| The best time to move them would be either early September or in early spring just as soon as the soil is no longer frozen and before they begin to grow. When you move the maple you'll have to try to take as much of the root system as you possibly can, the roots may be much wider than the branches depending on how long it has been growing in that location. The more roots left behind, the riskier the move. (Trees are usually root pruned the year prior to being dug to concentrate roots closer to the trunk.) The azaleas are shallow rooted and will have most of their roots in the top six inches of soil and spreading not too far beyond their branch tips; they are easier to transplant for that reason but do try to take all of their roots. For both, replant immediately at the same depth as it grew before, water to settle the soil, keep the soil evenly moist but not sopping wet until it is reestablished just as you would for any new plant, and mulch with several inches of organic mulch. Make sure the azaleas do not settle deeper into the soil than they are now, planting too deeply will smother their roots. Good luck with the move! |
