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Difficulty: Moderate to hard
Depending on the size of the tree
A successful transplant, temporary or not, depends on having an intact root ball of sufficient size—about 11 times the trunk's diameter. If the trunk is more than 3½ inches across, call in a professional landscaper because of the weight involved. Once the tree is dug up, its roots get wrapped in burlap and twine to hold the soil.
The tree can then be transported and kept alive until replanting time.
To tie up the 18-inch-diameter ball shown above, we used a 42-by-42-inch piece of two-ply burlap and about 6 yards of sisal twine, both available at garden stores. Even for a tree this small, the work is much easier with two people. It's important to tie the burlap and sisal tightly around the ball, but take care not to rub them against the trunk because you can easily damage the young tree's delicate bark.
Properly swaddled and regularly watered, a tree will easily survive for months out of the ground, until you’re ready to plant it for good.
