Hi Josh - I have the opportunity to rescue some natives (some leptospermum laevigatums and a larger Alternifolia) from a house block near me that's slated for redevelopment. The leptos are about 6ft high and trunk as thick as your wrist, while the melaleuca is slightly larger.
Do I have any chance of digging those out successfully and saving them? They are healthy specimens, all of them. thanks for any advice you can offer.
Hi Matt, you shouldn't have too much trouble if the trees are healthy and they have already put on their first flush of growth for the season. Our natives are a little different to the exotics in terms of timing for root work, we need to try and aim for the spaces in between new growth rather then as we see new growth. Sounds like you don't have a lot of time and the trees will be killed anyway so id say go for it, cut them down to a stump first then dig them up, if you dig them up and leave all the growth on they likely wont survive. Keep them protected for a few weeks after as well.