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Tree transplanting in Little Rock for young trees
A young tree in the wrong place does not always have to be cut down. Small trees can often be dug with a good root ball and moved to a better spot, if the move is timed right and the tree is cared for afterward.
- Young trees dug and moved
- Planted at the right depth
- Answered 24/7
Short answer
Tree transplanting in Little Rock works best on young trees, generally a few inches thick or less, moved in the dormant season from late fall to early spring. The tree is dug with as large a root ball as can be handled, moved the same day, planted at the right depth in a wide hole, and watered regularly through the first growing season. Before digging, Arkansas asks that Arkansas One Call be contacted at 811.
Updated October 2026
When transplanting makes sense
Transplanting works when the tree is young, healthy and small enough to dig with a good share of its roots. Large mature trees lose too many roots in the move and are usually better replaced.
The most common reasons people move a tree are a new addition, pool or driveway, or a tree that was simply planted too close to the house.
Compare
Move the tree or plant a new one
| Factor | Transplant it | Replace it |
|---|---|---|
| Tree size | Young and small | Large or mature |
| Survival odds | Good in the dormant season | A new nursery tree starts fresh |
| Cost | Digging and replanting | Removal plus a new tree |
| Time to shade | Keeps its head start | Starts over |
| Best when | The tree is valued and movable | The tree is too big to move |
What moves the price
What decides the price of a transplant
Tree size
Bigger root balls take more digging.
Distance moved
Across the yard or to another spot.
Access
Room to carry or roll the root ball.
Soil type
Clay and rocky ground take longer.
Number of trees
Several moves in one visit.
Aftercare
Mulch, stakes and a watering plan.
Moving young trees
We dig around the tree to keep as much of the root system as the size allows, wrap the root ball so the soil holds together, and move the tree to its new spot the same day. The new hole is dug two to three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper, so the tree sits at the same depth it grew at. Planting too deep is one of the most common reasons moved trees fail.
Timing a transplant
The best time to move a tree in Arkansas is the dormant season, from late fall through early spring, when the tree is not supporting leaves and the weather is cool. Summer moves are much riskier because the tree loses water through its leaves faster than its reduced roots can supply it. If construction forces a summer move, we plan extra watering and shade. The new spot should be prepared before moving day so the tree spends as little time out of the ground as possible.
Aftercare for moved trees
A moved tree spends its first year regrowing roots. Regular deep watering through the first growing season is the most important thing you can do, along with a wide mulch ring kept away from the trunk. Stakes, if needed, are loosened and removed within the first year. We leave you a simple watering plan for the weeks after the move. A moved tree may drop some leaves or look tired the first summer; that is normal while the roots regrow, and it usually recovers by the second season.
How this job runs around Little Rock
Moving a tree means digging in two places, and Arkansas asks that Arkansas One Call be contacted at 811 before any digging so buried lines are marked first. On the clay soils common around Little Rock, we also check drainage in the new spot, since a planting hole in heavy clay can hold water around the roots after a heavy rain.
How long a transplant takes
Moving a single young tree is usually a few hours, including digging both holes and replanting.
The tree itself takes a year or more to settle in. Regular watering through that first season makes the biggest difference.
Step by step
How a tree transplant goes
- 1
Call about the tree
Size, species and where it needs to go.
- 2
Check if it can move
Young and healthy enough to survive.
- 3
Request the 811 locate
Both holes marked for buried lines.
- 4
Dig, move and replant
Same day, at the right depth.
- 5
Leave a watering plan
For the first growing season.
Straight answers
Questions we get about this
Generally young trees a few inches thick or less.
The dormant season, late fall to early spring.
Young, healthy trees moved in the dormant season usually do with good watering.
Usually not practical. Replacing it is often better.
Deeply and regularly through the first growing season.
Arkansas asks that Arkansas One Call be contacted at 811 before digging.
Only if needed, and the stakes should come off within a year.
Related work
Other jobs we handle near this one
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Shade Tree Planting and more.
Tree PlantingTree Protection During Construction
Root Zone Fencing and more.
See how tree protection during construction worksDeep Root Fertilization
Stressed Trees After Construction and more.
More on deep root fertilization
A young tree in the wrong spot?
Call any hour. We will tell you honestly whether it can move.