Challenges and Benefits of Transplanting Large Trees: An Introduction to the Workshop

Abstract

Across horticultural crops the trend is to transplant larger plants to achieve the intended landscape effects or to produce the desired yield without the long wait associated with direct seeding or small transplant technology. Consumers want immediate gratification (a landscape design that produces the desired aesthetics without the wait for plants to grow to mature sizes). This trend extends from the use of large herbaceous plants for instant landscape color, transplanting of vegetable plants already in fruit to the home garden for early yield, to transplanting larger shrubs and trees to effect the impression of an established landscape. This trend logically culminates in the transplanting of large, mature specimen trees to create the appearance of a fully mature landscape. This workshop will explore the potential benefits of this approach and the challenges associated with successful transplanting of large trees.