Can you transplant mature apple trees?

[WTNUT]

I have a friend that has a commercial apple orchard that is about to be something other than a commercial apple orchard. At least for 350 trees. The trees range from 20-30 years of age. He is getting out of the business and cutting his orchard way back. My question is can you transplant those mature trees? If so, how.

I transplanted some 10 year old trees a few years back with a backhoe and never lost a tree. These are larger. They are not taller, but the trunks are larger. These trees are suppose to have been dwarf back in the day, but I would call them between an EMLA -7 and a Bud 111 today.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[4wanderingeyes]

You would almost need a tree digger. Those professional trucks, or tractor attachment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WTNUT]

I have several John Deere 200 excavators. I can get them out of the ground with lots of dirt :). I am just not sure they will live. I do like the idea of having lots of mature trees producing almost immediately. But, don't want to waste time if they are too old to survive the shock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[IkemanTx]

I have several John Deere 200 excavators. I can get them out of the ground with lots of dirt :). I am just not sure they will live. I do like the idea of having lots of mature trees producing almost immediately. But, don't want to waste time if they are too old to survive the shock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I would look into seeing how much it would cost to use the tree remover mentioned above. I doubt it would be economically sound to do it with all the trees, but I bet he knows which ones produce the most consistently/sweetest...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I would expect a year or 2 set back, but I am sure they will survive and produce.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[chickenlittle]

Probably would be good to prune back severely to just the scaffold limbs.

Or sell for bbq smoking wood.

 

[WTNUT]

Probably would be good to prune back severely to just the scaffold limbs.

Or sell for bbq smoking wood.

Yea that would be a good idea.

And, he does know which are prolific producers.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk