In order to dig up a cherry tree - for whatever purpose - it is useful to know something about its root system. The tree root consists of a main and several secondary roots, which anchor the tree in the ground and ensure that it stands securely. Even the roots of a long dead tree remain deep and broad in the earth for decades.
also read
- High trunk - a giant among the cherry trees
- Don't be afraid of lichens on cherry trees
- Fungal attack on cherry trees
Carefully dig up the living cherry tree
Every gardener knows that for them, transplanting trees is primarily associated with stress. Nevertheless, various circumstances may make it necessary to move a cherry tree to the new place of residence or just to another garden space. If you are careful when digging, the tree has a good chance of growing in the new place.
Proceed as follows to excavate:
- round the ground around the cherry tree at around 2/3 of the crown circumference,
- note that sweet cherries have deeper roots than sour cherries,
- pierce the resulting ball of the earth so far that it loosens completely,
- cut off the damaged roots smoothly with sharp scissors.
Eliminating a dead cherry tree
Many hobby gardeners report in countless garden forums about how difficult it is to remove a disturbing cherry tree root from the garden. As a rule, these are very old trees that have to make room for new plantings after they have died. Digging alone is rarely enough. In most cases, the use of technology (milling machine, winch, excavator) has to be helped.
If the cherry tree root to be excavated is not so thick and does not go very deep, it can be exposed as far as possible and its branches sawed off so that it can be pulled out - with or without technical assistance. The root remnants remaining in the earth will rot over time, and a quick composter can speed things up here.
Tips & Tricks
An old, deformed, gnarled tree trunk from a dead cherry tree can look very decorative with tendrils and also provide a habitat for many insects.
