Transporting potted tree from apartment to house - suggestions sought

devpress on 08/12/2019 - 21:56
Last edited 09/12/2019 - 11:30

Hi all - I'm about to move house and am trying to work out the best way to move a potted tree in my apartment.

Basically the tree is about 2m tall, in a large round pot and filled with about 6 bags of soil. It is located on a balcony, on the upper floor of a 2 level apartment.

I think my biggest issue in the move is the internal flight of stairs in my 2 level apartment, as without this one could just wheel it out on a trolley.

Given this, my thought was that I would have to basically separate the tree from the soil and pot, so that these 3 parts can be carried out individually.

Just wondering if others had any better ideas?

EDIT: pic of the tree (looks smaller than it is)

Home & Garden

Comments

  • pjetson on 08/12/2019 - 22:22
    +4

    separate the tree from the soil and pot

    The tree may not survive its root system being separated from the soil.

    • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 10:38

      It's an established tree, will be repotted within a few hours with the same soil so think it should be ok…..

      • [Deactivated] on 09/12/2019 - 13:26

        You can't actually have an "established" pot plant.

        An established tree is one that can survive the absence of human intervention, ie roots tapping into the water table.

        The very fact you are removing the plant from soil, potted or not, de-establishes the tree.

        Just saw the added photo. That is a Japanese maple and the pot looks like a 35cm width (definitely too heavy for stairs). Now is a bad time to disturb the roots as it is a deciduous tree but you may be able to unpot it without disturbing the roots. Get a sharp player's trowel or similar and run it around the edge of the soil as deep as you can. Also, cut off any roots that have grown through the drain hole.

        Lay the pot sideways and gently twist whilst pulling the trunk. It will pop loose. Remove the loose soil but don't shake the roots any further. Get a garbage bag and wrap it tight.

        Bring it to the new location and repot it. You'd want to water it with ~50l of water over 10 minutes to remove any air pockets.

        • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 13:49

          It is established in the sense it is not a young and thus a bit more hardy than an immature tree

          Appreciate the repotting instructions, but it is something I already know, having followed similar steps when I took the tree home from the nursey

          • [Deactivated] on 09/12/2019 - 14:16

            @devpress: No other way to not kill a deciduous tree mid growth season.

  • ihbh on 08/12/2019 - 22:27
    +4

    Can you rig up something to lower it down from the balcony? Maybe ask the movers.

    • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 10:38

      I don't think so as it'll be about 100kg in my estimation

  • elgrande on 08/12/2019 - 22:38
    +1

    At an angle could it be wheeled down?

    Taking it out of the pot is not a great idea.

    • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 10:39

      Yes I guess so, but soil will splosh around everywhere and pot will most likely be damaged, both of which I'm trying to avoid~

      • Love a bargain on 09/12/2019 - 13:37

        Wrap the pot section up with a big bin bag/ sheets so that any spillage is contained?

        • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 13:42

          That's a good suggestion

  • Peter Enis on 08/12/2019 - 22:47
    +8

    If removalists can move all shapes snd sizes of furniture then I'm sure they can handle a 2m high pot plant.

  • AdosHouse on 08/12/2019 - 22:48
    +2

    How heavy are we talking here? Could a trolley not still be used on the staircase? Stair-climber trolley perhaps?

    • apsilon on 09/12/2019 - 06:13
      +3

      They said 6 bags of soil. Assuming standard 25l bags they're about 12kg each so 72kg plus pot and tree. Say 100kg total. Could easily be moved strapped to an upright trolley. Have 2 people on the trolley if 1 isn't confident with the weight.

      • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 10:40

        My concern about the upright trolley is that the pot is round, so it won't sit flush against the trolley if you kno what I mean ?

        • apsilon on 09/12/2019 - 10:57
          +1

          That's why I said strapped to the trolley. If you have them, a couple of pieces of timber as chocks on each side or a moving blanket or towel rolled up on each side would help stabilise it but I'd still throw a ratchet strap around the pot so it's well secured to the trolley.

          • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 13:51

            @apsilon: Will speak to the removalists .. personally i'm not confident (and very wary of damage to the apartment should something go awry) but maybe it's something the removalists do all the time and shouldn't be an issue in their eyes?

  • Fier2 on 08/12/2019 - 22:56
    +5

    Add more soil to tightened the top of the pot. Cling wrap the pot, soil and bottom of the tree. Then you should able to put it on the trolley and wheel it out even if it's angle.

  • MS Paint on 08/12/2019 - 23:07
    +1

    I think I have worked out what sort of tree this is, hence the desperation.

    • EightImmortals on 09/12/2019 - 06:54

      lols….hey isn't it legal now anyway? Or is that only for corporations who can pay the government lots of money?

    • jackinyourbox on 09/12/2019 - 09:37

      Hey it’s a christmas tree yeah ?

    • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 10:40

      I'm curious what kind of tree were you thinking?

      (also FYI it's a Japanese Maple … )

      • RotundPolarBear on 09/12/2019 - 10:59

        Can you post a pic? Sounds like a really nice looking tree.

  • Sinful on 09/12/2019 - 07:29

    Put it sideways on a ute.
    put an extra support above the cab of the ute, if the tree is top-heavy.

  • djones145 on 09/12/2019 - 08:27
    +2

    did u lift br0
    challenge a crossfit to carry it down and to ur house in record time

    • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 10:41

      recipe for disaster mate

      • djones145 on 10/12/2019 - 21:58

        nah br0, deadlift, on the shoulder, 10k run easy

  • 203132 on 09/12/2019 - 11:16
    +1

    Trim the tree down if you're concerned about size, it'll grow back.

    I would get some heavy duty plastic bag to wrap the pot and soil so you can tilt it.

    • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 11:31

      interesting suggestion, though I'd rather not … am trying to grow the tree :)

  • oO0Dam0Oo on 09/12/2019 - 13:46

    It can be done in one go but success will all be in the preparation. Fill the pot gap with a filler of some sort then bag the pot around the trunk so no soil will fall out when tilted horizontally. Strap and block the pot to your trolley with ratchet straps (you can also get a fridge trolley with strap inbuilt (makes life much easier).

    • devpress on 09/12/2019 - 13:52

      Thanks .. yes similar to a couple of suggestions above. Will speak to the removalists and see what they say

  • GangGang on 09/12/2019 - 18:39
    -1

    I can't believe the term, friends hasn't been suggested. Get 1 or 2 more people & it can be done. Lifting it slowly or using a tilt trolley with a person guiding it.

    • 203132 on 10/12/2019 - 08:09
      -1

      Awkward?

  • ihbh on 11/12/2019 - 10:43

    Pity you don't have two of these; otherwise use one of these :)

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