Not sure it’s in the right category, but anyways: my brother has a farm with a few nice trees that I can and want to dig up beginning of next spring. I read somewhere it might be a good idea to cut the roots in a circle before winter so it can start growing smaller roots before I dig them up next spring. Can’t find it back though.
Is this true and when would be the best time to do so? Or am I maybe already to late?
Thanks in advance for the replies!

Peter

You need to be very good with your horticulture if you dig any trees, otherwise you will lose them. If you want to dig around the tree you can but it is not essential. You can dig anytime from December to February early March. Cut the tap root off, and keep some of the original soil.

Thanks for the reply. It will just be a couple of field maples and a prunus. I see I did write ‘trees’ but they are not really that big or anything. I chose field maples because they backbud easily. I have pruned them hard in spring, so I won’t have to worry about that come spring.
There’s quite a few nicer looking trees at the farm, but I want to get some practice and experience before I dig them out.

Use the shovel to cut about a quarter of a circle, then the same about on the other side off the circle, the circle should match the size of a large clay pot the tree will live in a couple of years. Next springcut the other two quarters, but make sure you get a lot if feeder roots.

Thanks, hope to let you guys know how it went next year