How to transplant wild cedar trees is vital because you will get acquainted with certain factors that you should consider, like the age and species of the plant. Wild cedar trees have four species that include the Lebanon, deodar, Cyprus, and atlas, all of which are considered true cedars.
The false ones include the eastern red, northern white, western, and red cedar. This article is an information reservoir for the steps that you should follow when transplanting a cedar tree.
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How to Transplant Wild Cedar Trees the Best Way
To transplant wild cedar trees the best way, you should know the correct time to do the job. Prepare the new location, dig up, and transfer the plant to a new spot. Water the plant in its new home and then practice proper plant care to keep it healthy.
1. Proper Timing
You should transplant the cedar trees during the dormant season, which is six to eight weeks before stressing time. The freezing winter and summer heat are the cedar trees’ stressful times.
So, you should transplant your tree during late autumn or the beginning of spring so that it can focus on root growth rather than making the foliage. The tree parts will not be competing for energy so all the nutrients and water absorbed are allocated for the development of a strong root system.
During the dormant season, the moisture levels are usually consistent so the water will be readily available for your transplants. Therefore, your cedar transplants can easily establish themselves before entering into the season of excessive heat or rainfall. Your trees are also not losing much water through transpiration so moisture is conserved. Your wild cedar tree can now concentrate on establishing its roots.
Transplanting your wild cedar tree when it is not actively growing also allows it to gradually adjust to the new environment without too much stress from extreme weather conditions. Too high temperatures can cause your wild cedar tree to struggle to withstand changes and regulate its water intake. Frost can slow down the uptake of nutrients, thereby causing a slowed growth rate. This can result in browning, wilting, or even death of the plant tissues.
2. Prepare the New Planting Area
You should choose an area with the same growing conditions as the current location, paying particular attention to soil type, drainage, and sunlight. Choose a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight, with well-draining soil that is slightly acidic to neutral. Then, remove all the weeds and vegetation that are growing around so that there won’t be any competition for water and nutrients.
You can use herbicides to kill the weeds because they are effective. The location should also be clear so that your cedar trees may not be disturbed as they grow, considering that they can reach a width of 20 feet, height of at least 50 feet, and depth of 25 feet. So, do not plant these trees under electrical cables and close to buried sewer pipes and cables. For example, the Cedrus deodora can reach a maximum height of 164 feet.
Once you have cleared the land, go on to dig a hole that is twice wider than that of your cedar tree’s root ball. The diameter of the root ball is 10 to 12 times that of the trunk so, you can use this information to determine the width of the hole you are going to dig. If you are digging on the same type of soil as the previous site, the hole should have the same depth as the root ball
If it’s clay soil, dig a hole that is one or two inches less deep than the previous one. Then, when planting your cedar tree, make sure it is not at a deeper level but slightly higher than before so that it is not stressed.
3. Uprooting the Tree
You should choose the cedar transplant that is six feet tall or less. Larger trees have deeper root systems that can make them difficult to dip up and move to another location. It may also be impossible to remove the whole root ball so it becomes small that it cannot provide enough water to the transplant. The tree may eventually die due to a lack of enough water and nutrients.
Large wild cedar trees have a risk of failure as they may experience severe transplant shock whereas the small ones can quickly bounce back. You should water your cedar two days before transplanting to soften the soil so that it may be easy to dig up the tree. Cedar trees have shallow roots so you should dig a trench that is 18 to 24 inches deep around the whole tree and one foot wider than the branches at the bottom.
To transplant your cedar plant, insert the shovel into the soil but make sure it penetrates under the tree at an angle of 45 degrees. Lift the tree back and forth in a gentle manner to remove some dirt so that your cedar tree may become easier and lighter to lift. Please, be cautious when lifting the tree so that you won’t cut the taproot or feeder roots. Then, hold the trunk firmly, pull your cedar tree from the hole, and place it onto the tarp.
4. Planting the Tree to its New Spot
Carry your transplant to its new location using a wheelbarrow if it’s heavy. The tarp also allows you to drag the tree to its new home without damaging the roots, if you prefer that option. You should backfill the hole with the soil to make sure that your cedar tree maintains the original level from its previous site. Gently lift your tree and place it at the center of the hole.
Fill the space around the tree with the soil that you previously removed when you were digging the hole. This makes it easy for your tree to acclimatize to its new home. The extent to which the tree experiences transplant shock is also limited.
You should gently tamp the soil as you add it to remove air pockets and stabilize the tree but be sure not to overpack it. The plant needs to breathe for the roots to grow. Then, create a six-inch high moat around the perimeter of your plant cedar by mounding the soil up to provide and capture water to the root zone.
5. Watering and Mulching the Cedar Tree
After planting cedar trees, you should immediately and thoroughly water your plants to saturate the surrounding soil and hydrate the rootball. Watering also helps to provide moisture to the roots so that they can grow and become established, while also allowing the soil to settle as well. However, do not overwater your cedar tree to avoid the development of root rot and other fungal diseases.
Water your cedar tree every morning and evening for two weeks to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. After two weeks, we recommend you water your tree sparingly to promote the development of deep roots. You should also add a layer of mulch around the base of your cedar plant but make sure it is not in contact with the trunk.
By doing this, you create an environment that is not conducive to pests and diseases while you also prevent moisture build-up. Be sure to leave a small space without mulch around the trunk to enhance air circulation. In addition to retaining soil moisture, mulching also regulates temperature and reduces weed growth. You can use organic mulch like shredded leaves or wood chips and spread it into a two to four-inch thick layer.
6. Providing Temporary Shade
You should provide temporary shade to your newly transplanted cedar trees to minimize stress. Use a shade cloth or you can build a structure to protect your plant from excessive wind or sunlight. The shade also helps to reduce water loss through transpiration until your cedar trees are well established in their new home. Use a shade cloth or burlap that allows the sunlight to penetrate but reduces its intensity to make it favorable to the transplant.
You can also use a lightweight fabric like muslin or bed sheets to provide shade around your cedar trees. Tie the fabric to the poles or stakes to construct a makeshift canopy that can filter the sun to reduce stress. You can also use shade netting, which is a breathable material that protects your transplants from direct sunlight because it provides minimum sun exposure.
Attach the shade netting to a frame or the stakes to create a structure. All these temporary shade structures should allow air circulation around your cedar transplant. You should gradually remove the shade as the transplants start to acclimate to new conditions so that they can slowly get used to the full sun.
7. Practice Care
After planting cedar in its new site, proper care should be practiced to help your plant deal with transplant shock. The cedar tree can take one to two years to fully complete the process of establishing itself so that it can start to grow vigorously.
So, you should continuously monitor your cedar tree to keep it healthy so that the process of transplanting will be a success. Check for any signs of discoloration, wilting, pests, or diseases so that you can deal with them before it’s too late.
You can also add a balanced fertilizer that is specifically for cedar after six months to a year. Fertilizers provide nutrients to promote healthy growth for your cedar plant. If you are wondering how fast cedar trees grow during their best state, please, note that they can increase their height by at least 25 inches per year.
Conclusion
Through this article, you can now successfully transplant your deodar cedar seedlings to their permanent spot. Here are some take-home nuggets that are worth noting:
- You should transplant the cedar trees when they are still young, around six feet or less tall.
- Cedars can grow up to at least 50 feet tall so make sure you are transplanting your tree to an area that is free from obstacles.
- The diameter of the hole should double that of your wild cedar’s rootball.
- When planting cedar trees in their new home, maintain the same depth as it was in the Transplanting a cedar tree should be done when the plant is not actively growing so that it can easily adjust to its new environment.
Knowing how to propagate deodor cedar was not enough without this transplanting part. You are now equipped with enough information so that you enjoy the beauty of the cedar trees while they also work as a fence and windbreak in your yard!