Transplanting Dogwood Trees

A: Get as much of the existing roots as possible when you dig it up. When you move it to the new location, dig a hole that is twice as wide as the recovered roots but NO DEEPER than the depth it was growing in the original hole. The key to the successful establishment of a transplant is to make sure it has sufficient (but not too much water) until it can survive without supplemental irrigation. This is especially true in the summer. My advice is to wait until fall, after the leaves have dropped, but before it gets too cold. This is the ideal time to transplant because all of the trees energy can go into root establishment. Then by next spring, it will be ready to redirect energy to new growth. Transplanting in the summer, not only requires energy to roots and top growth, but heat and humidity are very stressful on any plant, so there's no need to add that to the equation. Transplant in fall, water periodically and you'll be on your way in spring.