You know that right now isn’t the time to prune, and you know it’s not a great time to plant, but did you know that there’s one lawncare task you always want to do in the cold? That’s right: winter is the time to transplant trees and shrubs!

The first hard freeze of the season is a sign to many plants to go dormant. Obviously this isn’t true for evergreens–those will fare best if moved in the late summer–but it applies to most deciduous trees and Shrubs. Dormancy is a lot like sleeping or hibernating. Transplanting trees usually requires the cutting of roots, and that can cause a lot of stress. Think about it like this: if you were going to have major surgery, wouldn’t you rather be asleep? Your trees will appreciate it too. Make sure you wait until after the first hard freeze, and finish the process before trees and shrubs have started showing new growth in the spring.

Transplanting trees can be tricky, and not just because of timing. You also need to make sure you’ve selected the best new location, have moved enough of the root system, and are moving your tree safely and carefully. There are many pre- and post-transplant tasks that must be tended to, and the process can be very labor-intensive. If you think you’d like to transplant a tree or shrub that’s grown fairly large.

Next time you think you’d like to move something in your yard, call the experts at Mr. Tree! We’ll make sure your tree transplanting goes smoothly.