Before I begin a little about myself relative to plants in general... ...I am not the best person in the world to talk about plants in terms of being an expert -- that I am not! You can say I do not have a green thumb! I have "accidently" killed a few plants in my day! I have to say for my grandmother's spider plants I was given approximately 25 years ago, it is still alive and kicking (You cannot kill them!); but unfortunately she is not!
However, I have done some general gardening over the years with perennials and annuals and have been successful at it. Whether at a cemetery plot grave planting red geraniums at my grandmother's headstone or decorating pansies in a large top planter barrel or crate outside my door patio -- that is about it when it comes to gardening. I do some pruning like large shrubs and trees around my backyard in the spring and late fall on trees that like to invade "my space". Yes, I do mow my lawn too! (Oh, I don't use any fertilizers on my grass! Also, I let the dread grass mulch mixed in with the grass!) In terms of knowledge, I have taken Botany 1 & 2 as a lab science course in college -- found it interesting and learned a lot and did very well in that course (A-)! ...and that was a long time ago, and I forgot a lot since then too! Again, I am not any expert! So, I hope you have some idea of my background when it comes to plants as I see you strongly hint as a newbie to provide a little reference of my knowledge and understanding of plants. Okay, now my question and concern to ask you...
In my backyard I planted in October 2014, an autumn blaze maple sapling. This is about 6-10 inches with a tiny root ball. A autumn blaze maple tree is a hybrid resulting from a cross between red maple and silver maple. This autumn blaze maple sapling did well in my backyard for 2015 and actually added a couple of tiny braches on it. It had about 9 tiny leaves on it last year.
I want to give this autumn blaze maple sapling to my sister and brother-in-law. I am told there are 2 windows to transplant this particular maple tree the autumn/fall and to a lesser extent in the spring as I have read online from other forums. The fall is the better time period than the spring. It has been my intention to get it to my sister and her husband's home last fall (2015), but unfortunately the situation never presented itself.
I live near on the New York side of the border between Pennsylvania and New York. My sister and her husband live in New York (north of me by about 45 minutes). This past winter has been very mild with hardly any snow and temperatures lowest in the high 20s and most often in the 30s degrees F. So our spring has come early. As of today (date of this OP), willow trees have not begun to bud as they are typically the earliest trees to bud.
So, I would like to transplant this autumn blaze maple sapling this spring. So I ask you: When should I -- now as soon as possible... ...or soon and if soon, then when would you best figure transplant this particular maple? I do not want increase the risk to kill this maple.
If you say otherwise, please express your thoughts too. Actually, anything you have to add, please share.
Please reply.
Thank you very much!