Friday, November 18, 2011

How & when to transplant a Tulip tree: South Florida - Zone 9?

There is a two foot Tulip tree growing wild in my back yard which I would like to transplant to a more appropriate location. Does anyone out there know how I can safely do this and when would be the best time. I live in South Florida. Any help greatly appreciated

How %26amp; when to transplant a Tulip tree: South Florida - Zone 9?
Wait until the fall, or in the spring- do not transplant in the summer- unless it is a cool/overcast day and you can water the transplant regularly (2-3 times/week) for the first few weeks.





When you do move it, dig as much of the soil around the transplant as possible, and move it all intact to the desired location. Because it is a transplant, I wouldn't fertilize it for the first few weeks for fear of fertilizer burn, save compost that is mixed with the soil around the new hole. Mulch the transplant and water regularly. After a few weeks, you can add some potassium to the soil to help stimulate root production, or a good all purpose fertilizer.





Tulip tress (Liriodendrum) can do well in full-sun or part-shade, but remember they can grow up to 100 feet with an 80' wide canopy- so be sure to put it somewhere it can be encouraged to grow to full size.





Also, if there is a tulip tree nearby that it first originated from, take some soil samples from around the drip line and create a slurry (add lots of water to all of the soil) so that it is kind of watery, substitute one of your waterings with the slurry mixture. Many trees rely on microrhyzae (specie-specific micro-organisms that live in the soil) for better growth. Replace the soil samples with a topsoil/compost mix.





Enjoy!


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