moving an evergreen tree

Hi Sarahc...you can transplant evergreens best in the dormant times but it depends a lot on the size of the specimen you're moving...If it is a small tree under 3ft..you simply use a small sharp spade and sink it into the soil at right angles to the trunk 24 inches out...some evergreens roots are shallow..but some may have deep tap like roots... then deepen the cuts again angling inward so that eventually when you've severed all the roots you can pop the tree out and it will have a rootball of soil to move with the plant to the new hole...which you must dig about 6 inches wider than the rootball and as deep. I would also suggest that you study up on this...check out your local library or google 'transplanting evergreens' and see what you can find... Also if it is a large specimen you will need to allow access for a garden tractor...or employ a large labour force!! Good Luck....

Best time is Autumn when the ground is still warm but the tree is going dormant.

just an update on the tree removel couldnt wait til autumn as have workmen coming to lay a patio so had to take a chance and move it now, prepared the hole with bonemeal and two strong men to dig it out and rehome it, am watering the leaves a couple of times a day(on the recommendation of my local garden centre), its been moved two days now and it looks ok, so fingers crossed, hopefully job done.

I'm always bemused by the different references between gardeners in UK and gardeners in NA... It may be a personal misapprehension...but when I see "evergreen" I always think of something with needles!... In any case I guess the best advice, since it has to be done in the warm weather, is to take as large a rootball as you can manage...which sounds like exactly what you did...what specie are you moving? Keeping it misted is an excellent idea. Good Luck...I think you'll make a success of it!

trees still looking good, fingers crossed it will survive. not sure of the name, have been trying to find it on the computer but i am a learner on the computer as well a on the garden front(need all the help i can get) think the name is euonymus emerald 'n' gold,but the only thing i can find if a shrub of this name but mine is definitly a tree, its about 16 ft tall and fragrant at the moment,