Backyard Farming Forum
Bringing food production home

Hello there.
Found this forum while looking for info on transplanting a mandarin tree.
We live on a normal suburban block trying to be as self sufficient as possible. Chooks and veggie gardens galore.

In the process of transplanting some trees, but to a clay soil so want as much info as possible before we move it.

I can't wait to read all the posts.

Anke

Hi anke and welcome to the forum. I don't don't know much about transplanting fruit trees but this would be the time of year to do it. Good luck


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Ben

Bender's Backyard
Bender's Aquaponics System

Dig your new hole first
Prepare the soil you may want to raise it slightly if its going to be water logged
Clay needs gypsum to break it down

I just moved a tangerine (cross between a mandarin and a bitter orange)
Wasnt very big for 6 years old sitting in the shade and competing with the roots of a Palm tree.
It wasnt too hard to get out
Ive got a blood orange and washington to do in the next few weeks.

Hi there Anke. Great to see another chook keeper on here.
I'm with Snags on the need for gypsum on clay soil as it can provide calcium and sulfur, can displace sodium from a soil solution and can leave air spaces if the natural form is buried and then dissolved.
It is available as a granular powder (Natural form or agricultural gypsum) or as a liquid concentrate (at the big B ).
For surface applications the liquid (hose on option) is easy whereas for planting trees I would suggest the agricultural gypsum option at around 300g/m2(in the bottom of the hole), as it has a slower release.
Hopefully this is food for thought.

Thanks for the tips guys. Will go get some gypsum this weekend.
Fingers crossed. It's finally started fruiting after 4 years, so hopefully it will survive the move!

If it is moving from soft soil to clay, make sure you remove some dirt from the outer roots and place those roots within the clay.
Plants dont like to be in soft soil and then hit a harder soil barrier, it will act as a pot and be very hard for the tree to get its roots into the clay, it may even end up rootbound in the new hole.
If its roots are already within the clay it wont have any choice but to push through the clay and will have a much easier time of it.
You can also loosen the clay around the edge of the tree (beyond the root zone) with a fork every month or 2, that will help the roots spread through the clay quicker. Simply dig the fork in and wiggle, go around the whole tree like this.

Welcome mate hope the transplant goes well, once again photos are nice, cheers.

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BackYard Farming
CcBear's Dunbyu Gardens

CcBear's Home Produce and Preserves


BackYard Aquaponics
CcBear's First System

Where abouts in VIC are you?

Could also try to replant in a air pruning wicking barrel. Do a google or youtube for air pruning barrels.

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BackYard Farming
CcBear's Dunbyu Gardens

CcBear's Home Produce and Preserves


BackYard Aquaponics
CcBear's First System