Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Saturday - September 28, 2013

From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Transplants, Trees
Title: Time to transplant shade tree seedlings from San Antonio
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

What month do you transplant shade tree seedlings in San Antonio, TX<

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants generally advises transplanting woody plants (trees and shrubs) in the coldest time of the year, especially in the Southwest, where summers are blazing hot and dry. November to January are our favorite time of the year for such transplants.

Please read this previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer and follow the links in it for information on transplant shock. If you are transplanting seedlings you won't have as much of an issue of gettiing all the roots out of the ground on a transplant, but cooler weather will still be a much better time to move a young tree.

 

More Trees Questions

Native trees for Medford MA
April 07, 2011 - Two quick questions. 1) what trees would grow happily along the banks of the Mystic River in Medford, MA? 2) Would it be o.k. to plant weeping willows? Are they indigenous to the area? I'm not a pur...
view the full question and answer

Seed germination for sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
December 15, 2007 - How can I germinate sugar maple?(step by step, please) I have some seeds but can't make them grow directly outside, so could you recommend a method which takes place inside?! I've heard something ab...
view the full question and answer

Mulching in deep shade in Round Rock TX
June 22, 2010 - Central Texas: Problem is deep shade and high temps. I noted your advice about danger to the tree when planting beneath shade trees, but wonder if there is a substance - perhaps pine needles - that co...
view the full question and answer

Can a bur oak fit in a small space in Austin?
April 11, 2011 - We recently got a one-gallon pot of Bur Oak. The area around our house has two old live oaks on the NW corner and another large live oak on the SE. There isn't much room on the SW corner for the oak ...
view the full question and answer

Revegetating a hillside in western Washington state
October 10, 2012 - Removing several downed trees across my dock demolished the native plants growing on the hillside and the contractor pulled out their remains. The area faces east on an open freshwater bay. Close to...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.