How to Move a Dwarf Maple

Root prune the tree by marking an 18-inch diameter circle around the trunk and digging a trench outside this circle with a spade. The trench should be 14 inches deep. These dimensions are for a tree up to 6 feet tall. Larger trees need a larger root ball. Cut large roots with loppers. Root pruning should be done in early spring for a tree to be transplanted in the fall, and in the fall for a tree to be transplanted in early spring. The tree should be dormant when root pruned.

Fill the trench with the removed soil. Place the subsoil first, then the topsoil. Maintain the tree as normal until it is time to be moved. The roots will branch and grow into the trench during the intervening months.

Mark a circle around the tree trunk that is 12 inches beyond the edge of the root-pruning trench, and cut the roots by driving a sharp shovel into the ground, following the circle. The back of the shovel should be facing the tree. This should be done the next spring or fall, following the root pruning. Do this when the tree is dormant.

Dig a trench outside and adjacent to the cuts you just made. Cut through large roots with loppers.

Undercut the ball of soil at a 45-degree angle to loosen the ball and sever any remaining roots.

Wrap the ball with burlap and secure with twine.

Dig a hole at the new location of the tree that is 50 percent wider than the root ball. The hole should be just deep enough that the tree will be planted at the same depth it was previously growing. Put topsoil in one pile and subsoil in another.

Set the plant in the center of the hole, cut the twine and drop the burlap to the bottom of the hole. Use the subsoil to fill around the root ball, tamping it with a shovel as you work. Water thoroughly to settle the soil. Once the water has drained, add the topsoil and water again.

Water as needed during the first few months, keeping the soil moist but not saturated.