Tree transplantation: moving a mature tree instead of felling it.

Species with fibrous, regenerative root systems and moderate girth transplant best; very large, very old, deep-tap-rooted or diseased trees are poor candidates. Age, girth, health, species, access for machinery and the quality of the receiving site all bear on it, which is why feasibility is assessed tree by tree before anything is committed.

Chiefly the preparation period, the size of the root ball relative to girth, the season of the move, how quickly the tree is replanted, the depth at which it is set, and the aftercare that follows. Trees moved in a hurry in summer, with an undersized root ball and no aftercare, are the ones that fail.

Ideally weeks to months. Root pruning in stages lets the tree generate feeder roots inside the future root ball, and crown reduction lowers the water demand it will have to meet afterwards. A transplant executed with no preparation is a much higher-risk operation, and should be described as such rather than sold as routine.

In most of India the pre-monsoon and monsoon period, so the tree recovers with natural rainfall and lower evaporative stress. Moves in peak summer are avoided where the programme allows. Where site sequencing forces an out-of-season move, irrigation, shading and anti-transpirant measures become critical.

Yes. In areas under tree legislation, transplantation is dealt with by the Tree Authority in the same application stream as felling, and the permission normally carries conditions on the receiving site and on survival reporting. Moving a protected tree without that permission carries the same exposure as felling it.

By soil depth and drainage, available space for the mature canopy and root spread, distance from structures and services, assured water, machinery access, and secure long-term tenure of the spot. A receiving site chosen for convenience on the day of lifting is one of the more common causes of eventual failure.

It is proportioned to the girth of the tree, following standard arboricultural practice: a larger tree needs a substantially larger and heavier ball, which also sets the crane and transport requirement. Cutting the ball down to suit the available equipment is the single most damaging economy in a transplant.