Section Two: Supply and Handling
2.1 Sources of root-balled trees
Trees to be moved with a ball of growing medium around their roots will be in one of the following categories:
• Grown in open-ground nurseries at wider than normal spacing to allow for vigorous, balanced crown growth and space for root pruning.
• Grown in containers of appropriate size without disturbance; containers will be within or above the ground at suitable spacings to allow for crown development and maintenance.
2.2 Preparation of root ball
2.2.1 Importance of transplanting field-grown stock
Transplanting trees throughout the growing period on the nursery will ensure a good rootball and is essential to good establishment. Trees will have been transplanted an appropriate number of times for the species and girth specified.
2.2.2 Trees grown in open-ground nurseries
Trees will be lifted without disturbance to the rootball. The rootball will be of a size appropriate to the species, girth size and nursery soil-type in which it is grown but will not be less than 300 mm in diameter.
2.2.3 Container grown trees
Container-grown trees will be moved with their root balls intact within the container. The grower’s instructions will be observed when handling and planting the tree.
Container-grown trees will be established within their containers, showing substantial new root growth within the container.
2.3 Season for transplanting
Transplanting will be carried out in weather conditions suitable for the operation.
Transplanting will usually be carried out during the dormant season for the particular species. This is usually between mid-October and the end of March for deciduous trees and during late winter and spring for evergreens.
When root-balled or container-grown trees, both deciduous and evergreen, are to be planted during the spring and summer it is essential that aftercare (see 3.3) is thorough.
2.4 Pre-lifting operations
Pruning will only be carried out if it is necessary to reduce the canopy area to compensate for root loss. Care must be taken to ensure that the special quality for which a specimen may have been selected is not lost through pruning.
Anti-desiccant sprays, if used, should be mixed and applied following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
NOTE: if a deciduous tree is to be moved in full leaf, or if a tree is to be transported some distance, then pruning can be carried out to reduce the risk of excessive transpirational loss that might otherwise lead to root and shoot death.
2.5 Lifting and handling of root-balled trees
2.5.1 Preparation of the rootball
Protective wrappings, such as hessian, will be placed around the root ball of field grown trees and support will be provided with wire netting, by lacing with straps, or by boxing the root ball to ensure that it does not disintegrate between lifting and planting.
When a field-grown tree has been lifted the root ball will be wrapped in heavy gauge polythene to help protect the ball from desiccation during transport.
2.5.2 Handling
Trees will be handled and lifted without causing damage. Appropriate mechanical means will be required and trees will be lifted either by supporting the root ball or by using a sling at the fulcrum point of the stem.
It is essential that self-tightening slings around the bole or branches are NOT used as, when tensioned, they bruise or rupture the bark and can cause tree death.
2.5.3 Integrated systems for lifting and moving trees
When lifting and handling a tree by an integrated system it is important that the root ball should not be released from the protection and support afforded by the blades. When a root ball has to be released from the machine for transport, care will be taken to ensure that no damage occurs. The root ball will not be wrapped and constrained with webbing or ungalvanized chain link netting for transport on a separate vehicle to the planting site.
2.5.4 Container-grown trees
Container-grown trees will be moved with their root balls intact within their containers. The grower’s instruction should be observed whilst handling and planting trees.
2.6 Temporary storage
When a tree cannot be planted as soon as it is delivered, it should be stored upright, in a position where it will be protected from damage and unnecessary movement. Throughout the period of storage, the root ball should be protected from freezing and drying out, using materials and techniques that will not damage the tree.
NOTE: each time a tree is moved there is an increased risk of breaking the root ball and of damaging the trunk and branches.