Moving a 4 year old cherry tree

Rain is predicted for next Saturday. Nights are in the 40s to 50s, days in 70s to 80s. Leaves are beginning to change color and drop. So I thought it would be OK to move this 4 year old Almaden Duke cherry tree from the yard in Vancouver to the yard in Battleground. It was quite a job.

Before digging.   I watered the tree thoroughly 2 days ago.  It wasn't getting watered much this summer.  There was a handful of cherries this year.  good.

Starting to dig.  As with the ginkgo, vertical slices about 2 feet from the trunk.

Then dig further out, making a moat.  Then slicing under the tree.  Slicing the soil, as deep as possible, not prying upward.

Then, as the tree falls to one side,  easing a tarp under it.  I did not lift, but rather wedged the tarp under the tree.  Then pulled on the tarp to move the tree.  At the truck, I lifted using the tarp.  I covered the tree with another tarp, along with a shrub and another smaller tree, tied it all down, and drove it to battleground.  It wasn't as good as it sounds - wind blew under the tarp, resulting in some dehydration of the tree.

Here's the hole.  I hosed down the tree and kept it covered until ready to put into the hole.  There are two mole tunnels into this hole.

I'm tired of moles digging into the newly planted trees.  I don't know if they actually do harm.  I'm also tired of me not doing something about it.  So here is a lining of chicken wire.  It should rust away in a few years.

Cherry planted.  A bit droopy.  I don't know if that's the wind effect, which didn't affect other trees that I moved, or maybe cherries in leaf just don't move well.  After soaking, it's a little less droopy.  Still, it may lose leaves, and I may not know until next year if it survives. Added the next morning:

The leaves did perk up. Not 100%, but much better. I think it will be OK. * The mole screen did seem to annoy and frustrate the mole. He/she built a new mole hill right at he screen, where the tunnel was blocked. I don't mind the moles. They eat grubs, so they have a beneficial role.I just don't want them to damage the young tree roots. It's also annoying when they pile soil on top of the mulch. When the rains start, I'm guessing they will concentrate on the newly moist soil of the lawn, and stay away from my little fruit trees.

Brief update

No pics today. Today we had 3 figs from the Sal's fig tree that I moved this summer to Battleground. The figs were slightly different from Hardy Chicago. A little "richer" however that is defined. More juicy. Skin was not as dark, but flesh had more red coloration. It's not a fair comparison - different location. I'm glad it survived the move even in the Summer and provided some figs. I planted some plum seeds, Hollywood plum, among the shallot rows. They are labeled. This way they can stratify over the winter. Just for fun. I planted some chinese chive seeds among the plants. That should help fill in the gaps, if they grow. Fall planting has the risk of not growing at all, or growing but the tiny plants not surviving the winter. If so, not much loss. I saved lots of seeds this year. I stuck daffodil bulbs in molehills. I read that moles don't like daffodils. I did that only where the mole(s) dug too close to my little fruit trees. Rain is postponed another week. Maybe it's going to become a desert here? Watered all of the new tree and shrub transplants, and the raised beds.

Figs

Now it's time for more Main Crop figs. Lots of variety now.

The biggest ones are the NoID Vancouver fig. Likely Brunswick. The brown figs are Hardy Chicago. The black figs are Petite negri. They are all wonderful.

The green ones are Lattarula.

Bulbs, Deer ResistantT

These were labeled as deer resistant. A wild tulip. I read that deer like tulips, but maybe not the wild one? More allium. Two varieties of grape hyacinth. If the deer don't get them, will the moles? I planted some around each of the new shade trees.

Transplanted Trees. One Week Later.

THey are not as droopy as I expected. In fact, they seem just fine.

The Stanley Plum. Not a single leaf has fallen. I watered this, and the other trees, today.

Indian Peach. I was sure I killed it. Not droopy, no wilting. So far, so good. I think once it's past the first week, it's less to worry about.

Not a home grown transplant, but it needed to go somewhere. Blake Kiwi. The start of a Kiwi vinyard. More, later.

The ginkgo. No more droopy than it was before. I think it will do OK.