Would This Redwood Survive?

[TromboneAl]

I had some tree work done today, and the workers knocked down a redwood tree I'd planted a few years ago. It's about six feet tall. Is there any point in my replanting this, or is it a goner?

 

[Senator]

Bare root trees get planted all the time and they live. Water it plenty.

It won't live if you do not re-plant it.

 

[Tadpole]

I agree with Senator. You have a better chance if you try than if you don't.

 

[pjigar]

Plant it. I planted 20 bare roots two years ago, watered them twice, mulched heavy, 19 are still alive 2 years later. They are resilient.

 

[6miths]

Agree with above, definitely replant. Water it frequently. I would stake it too.

 

[TromboneAl]

Well, that's a surprise. Thanks. I'll do it now.

 

[SnowballCamper]

As long as it didn't get too dry, it will be fine. Get it in some wet soil, and water it well through the first couple dry seasons and it should be fine.

 

[Aerides]

Trees without a tap root (which would likely have broken in the uprooting), should be ok to replant. Just be extra nice to it for a few weeks, as if it was a new sapling.

 

[Ronstar]

Plant it, water it. Maybe give it some root stimulator fertilizer.

 

[TromboneAl]

Okay, it's getting a lot of water now:

The silver lining is that digging down, I realized that the soil was a lot drier than I'd assumed. I'm giving all the trees more water now.

It's ironic, because I had the tree work done to give this tree and others more sunlight.

 

[gerntz]

Should be 300' in 500 years.

 

[ERD50]

Should be 300' in 500 years.

T-AL, please report back in 500 years.

Uh-oh, did I just give him the seed of an idea for a new book? The Time Traveling Arborist?

-ERD50

 

[kcowan]

Back in the day on our acreage, we paid dearly to have two large blue spruce transplanted to our property. As the truck was leaving empty, I asked if he would take another scope with him. We planted an immature green spruce with tons of mulch, fertilizer and sandy soil. In three years, it had caught up to the blues. The blues took three years to get over the shock of transplanting.

 

[TromboneAl]

Back in the day on our acreage, we paid dearly to have two large blue spruce transplanted to our property. As the truck was leaving empty, I asked if he would take another scope with him. We planted an immature green spruce with tons of mulch, fertilizer and sandy soil. In three years, it had caught up to the blues. The blues took three years to get over the shock of transplanting.

Yes, I've also found that the small trees catch up.

 

[TromboneAl]

What this study proved is that, if you plant smaller (and less expensive) plant material and wait a few years, you will realize maximum economic gain and greater visual impact from the smaller plants - and they are less likely to have problems like circling or girdling roots when they are mature trees. But you may have to wait three years for them to catch up with the larger trees.

 

[SnowballCamper]

And it's better to give a thorough soaking (several gallons on a slow drip for a few hours) every few weeks. This helps to train the roots to grow deeper where the moisture is more stable.