Transplanting spruce & pine

[sprucebunny]

Last year I transplanted alot of white pine 1-4 feet tall from the powerlines .Most of them lived. Now they've cut the rest so I'm transplanting red and white spruce the same size from my woodlot . I've yet to have a red spruce survive. Is it chance or Something else?

[Ron Scott]

Do they have good root systems and enough moisture? It's also best to do your planting in the early spring or fall.

[sprucebunny]

Last year I paid more attention to the season. This year they are going to be run over if I don't move them. I've cut back some so they'd have less foliage to feed.
It just seemed interesting that though they were treated the same including lots of water, that none of the red spruce lived and the white are fine. Maybe they just die slower !

[Stephen_Wiley]

Many factors can figure into transplant failure, check out some of these:

1. Available sunlight
2. Size of rootball, cutting method used (roots severed cleanly or torn), moisture content of roots in     ball, time of exposure of roots too air prior to planting.
3. Soil conditons; pH, clay - sandy soils, soil difference of ball to site.
4. Pathogen presence, is planting area in a root  disease area such as Amillaria spp. or  Phytopthora spp. or Inonotus spp.
5. Over thinning of canopy

[sprucebunny]

Thanks Ron and Stephen for your replies. I'll continue with the experiment . Next species I'm going to try moving is cedar ,Eastern Red , I think.

[bushhog]

Transplanted trees usually have a better rate of survival if done between Nov-Feb.

Also, don't plant too deep.  The top of the root ball should be alghtly higher than surrounding area.

Good Luck.

[Minnesota_boy]

Bushhog,
Come on up and help transplant trees between November and February.  I'd like to see how you deal with frozen ground and snow.  ;D

[Phorester]

Another consideration..., I don't know if this is your situation or not, but if you're transplanting small trees from the woods into open sunlight, they are used to growing in deep shade,  and hot, bright sunlight might be more than they can stand.

[bushhog]

Minnesota Boy  -  50 deg F yesterday for a high?  You sure it's the ground that's frozen? ??? ;D

[Minnesota_boy]

 ;D 50 deg F is pretty warm for this time of year.  I might have to wear a jacket unless I'm working hard though.  By Thanksgiving I should be able to walk on water.  :D

[bushhog]

My shovel stays 'frozen' most of the year even down here ;D

[SwampDonkey]

Red spruce are difficult to transplant and they prefer dyer soils than white spruce actually. Trying the transplant red spruce on wetter ground where white spruce typically grows, such as gullies and cedar stands will not have great success. They will grow well on shaly soils of hardwood ridges in our area. I've been experimenting with red spruce and white spruce on some sites and the red get necrotic on wetter soils where white spruce thrive. The best time to transplant seedlings is during dormancy as soon as the frost is out of the ground. Fall plantings have never been successful for me in our climate because the seedlings are water stressed and the cold wind chill burns the needles in winter if they don't have a well developed root. If the roots are unable to take up sufficient moister in spring time when the sun gets hotter, the tree will 'burn up' from lack of water to the needles for transpiration. When transplanting the trees make sure you don't cram the seedlings in the hole and that the roots are well spread out. Also tramp the soil some to be sure that air pockets don't exist that can dry the roots out. Those roots are the main arteries of the tree.

Info on drought stress - here