Hello everyone. I would like to share an interesting story of homesteading for summer 2025.
There are breadfruit trees on our property which grow runners(red circles below).
In some cases, these runners grow too close to fruit producing trees. Which results in them competing for resources.
In this case, I had a runner which had been left unattended for many years that was too close to a fruit producing tree which needed to be cut down or moved.
May 21st, 2025
This breadfruit runner had grown to around 17 feet tall. Too big and heavy to move easily. Chopping 8 feet off the top of the tree would make it easier to move while giving it better survivability and recovery, as there would be less tree for the root system to support.
I started by taking a pickaxe and digging a trench around 3.5 feet in diameter around the base of the tree.
Pushing the trunk in one direction then another gave a good indication for where roots were holding the tree firmly in place. Cutting the larger roots were all that was needed to get it out of the ground. As the smaller roots would break on their own by rocking the tree back and forth.
Surprisingly it only took around 45 minutes to dig the tree out of the ground with what I hoped were sufficient roots for it to recovery quickly and grow well.
Lifting the root end into a wheelbarrow made the near 9 foot length of tree and its root system easier to transport than expected.
5 minutes later we had reached the destination where a small site had been prepared to transplant the tree.
Here is what it looked like back in the ground.
Thankfully the root system was heavy and flat enough for there to be zero chance of the tree being blown over by wind.
July 29th, 2025
Two months later, the roots had established themselves enough for the tree to divert energy back into branch and leaf growth. This was indicated by small nubs appearing along the trunk.
October 4th, 2025
Nearly 3 months later, those small nubs have grown into leaves and the beginnings of branches.
This is the first breadfruit tree transplant I have ever attempted.
The closest comparison to it I can think of is an air layered fruit tree.
General rule of thumb for air layering is 1 to 2 years for fruit production.
If this tree begins producing fruit within 1 to 2 years, that would be great.
Transplanting a plant that is already grown can be a 50-50 proposition. It might die or continue to live. Good thing yours survived. Update us if it has already borne fruit. 🥰
Yes. Everyone said it would die. I think removing branches and leaves helps with survival. Fewer leaves cause the tree to evaporate less water. Making it easier for the tree to survive on reduced water intake from a smaller root system.
Great post! I delegated you some RC, so you can continue to share for a while.
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