For Those Who Have Moved…What Time of Year is “Best”?

[Apex37]

I can think of arguments on just about every front as to when would be the best time or worse time to move states/climate zones?

For those that have moved and taken their collection with them, did any of the decision get based on the time of year for the trees?
If you could pick any time of year to move zones, when would it be?

We’re looking to move to a colder zone. So with that in mind, what are y’all’s thoughts?

 

[fhop]

I can think of arguments on just about every front as to when would be the best time or worse time to move states/climate zones?

For those that have moved and taken their collection with them, did any of the decision get based on the time of year for the trees?
If you could pick any time of year to move zones, when would it be?

We’re looking to move to a colder zone. So with that in mind, what are y’all’s thoughts?

Hello, i am moving to a colder climate soon. What time of the year did you end up moving/ how did it go?

 

[BrianBay9]

I've moved mostly in spring to avoid heat/cold stress, but always miss the repotting season.

 

[Paradox]

I would think cooler months would be easier on the trees. Not sure how well trees would do during the growing season inside a hot truck for more than a few hours.

 

[Shibui]

FWIW I pack trees in cardboard boxes and post then to customers all year round. I was initially worried about shipping in the heat of summer as the trees in the nursery need water twice a day. Turns out heat and drying are not such a big deal and the trees arrive just fine after 2-5 days. It seems that trees do not transpire much in the dark so water is no problem. Not sure what temps are reached inside delivery truck in summer but it is obviously not fatal in postal vans. I suspect the same will be true of winter temps though I'd probably not tempt fate by leaving tropicals in an unheated truck in US winters.

Trees can cope with daily fluctuations in temperature and they also take moving to another climate zone in their stride.

I think there's no 'best' time to move potted plants. Most of the pros and cons are in our human imagination.

 

[Paradox]

Good point with the kind of tree being moved.
Ie tropicals in a potentially below freezing truck in winter.

I had a ficus take 5 days to come cross country in winter and it made it just fine. Though not sure I'd do it again if I could avoid it.

Agree there is no ideal time. Just about any time could have some issue or another I suppose

 

[ShimpakuBonsai]

During the dormant period would be best IMO.

 

[hemmy]

I moved zone 10a coastal So.Cal to zone 6b NE KS a couple days after the Summer Solstice. I wanted to avoid moving too early or too late in the year for cold temps. The 18F avg temp swing between the climates didn’t appear to hurt the trees. The tropicals loved the heat and most importantly the humidity. I was overly careful with the deciduous and exposure to freezing temps the first Fall/Winter.

One big concern was driving the moving truck through the deserts with over 100-120F temps. We got lucky on weather and it was on the lower end of 100F in the deserts and below 100F for the rest of the areas with not enough sand to be called a desert. But we overnighted in Flagstaff, so a higher elevation and somewhat cooler temps. I was surprised how long the packed box truck held the same temperature. It was packed during low 70F outside temps and sat overnight at mid-60s. I separated the plant section with plastic and used dry ice. It warmed up to and stayed 80s-90sF. Going back with an empty truck saw temps running 5-10F ABOVE outside temps.

Post in thread 'Dry Ice for Keeping Trees Cold on Move'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/dry-ice-for-keeping-trees-cold-on-move.56028/post-992167

 

[Cajunrider]

My planning is to move to colder zone is in the spring. Where I am down south, by the time spring arrives up north, my trees are in full swing for spring, they will have an extra long spring to be strong for the following winter.

If I ever move to warmer zone, I would do it when winter has begun in the warm zone. That way my trees, already dormant in the north, will stay dormant. They will just wake up earlier than their norm. Then they have a productive growing spring to get ready for the heat!

 

[Apex37]

Hello, i am moving to a colder climate soon. What time of the year did you end up moving/ how did it go?

Haven’t moved yet. Housing market has been crazy over the past year, but we’re looking to hopefully move sometime earlish next year.