We Recently Purchased A New Property And It Has An…
Janine Asked
We recently purchased a new property and it has an oak tree about 20 feet tall that we would like to relocate. Is this too big to attempt it and what chances of survival does it have?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Janine in Kentucky: Congratulations on your new purchase. If you want to move the tree to allow more light you may just want to have it pruned. In general, members of the Quercus genus do not transplant very well, especially if grown from an acorn since they will have a tap root as a young tree. Given the size of your tree and depending on the species, your oak is probably around 10 years old. The odds are against you in terms of a successful transplant, not to mention the cost of having it moved. Some oaks are more worthy of growing than others and having it removed may be another, less expensive option. It would be a good idea to have an ISA certified arborist come out and identify the species as well as give you their opinion on pruning and/or removing. For a ISA certified arborist in your area you can contact the Henry County Cooperative Extension Service. The horticulture/agriculture agent(s) will be able to help you. Their Web site is http://henry.ca.uky.edu.
