How Do I Separate a Pine Tree From a Planting Bed?

Question

What is the exact procedure to separate a pine tree in our garden, which is situated on a raised and overgrown planting bed? The planting bed used to be dug up and things grew on it, but I’ve been told the best way forward would be to separate the tree area from the rest of the planting bed, as the tree is eating up all of the nutrients.

Also, I’m told that the 2 areas which need to be separated needs some sort of procedure whereby polythene sheeting is used. Other thing I was told that – on the planting bed (the bit that used to have plants and not the tree area of the bed) there’s a holly bush – that is taking up some nutrients too. There’s some azalea on the planting bed – these will need great care when it is dug up around November time. Anyway – it’s Scotland I’m in and someone ages ago said that the soil in this garden is moist (although the bed soil seems very dry and hard now).

My big question then is: WHAT IS THE EXACT PROCEDURE FOR DIGGING AND SEPARATING, USING THE POLYTHENE SHEETING? I think I’d like some bark on the planting area as that might make it easy to look after with no weeding. Thanks very much for taking the time to read this and to answer, much appreciated!! (PS the tree is also being choked with loads of ivy but I’m in the process of dealing with that – so hoping to save the lovely tree very soon indeed. )

Answer 1

To move the pine, determine the diameter of it’s trunk about a foot above the ground. If the diameter of the trunk is 2 inches, you will need to dig a soil ball 20 inches in diameter or larger. Industry standards specify 10″ of soil ball for each inch of trunk diameter. You should dig a minimum of 12” deep. Plant the tree immediately in another location. Not sure about the poly sheeting. When mulching around plants, 4″ should be the maximum depth, if you use more, the risk of smothering exists.