How to Transplant an Arborvitae in Winter
- 1). Using the shovel, dig a planting hole at least 2 feet wider than the container or balled-and-burlapped root ball. Remove rocks by hand and break up large dirt clods with the shovel or your fingers. Make the hole wider at the bottom than the top, and use the shovel to roughen the sides of the hole. Dig the hole as deep as the container, but only 2/3 as deep as the balled-and-burlapped root ball. For container-grown trees, dig the hole deep enough for the tree to sit in the hole at the same depth as in the original container. Ensure the planting site has fertile, well-drained soil and is in a sunny or very lightly shaded area of the yard.
- 2). Add organic matter or loamy topsoil, but not fertilizer, to the bottom of the hole. Do not completely backfill the hole with either product.
- 3). Release the potted tree from its container. If the tree does not release smoothly, use the knife or shears to cut away the container. Use the knife to make three or four vertical cuts through the outer layer of roots if the outer roots are tightly woven together in a spiral around the root ball. Make an X-shaped cut in the bottom of the root ball.
- 4). Place the container-grown arborvitae in the center of the hole and gently spread the roots out around the main stem as they would naturally grow if the tree was originally planted there. Backfill 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of the planting hole with the dirt excavated while digging the hole. If the tree has a balled-and-burlapped root ball, placement is slightly different. Put the tree in the center of the hole, but backfill only 1/3 of the hole to help hold the tree in place. The top third of the balled-and-burlapped roots should protrude above the hole. Add or subtract dirt from beneath either type of plant to adjust its height in the hole.
- 5). Use the shears to cut the twine around the balled-and-burlapped tree. Use the wire cutters and scissors to cut away and remove as much burlap as possible and any wire holding the rootball in place. Try not to let the soil ball around the roots crumble. Ensure no remaining burlap, which will decompose in the soil, protrudes above the planting hole.
- 6). Water with a gentle stream from the garden hose to help the soil settle and eliminate air pockets. Finish backfilling the hole as soon as the water is absorbed. Water thoroughly.
- 7). Spread the mulch in a layer 3 to 6 inches thick around the tree, but not touching the trunk. Bark chips make good mulching material and add nutrients to the soil as they decompose.
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