If you're looking into tree relocation in Nottingham, you've probably already worked out that digging a tree up with a mini digger or a spade is the fast way to kill it. Roots get sheared, the tree goes into shock, and what looked like a reasonable rescue job ends up as a removal anyway. That's the problem an air spade solves - it uses compressed air to blow soil away from the root system instead of cutting through it, so the fine feeder roots that actually keep the tree alive stay intact. We use one on every relocation job, whether that's a tree that's outgrown its spot next to the house, one that's interfering with drains or utilities, or a specimen tree a client simply doesn't want to lose when a driveway or extension goes in.

Not every tree is a candidate for this. Species, size, root spread, soil type and the condition of the tree on the day all decide whether relocation is realistic or whether removal and replanting something new is the honest answer. Before we get near a tree with an air spade we look at the whole picture, in the same way we would on a tree inspection - because moving a tree that's already stressed or diseased almost always ends badly, and we'd rather tell you that upfront than take the job and let the tree fail six months later.

• A feasibility assessment of the specific tree - species, age, size, root spread and current health - before anything is dug
• Air spade excavation to loosen soil around the root ball without severing the feeder roots
• Assessment of the new planting site for sun, shade and soil drainage suited to that species
• Timing advice based on the tree's dormancy period (usually autumn before the first frost, or spring before sprouting)
• Transport of the root-balled tree to the new location on your property or an agreed nearby site
• Replanting, backfilling and initial staking or support where the tree needs it
• Aftercare guidance covering fertiliser application, a watering schedule and pest management for the first growing season or two
• Air spade excavation for trees growing close to underground utilities or power lines, where a digger isn't a safe option anyway

• A survival guarantee - transplant shock is real and no honest tree surgeon can promise a tree will take, especially a large mature specimen
• Relocating a tree that's already showing signs of disease, decay or root stress - we'll tell you if this is the case rather than take the fee and move it anyway
• Planning permission or Tree Preservation Order applications - if your tree has a TPO, that's a conversation with the local planning authority before we touch a spade
• Long-distance transport - relocation works best moving a tree within the same property or a short distance to a nearby site, not across the county
• Ongoing irrigation infrastructure or ground maintenance after the aftercare period ends
• Crane hire for very large mature trees - this is quoted separately once we've seen the size and access on site

1. Initial call and photos -- Tell us what the tree is, roughly how big it's grown, why it needs to move, and where you're hoping to put it. A few photos on the call helps us gauge whether this is realistic before we book a visit.
2. Site assessment -- George visits to check the species, trunk diameter, root spread, and the health of the tree - and to assess whether the new spot has the right light, shade and soil drainage for that particular species. This is also when we tell you honestly if relocation isn't a good idea.
3. Timing and prep -- We agree a window that fits the tree's dormancy period where possible - late autumn before the first frost or early spring before it sprouts. You'll get instructions to hydrate the tree properly beforehand, since a well-watered tree copes far better with root loss during the move.
4. Air spade excavation -- We use compressed air to blow soil away from the roots rather than cutting through them with a spade or digger bucket. This takes longer than digging but keeps the root ball far more intact, which matters most for anything over a few years old.
5. Transport and replanting -- The tree moves to the prepared new site, goes in at the correct depth, gets backfilled, and is staked or supported if the size and root loss warrant it.
6. Aftercare -- We leave you with a watering schedule, fertiliser guidance and pest management advice suited to the tree's age - young trees need comparatively little, older ones need closer attention through their first one to two growing seasons while they recover from the move.

This business started with stump removal - the job other tree surgeons in the area would leave behind once a tree was felled, or hand off to a subcontractor. Founder George built the company on doing that overlooked part of the job properly, and it grew from there into full tree surgery because clients who trusted the stump work started asking for pruning and felling too. Relocation sits in that same category of work: it's slower, more specialised, and easier to skip in favour of just felling and replanting something new. We'd rather tell you when a tree genuinely can be saved by moving it, and be equally straight when it can't. Everything on a relocation job - the assessment, the air spade excavation, the replanting, the aftercare advice - is handled by the same team rather than passed between subcontractors, which matters when a tree's survival depends on nobody dropping the ball between the digging and the replanting. George is on site for that himself, from the first look at the tree to the final check once it's back in the ground, backed by NPTC certification for the chainsaw and rigging work that sits alongside relocation on the same site, and £5,000,000 public liability cover for the work carried out on your property.

We're based at 20 Prince St in Long Eaton and cover Nottingham as our main patch, along with the towns and suburbs around it. Soil and site conditions actually change what's realistic tree by tree, which is part of why we assess in person rather than quote blind. Ground toward Ravenshead and the Sherwood Forest fringe tends to be lighter and sandier, which generally makes for an easier root ball to lift than the heavier clay found through much of Nottingham and out toward Mapperley and Carlton - clay holds together well once dug but is harder going for the air spade and slower to work through. Low-lying ground near Attenborough and the gravel pits can sit wet for much of the year, which affects both when we can get equipment on site and how a newly transplanted tree drains once it's back in the ground. Established gardens in West Bridgford, The Park Estate and Wollaton often have larger, older specimen trees close to period housing and mature boundary walls, where access for equipment is usually the deciding factor in whether relocation or removal makes more sense. We also cover Beeston, Bramcote, Edwalton, Gamston, Ruddington, Bingham, Arnold, Woodthorpe, Hucknall, Southwell, and out toward Derby and Mansfield.

Once a tree's roots are cut, that decision can't be undone - so it's worth getting an honest assessment before anyone reaches for a spade. Get in touch with George directly with details of the tree, why it needs to move, and where you're hoping to put it, and you'll get a straight answer on whether relocation is realistic before any work is booked.

Stump Grinding and Stump Removal Services
Call 0115-647-2443