Yamadori collected in october 2018 needs to be transplanted again this spring.

[Sifu]

I dug up a Field maple (acer campestre) yamadori in october 2018 and planted it into a ground, very close to our vegetable garden. A decision has been made (not mine ) that we are going to increase an area around our vegetable garden this spring, so this maple has to go away. Do you think it is safe to dig it up once more in march or april and plant it into a big wooden container? I am left with no other option ... Not sure if this kind of intervention will weaken or even kill my tree ... I think the roots were quite strong when i collected the tree in fall and i am not gonna touch them at all, if possible. Another bonus is that field maple seems pretty strong species, but i am still worried about survivability of the tree ... So my question is: how would a medium sized, about 20 - 30 year old deciduous tree react to transplanting/repotting after only 5 or 6 months growing in the ground? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It's not going to be happy, but if you have no other choice, than go for it! Whatever we say, it'll either live or die. I you toss it, it will surely die. So I'd give it a chance if I were you.

 

[Sifu]

I am almost certain that the tree won't die completely (Field maple is quite tough species), my concern is more about a vigour loss or some unexpected dieaback on nebari or on top of the trunk ... But as you said, there is no other choice, so ... At least i have about one month left, so the tree will be transplanted at the best time possible: when the buds will be extending, i hope. I think it also depends a lot of how many new tiny roots has grown during that 5 - 6 months.