I have some areas overun with medium sized Post Oaks...I wanted to use a tree spade to move a few to fill in some spots..Is it true that a Post Oak is the one tree you cannot move?

Come to the conference and I'll give you several hundred!!

Most oak species are a trick to transplant because they have a very deep tap root. If you do attempt to move them, wait until winter when they have gone formant and try to get as deep as possible to limit the risk of damage to the tap root. If you whack it, the tree will most likely die.

I don't know how large medium sized is but if a wild tree is over 1" in diameter it's going to be pretty hard to successfully transplant. I've transplanted 4 & 5" shallow rooted trees like dogwoods successfully. The secret is never let the soil get dry for a year after transplanting.
If you have the time & patients you can spade around the tree trimming the roots & then let it go through 1 growing season before transplanting.

10-15' tall and about 5-8" across...I have a ton of them in a wooded area ..

Id try it.Make sure you get as big a rootball as possible.Also,you might talk to a local nursery for more advice.And dont forget to water,often.Im watering fruittrees and the only green grass in my hole yard is circles 6-10 foot around my trees.

I think you would be fine since you are using a tree spade. I was at University of Houston in the '90's when they transplanted some big 14" live oaks that were 40' tall and they lived fine. Came in the tree spade that dug them out. Remember that most of the root system goes out to the drip line so a crown thinning may be needed to reduce water loss, and a drip irrigation system will go a long ways to helping them through the shock. You may want to check with the people on the Forestry Forum or Arboristsite.com since a lot of them work with trees as a living.

Sgt911, I haven't had much luck with Post oaks.. If you change the grade around an established one by just 2", they can die. They're kind of like sheep..They are looking for a reason to die. That's why no one grows them in the nurseries. Shumard Red Oaks and Live Oaks are easier to transplant. But, if you have a bunch for free, I'd pick on the small ones(3" caliper) and good luck..du

I agree with david u the smaller ones will be easier to work with. If you have a piece of equipment like this-> http://www.bobcat.com/attachments/tree_spade it was make the job a lot easier!

I have transplanted pin oaks and red oaks with great success. I have heard many other oaks can be a challenge though. I injured the tap root every time I dug one, but I bathed the roots in a rooting hormone (no idea if that helped or not) and made sure to replant without bending the tap root (very important with all trees), and they recovered quite well. Don't let them go a day without moist roots for the first year though.

Post oaks aren't trees, they're weeds. I sprayed some with Remedy and diesel last Spring. On the second try, I really hosed them about 16 inches up from the ground. Only the small ones were killed.

So, it's "Take my Post Oaks ... Please!" ?

We can cut a deal on live oaks. Come and get them. I probably net out over 150 acres of them. Any market for acorns?

They're called "mast", DD. In states other than Texas, where deer don't live underneath feeders, they are considered important for venison production.

DD1 if you are serious about live oaks I have a close friend that will proably be interested he moves,grows, and plants trees for a living. His take on post oaks is don't bother they want live. Cut them and make fire wood if you want to remove them. In heavy areas many times a post oak tree is just another extension of the larger tree next to it. They grow from the roots of other trees.

I always thought I had wooded acreage then Daves come along and I just have a lot full of weeds.

RT, just try to kill the darn things. They are double tough. If I use a chain saw, they come back up from the stump in a really ugly mess. However, they certainly beat trying to raise cotton.