Transplanting Thuja and Japanese Maple in Fall

Fall (Nov/Dec in Zone 5) is an excellent time to transplant Thuja 'Green Giant' and 'Bloodgood' Japanese maple. The soil is still warm enough for root growth, and cooler air reduces stress.

Key Steps

1. Prepare the new hole: 2-3x root ball width, same depth.
2. Dig the tree with as large a root ball as manageable.
3. Plant at the same depth—root flare at or slightly above grade.
4. Backfill with native soil. Water thoroughly.
5. Mulch 3 inches deep, keep off trunk.
6. Water weekly until ground freezes.

Stump Hole Considerations

Planting in a ground-out stump hole is fine if the sawdust/wood chips are removed and replaced with native soil. Decomposing wood ties up nitrogen.