How to Transplant Leyland Cypress Trees

Leyland Cypress trees grow fairly fast when young, about 3 to 4 feet a year, reaching a possible 50 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide. Spacing them when planting will help with any future overcrowding of the trees. Cypress trees should be planted in yards with lots of land instead of small yards. Regular pruning and trimming of the tree will help but after awhile you will not be able to reach the top to prune. If you notice that your Leyland Cypress trees are becoming too crowded, transplant them to another area. It is best to transplant them when they are still a few years young and haven't developed a deeply rooted system. The best times of the year to transplant a tree are in the fall before the ground freezes or in early spring after the last frost.

Dig a trench around the tree 12 to 24 inches deep in order to remove the entire root ball intact. Make sure to not damage the root system when severing it away from the root ball.

Wrap damp burlap tightly around the root ball and secure it with twine. Move the tree to its next location in your yard by picking up the root ball not the trunk of the tree.

Dig the new hole two to three times wider than the root ball but 1 to 2 inches less than the height of the root ball. Water the hole thoroughly.

Place the cypress tree into the hole and cover it firmly with soil. When the hole is two-thirds full, cut the twine and remove the part of the burlap that is still showing. Finish filling the hole and water thoroughly. The tree should be deeply watered every 10 to 14 days after the transplant.

Apply a 3 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch around the tree. Mulch with pine bark, pine straw or decomposed leaves.