Unexpected Development

[jfmorris]

In an interesting twist, yesterday while moving some patio furniture around at her direction, SWMBO made the suggestion that I pour additional concrete in the area out by the pool where we have our pavilion and outdoor entertaining area!

It's mostly so I can push the grills I have in that area back further from the long 12 foot table we have out there for family get togethers, but I'll take any additional grilling space I can get! This may help with my thoughts of an outdoor kitchen build as well, as it elongates and deepens the area I was thinking of using for that.

The drawback is that she wants me to TRANSPLANT a large evergreen shrub that is probably 8 feet tall and will have a root ball about 2 feet in diameter. It's right in the middle of this area about 6 feet deep and 10 feet wide that will be concreted over. I guess I will have drop a bunch of gravel or other fill in the hole left by digging that bad boy up, before I can do anything.

[Jim White]

Oh, that sounds like a great adventure. When we finally get around to our outdoor kitchen build, it also will include some transplanting challenges when we expand the paved area. In our case, it's 5 or 6 wonderful gardenias (which I spent several hard years rehabbing after they were long-neglected) and some nice camelias that I've just gotten established.

Such is the price of progress. I look forward to watching this project develop. And expand (and expand further, as our whole community eggs you on).

[jfmorris]

I look forward to watching this project develop. And expand (and expand further, as our whole community eggs you on).

Whats funny is that the entire side of the pool away from the house does not resemble in the LEAST what was there when we moved in 25 years ago. The pool was there, but was surrounded on that side by only a 3 foot walkway, and huge hedge of yew's for about half the length of the pool. Let me give you a hint. Those yew's STUNK. Any time you hung around that side of the pool... smelled like poo! They came down, and the wife and I mixed quickcrete, bag by bag, to concrete an area about 10 feet out from the pool, and maybe 10 feet wide. That was great for a couple of years, then SWMBO said we needed to double it. So, more bags of quickcrete. Then about 3-4 years ago, the idea of the pavilion came, so it was increased again, both in length and width. So its already been though 3-4 expansion projects over 25 years.

There are a lot of colors due to different ages in the concrete, and I debate sometimes just painting it all, or covering it all uniformly with this stuff called "Cool Deck" that surrounds most of the pool.

[au4stree]

The drawback is that she wants me to TRANSPLANT a large evergreen shrub that is probably 8 feet tall and will have a root ball about 2 feet in diameter. It's right in the middle of this area about 6 feet deep and 10 feet wide that will be concreted over. I guess I will have drop a bunch of gravel or other fill in the hole left by digging that bad boy up, before I can do anything.

Curious about what the species is that you’re talking about transplanting?

In the meantime, to help in improving the move, take a spade shovel and cut around the plant’s root zone. Depending on the diameter of the stem at the root collar, start about 10-12” away and just gently cut, this should initiate fine fibrous roots to grow thereby increasing soil retention during transplant and increase chances it survives the move. I’d move another 6” away and make those same cuts with the shovel. Do this about every 10-14 days. Make sure to keep it watered, especially with the warmer months approaching.

[Spinaker]

That is awesome, congrats on the expansion.

Honestly, I would cut the evergreen down and plant something new. How are you gonna move that thing out of the hole once you dig around it? And how are you gonna move it to where it needs to go? At 10 feet and a two foot rootball, you will need some help with heavy lifting. Something to think about.

I moved some apple trees for my Dad last weekend, but i used my dump trailer, my buddies bobcat and his tree spade to do so. And they were pretty small apple trees.

[Oak Smoke]

I agree. I planted two new trees a few years ago. They were amazingly heavy. They had about 3 foot root balls. It took 4 of us to slide them off the trailer and into the hole. If we had needed to get them back out of the hole we would have needed a backhoe or such to lift them. These were just lacey barked elms with 4 inch trunks, nothing huge at all. By the time we had them standing straight up and the holes filled in it had kicked all 4 of us. My advice is, have it done.

[smokenoob]

I agree! I would end up paying doctors and physical therapists more than having a new tree put in!

[jfmorris]

Curious about what the species is that you’re talking about transplanting?

In the meantime, to help in improving the move, take a spade shovel and cut around the plant’s root zone. Depending on the diameter of the stem at the root collar, start about 10-12” away and just gently cut, this should initiate fine fibrous roots to grow thereby increasing soil retention during transplant and increase chances it survives the move. I’d move another 6” away and make those same cuts with the shovel. Do this about every 10-14 days. Make sure to keep it watered, especially with the warmer months approaching.

It appears to be either a large juniper or more likely an arborvitae. This one has spread out from 5 or 6 branches/trunks from the base, and is probably 6 feet tall, and 4 to 6 feet wide, making getting at the base fun. This particular plant started in a large 5 or 10 gallon decorative pot, and a couple of years ago, as it got larger and larger, I was tasked to plant it in the current spot.

I will be careful moving it. I am tearing down an 8x8 shed that is about ready to fall down, in the very corner of the yard, and that will open up a nice spot to put this. So, demolition first, but I can do as you suggest and rake back the mulch and try to cut the roots all the way around with my shovel to get started.

[Panhead John]

That’s sounds like an awfully big shrub to try and transplant. That’s a lot of work to do for something that might not survive the move. If it grew that much in just a couple of years, I’d plant a new one. I’m tired just thinking about it. Gonna take a nap.

[au4stree]

You’ll definitely need help because that size plant needs a substantial root ball to move. At nurseries they typically use spades mounted to a skid steer to plop those things out of the ground. Good luck!

[au4stree]

I was thinking more about your situation, unless you have a sentimental attachment, I’d cut it down and get a different plant. They aren’t exactly local to you, but they have great stock, I use to buy from them in my old job.

https://huntertrees.com/

[smokin fool]

This maybe a great chance to buy that John Deere bucket/back hoe tractor you've always wanted.

[FireMan]

There ya go, a thinkin man!

[Clark]

jfmorris Easier to chop it down and plant something new. It will grow fast and will be exactly what you want.

[Dan Deter]

Nice. I'm starting to work on plans for replacing/expanding the deck so that the day I get the OK I can start. My problem is that SWMBO goes from "We should expand it all the way across" to "Are you crazy we can't afford that now" daily...

[LA Pork Butt]

It sounds like the finished product will be a lot more fun than the project! LOL

[RonB]

Ya might want to find someone with some type of equipment to move that shrub...

And congrats on the expansion.

[Attjack]

outdoor kitchen...
outdoor kitchen...
outdoor kitchen...
outdoor kitchen...
outdoor kitchen...
outdoor kitchen...
outdoor kitchen!

[glitchy]

Sometimes you gotta work for it

[tstalafuse]

I would be looking to hire some who has or rent a Tree Spade... or stump grinder

[coupster]

This particular plant started in a large 5 or 10 gallon decorative pot, and a couple of years ago, as it got larger and larger, I was tasked to plant it in the current spot.

It only took a couple of years to grow to its current size? Cut it down and buy a replacement. Or better yet call a tree company and get them to give you a quote for them to move it. That piece of paper may carry more weight in the argument than the tree.

[jfmorris]

Well. Maybe 5 years?