Is Your Tree Dead Or Alive

      One of the aspects of transplanting trees I find most difficult to deal with is the fact that only time will tell if you've done it successfully. But how long does it take? When I planted my first tree I was pretty sure it would die over the winter and that'd be that. If transplanting trees were easy I suppose everyone would be doing it. There's no way to really tell if your tree will make it but in my experience you pretty much know within a couple weeks.

      There's two things to look for, is your tree alive or is it dead? The problem is, it'll usually be somewhere in between with no definitive answer. But here are the best signs to look for.

      When you first transplant your tree, you'll notice it will begin to droop, no matter what kind of tree it is. Once you get enough water to its roots, within a couple days it will perk back up but it does take a day or two. If it doesn't perk up, it's not going to make it. Dead. (notice the way the ends of the branches are all sagging, this pine didn't make it)

July 11, 2014

July 15, 2014

The best way to tell if the tree has survived the transplant and will continue to grow as it had before you dug it up is new growth. On trees with leaves it's easy to spot because the buds will burst open and turn into little reddish pink leaves, a day or two later they'll take on their proper green color and shape. It's a quick process from bud to small leaf so make sure you check on your tree everyday and remember what it looked like the day before. New buds and new leaves are what we want to see. Alive.

      If no new leaves appear it doesn't necessarily mean the tree is dead, if it has a harder time adjusting it will use all its energy to simply survive and won't produce any new growth until the next growing season. Sometimes Spring is too early, it might be a little behind the other trees so give it a chance. But if Summer hits and still nothing, it's time to call it quits. Dead. (This River Birch appeared dead until mid-June, days before I was going to dig it up. It was over a month behind the new shoots on the other trees.)

      Immediately after transplanting, the leaves or needles should look and feel like they did before you dug up the tree. If they start changing color or wilting and becoming brittle, it's a sure sign the tree didn't make it. Sometimes it can take a few days for this to happen but it means you've got a chance. What you really want to see are those leaves and needles turn a deeper shade of green and keep their soft texture. If they do it days, weeks and months after the transplant, you did it. Alive.

      If the leaves or needles turn brown or orange shortly after planting or anytime in the tree's life, it's certainly not a good thing and almost guarantees death. But, if it's only some of them, the tree can bounce back. I've done it on more than one occasion despite being told by professional gardeners it would be impossible. If you give the tree what it needs, odd are it'll survive. The problem is that trees are like infants in that they won't tell you what they want, they'll just let you know they want something. It's up to you to read the signs. Their wilted color changing leaves and needles are their way of crying. Once all of them have turned brown, give it up, it's over. Dead.

      But, this is where it can get confusing and why time and patience are necessary. Sometimes the leaves will die and fall off, some will remain attached even though they are clearly dead and look like they should be raked up in a pile and jumped into (when you were a kid, you of course have no desire to do that now). This is because the tree is using all the water and nutrients to heal itself after the move and it can no longer sustain its leaves. However, if you managed to keep enough of its root system and it gets enough water, new leaves may sprout up even though its old batch are dead. So keep watering them even when you think it might be too late. Trees are resilient. You just have to give them a chance.