Why won’t cedar tree grow where old one fell down?

We had an ancient cedar tree, that came down in a storm and would like to plant a new one in its place (15 years later now). After three tentatives, all three young cedars died, we don’t know what we’re doing wrong?? I’ve been told it’s because the old one is still lying below the surface and won’t let it. Thanks for any advice.

If you are trying with transplants maybe cedar just can't be transplanted.

This is what google suggested when I asked:

The last tree likely stripped the site's soil of the many essential nutrients that young trees depend on. The sawdust left behind from the removal or stump grinding could also change the soil's nutrient balance. If any of the old tree's roots are still there, your young tree may not have enough room to grow.

My suggestion would be to try the transplants in a pot until the transplants get to be several months old then try to plant them.

Julie Baghaoui wrote:We had an ancient cedar tree, that came down in a storm and would like to plant a new one in its place (15 years later now). After three tentatives, all three young cedars died, we don’t know what we’re doing wrong?? I’ve been told it’s because the old one is still lying below the surface and won’t let it. Thanks for any advice.

Hi there!
So, if the roots are still in the ground and have not rotted after 15 years - yes, the old roots are still alive, and are still taking up nutrients that the young tree would need to survive. It might also be putting up small sprouts?
If that's the case and you want a cedar in that location, keep an eye out for sprouts and let one grow from the roots.  It'll grow much faster & heartier than any transplant.

Fun Fact: The fungus and microbes in the soil create a network with living tree roots. The living tree would give the mycorrhizae sugars and and other nutrients, and the mycorrhizae can give the roots those things back. So, it's actually quite possible for roots that lack a tree trunk or leaves to remain alive underground for an astoundingly long time - subsisting off the nutrients that their mycorrhizae network gives back to them. Tree roots are able to keep growing for at least 7 years after the tree has been cut down. (And that's just the duration that's been recorded!)

If the roots are in the ground and HAVE started rotting, it could be a matter of: The high-carbon roots are taking up all the nitrogen in order to decompose. Additionally, the big tree likely sapped a lot of micronutrients out of the soil - which were then stored in the body of the tree that fell over, not necessarily in the roots.  So, those micronutrients are now gone. One way to amend the soil would be to dig REAL DEEP, and crunch up the rotting roots & any rotting branches from the old tree with some plant-based compost, wood ash and manure in a very big hole where you want to put the new cedar tree.  I'm talking AT LEAST 3ft diameter by 2ft deep, or bigger hole if you can.  

Let the compost & ash & manure & ground-up wood and dirt sit for a couple seasons to grow some mycorrhizae, THEN put the new tree in that spot.

That way you'll have enriched the soil a ton, and your new sapling should have a very easy time getting established & healthy.
It's a long-term treatment, but IMO it's better to do 1 single high-effort planting rather than 3-4 low-effort plantings over several years which all die.

Remember to water young saplings frequently. Transplants are very vulnerable to drying up & dying.