Plant Doctor Archive

Moving a mandarin tree

Question I HAVE a mandarin tree, approximately 1.5m high, that I want to move to another position. When is the best time to do this and do you have any tips on how to go about it? Should I prune it back before moving it?

Answer  THE best time to shift your tree is late winter or early spring. Trim back any soft tip growth and disturb the root ball as little as possible. Wrap the root ball in a piece of hessian sacking to keep the soil from falling away as you shift the tree to a pre-dug hole. Keep well-watered for at least 12 months after transplanting.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 96, 2002, Page 22