a planting
hazard at time of planting.
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Have the plant root-pruned during the spring or summer allowing new root
generation prior to the actual transplanting.
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Over-size the root ball. This brings more of the root system with the plant.
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Add biostimulants to root system – e.g. Bioplex
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Use anti-desiccants to slow the loss of moisture from severe winds – e.g.
Wilt-Proof and Vapor-Guard..
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Wrap trunks with tree wrap paper
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Mulch roots well, but not the trunk!
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Increase watering prior to harvest and after planting through the winter
months if possible.
Other hazard factors
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Excessive use of herbicides
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Overwatering/ under-watering
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Planting depth
Planting Schedule
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Evergreens – early spring to mid-October
Exceptions:
Southern grown material – Spring only!
Tsuga, Rhododendron, Kalmia – before Mid-September
Long needled evergreens at exposed sites – before Mid-September
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Bareroot plants – upon delivery
Generally harvested in late fall to early spring.
Some companies have refrigeration extending the planting season
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Deciduous plants – Early spring until the ground freezes
Exception:
If ground is prepared prior to planting
Other Exceptions:
Pot-bound plants
Fall hazard plants
Pruning Hazards
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When the sap is flowing
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During excessively cold temperatures
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Excessively at time of planting or transplanting
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Large limbs during winter
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During dry, hot weather
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Just prior to flowering
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Plants with a pithy center during winter
Thank you!
Transplanting Hazards of
Woody Ornamentals
Edmund R. Gregan II – Coastal Northeast Field Representative
[email protected]