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A local grower here specifies 48" as a minimum ball diameter for transplanting a 20' Nursery Grown evergreen. A Blue Spruce that spent the bulk of its time reaching 20' in the Residential Landscape would benefit from a larger diameter ball.
The difference between Dale's "no problem" and my "no way" attitude probably has to do with soil conditions and winter humidities. Here in the southern Wisconsin our soils are predominantly clay and can go into the winter bone dry, when bitter winds dessicate needle and broadleaf evergreens, resulting in winter burn, often lethal. Three years ago we had a dry fall, followed by a dry bitter winter, and many large established evergreens cooked, as well as a ton of newer plantings.
Dale,
I've never been to the great Pacific Northwest, but understand the winters to be wetter and milder, and the soils to be more humus rich (altho that varies greatly I bet). Is that correct? I also wonder if you provide follow-up care for the transplants? HOAs I have found to be not so great at watering, either neglecting or flooding specimen trees, and requiring lots of hand holding to insure success.
Without doubt, Colorado Blue Spruce would be a prime candidate for transplant in large sizes, but out here the risk wouldn't be worth the profit.
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