| laborlitigator |
Wifey has demanded that I put in a couple of new trees on our lot. . . I have never done it before and would like your input on it.
What size should I buy? Do I just dig a hole and throw it in?
I want to plant one in a corner near a walkway and some others along the driveway in order to be a natural barrier against the cold north winds. |
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| msu79gt82 |
I'd recommend a container grown tree from a reputable nursury - it should do well. A reputable nursury should be able to provide tips appropriate to your area - but a general rule is plant in a hole 2X (width and depth) the rootball.
Also I would buy as big a tree as you can afford (size of trunk diameter, not foliage). Good luck. |
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| A2MDXer |
quote:
Originally posted by msu79gt82
I'd recommend a container grown tree from a reputable nursury - it should do well. A reputable nursury should be able to provide tips appropriate to your area - but a general rule is plant in a hole 2X (width and depth) the rootball.
Also I would buy as big a tree as you can afford (size of trunk diameter, not foliage). Good luck.
Good advice. Also, use some new top soil and peat moss when you fill in around it and, depending on the type of tree (e.g. fruit, ornamental, etc.) you may want a tree growth formula like Hollytone, etc. (but not ordinary tree fertilizer). I have planted a few like Japanese maple, Stellar pink dogwood, blue spruce, etc. and have had the best luck by simply following directions and not "doing it my way.":D Good luck.
By the way, if you wife ever visits this forum, be careful about starting any thread with "Wifey is demanding that I...":o |
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| Maik |
quote:
Originally posted by laborlitigator
Wifey has demanded that I put in a couple of new trees on our lot. . . I have never done it before and would like your input on it.
What size should I buy? Do I just dig a hole and throw it in?
I want to plant one in a corner near a walkway and some others along the driveway in order to be a natural barrier against the cold north winds.
In addition to above, I always make sure that there are no air pockets around the root ball after planting. Also, for the one you plan to plant in corner, near walkway. Be careful to not plant to close to walkway itself. There is a tendency to plant "small" trees to close to a walk, driveway, etc and when it grows, the tree will not fit in the space.
Good luck. |
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| ByeByeChrysler |
I found this, kinda says the same as above, with a few added tips.
When to plant
The ideal time for tree planting is autumn, when young trees are dormant. Deciduous trees have then lost their leaves and evergreens have hardened their new growth in preparation for winter. Fall planting provides trees and many shrubs, including Roses, with an invaluable head-start. It allows tree roots time to become established before freezing and it encourages new growth immediately when spring arrives.
Spring plantings are risky. Most plants are dormant only until very early spring. If your planting is delayed by frozen or wet ground you may lose a season's growth. Certain flowering trees, like Magnolias, can be so traumatized by late plantings that they will fail to bloom for a year or more. If you have no choice in the matter, spring plant only those can be put directly in the ground, which reduces the chance of transplant shock considerably by minimizing the disturbance to fine roots.
Digging
There's an old adage that a $5 plant needs a $50 hole. That's certainly true of trees. Holes should be twice as wide and half again as deep as the rootball. Put the soil from the hole into your wheelbarrow, or onto a canvas or heavy plastic sheet.
Next, fill the hole with water and let it drain. If water lingers after two hours you've got a drainage problem. You can either plant a tree that likes wet conditions or you can improve the drainage. Sometimes you can do this simply by digging a bigger hole and amending soil to improve water absorption.
Unless you're very lucky, the soil you have removed will require amending. Mix in moistened peat moss, composted manure, or composted vegetable matter (2 parts topsoil to 1 part peat and/or compost). Work together until the mixture is of a moist crumbly tilth and then begin back-filling around the rootball.
When planting in exposed locations, lean the tree about 5 degrees toward the northweast. As it grows it will eventually straighten out. Otherwise, it may appear to be blowing over backward in the wind.
Bare roots may need to be gently spread apart to encourage straight, even development. Roots that grow in a gnarled, twisted clump, without room to spread outward, can become so choked they strangle. Trim long roots to fit the hole. Clip any which are broken or discolored.
Burlap-wrapped rootballs should be back-filled the same way. But untie and roll back the burlap so that it is well covered by amended soil. This will allow for more rapid growth and prevent the burlap from stealing moisture from the tree.
Plastic or metal containers are non-biodegradable and should be carefully removed and then discarded. It the plant doesn't slip out easily, cut the container away. It is extremely important to minimize transplant shock, particularly for trees in leaf, by keeping roots and the soil that protects them undisturbed.
Fiber containers made of recycled newspapers decompose after their rims have been removed. They can be put directly in the ground. Cut slits down the sides to allow easier root extension. Position and back-fill in the same manner as with bare roots plantings.
Watering
For fall-planted trees, build a small wall of earth in a circle around your newly positioned tree, about the same radius as the roots. Fill the circle with water. In a few days, water again. If the surface soil dries out, repeat the process until the ground has hardened.
Saplings planted in spring need one soak with water alone, followed by an application of water combined with composted manure or 20-20-02 fertilizer. For the rest of the season, apply water regularly and ensure that the surface soil never dries out. Summer plantings need frequent watering to prevent severe leaf wilt. In the case of specimens planted in fibre pots, watering is a priority to speed the breakdown of the container. Mulch with a layer of straw compost, dry grass clippings or finely-ground bark to aid moisture-retention.
But you don't overwater. You can drown your young trees. Enable them to make efficient use of the moisture they receive by shading them from intense heat, misting leaves with water, and applying thick mulches composed of leaves, Pine Bark, Cocoa hulls or similar organic material.
Staking
New trees higher than 2 ft. (60 cm) should receive support for a minimum of one year to encourage straight, appropriate growth. Don't rely on a single stake pounded in next to the trunk to do the job. You should injure your tree rather than encouraging good growth. Instead, use three stakes and a guy rope. Place the stakes at a distance equal to half the height of your tree. Space them evenly around the tree and insert to a depth of 10 in. (25 cm) at a 45º angle. Be sure to tie a bright ribbon around the stakes about halfway down to avoid tripping over them. |
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| evoge |
The latest tree planting research advises that the hole not be too deep because any loose soil underneath will settle with the weight of the tree and cause problems with the root ball, moisture, trunk crown, etc. The top of the root ball should be slightly elevated above the surrounding soil and NOT be mulched right up the trunk (too many people over use mulch!). The hole can be wide (4-5 ft is actually not too big--wider is better for allowing spreading root growth in rich, non-compacted soil), fill the hole with a good mix of soil and peat moss, tamp lightly, and mulch or mound slightly just inside the perimeter to hold water. Stakes are recommended. Water immediately to remove air pockets and then deeply every other day or so--daily in the middle of a hot summer. Slow drip systems with a 5-gal pail can also work.
I started with an open yard around my house when I moved in 2 yrs ago and I've been planting trees since last year. I might not be in the house that long, but the trees will always be a benefit. There's LOTS of info available with a Google search, sorry I couldn't send a few links for you.
P.S. Avoid Bradford Pears. They're cheap and plentiful for a reason. There are many other improved varieties of robust, fast-growing trees available now without getting this brittle, poorly shaped, and short-lived tree ("The only place to prune a Bradford is where the trunk meets the soil.") |
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| Pierre |
Get yourself a few hearty Canadian maples, eh.
The bad: they sprout Maple Leafs......
The good: you can put a spiggot in 'em and make your own syrup. |
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| A2MDXer |
quote:
Originally posted by ByeByeChrysler
I found this, kinda says the same as above, with a few added tips.
Staking
...You should injure your tree rather than encouraging good growth....
ByeBye,
I couldn't resist highlighting this sentence. :D What kind of advice is this??;) |
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| ByeByeChrysler |
A2MDXer
I copied directly from a local nursery's website.:D
No wonder mine don't last :19: |
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| laborlitigator |
| Thanks for all your suggestions. . . I'm going out this weekend to the local nursery and am going to have fun digging those huge holes! |
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| ghost |
Hi LL - a couple things to consider - first - why are you planting it (besides that your wife wants it :) ) Are you looking for shade, or something that you expect to be taller than your house? Or do you want an ornamental, and if so, are you going for spring color (nice, but short lived), summer texture, fall color? Do you want fruit (my trees have to earn their keep!) Or maybe you don't want fruit, crabapples can make a real mess. Do you want to attract birds & critters?
Unless the tree has a big rootball, I'd avoid a 5' diameter hole, it would make the ground pretty unstable - the suggestion of 1-2x the root ball/pot size seems to be a good one. Also, the 5% lean into the prevailing wind seems a bit dicey, you might just end up with a leaning tree! Set up a couple guy wires on the windward side.
I wouldn't worry too much about spring planting, providing you do a good job of getting it established. It's those July plantings that are trouble (my dad's saying, "plant in July, sure to die")
Happy treeing - check out the Ginkgo's, one of the few deciduous gymnosperms. Avoid the females though... |
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| laborlitigator |
quote:
Originally posted by ghost
Hi LL - a couple things to consider - first - why are you planting it (besides that your wife wants it :) ) Are you looking for shade, or something that you expect to be taller than your house? Or do you want an ornamental, and if so, are you going for spring color (nice, but short lived), summer texture, fall color? Do you want fruit (my trees have to earn their keep!) Or maybe you don't want fruit, crabapples can make a real mess. Do you want to attract birds & critters?
Unless the tree has a big rootball, I'd avoid a 5' diameter hole, it would make the ground pretty unstable - the suggestion of 1-2x the root ball/pot size seems to be a good one. Also, the 5% lean into the prevailing wind seems a bit dicey, you might just end up with a leaning tree! Set up a couple guy wires on the windward side.
I wouldn't worry too much about spring planting, providing you do a good job of getting it established. It's those July plantings that are trouble (my dad's saying, "plant in July, sure to die")
Happy treeing - check out the Ginkgo's, one of the few deciduous gymnosperms. Avoid the females though...
Ghost,
Primarily ornamental but low maintenance. I don't want any fruit because I don't want any rabbits or wild animals in my yard. I've got enough problems with the darn wild turkeys and occassional turtles.
I've got a japanese maple in front already with some other tree. . . guess I'm just looking to balance out the yard since there isn't much on the other side. |
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| mdxxxx |
quote:
Originally posted by laborlitigator
... I've got enough problems with the darn wild turkeys and occassional turtles...
Turkeys and turtles!? in NY? :eek: |
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| laborlitigator |
quote:
Originally posted by mdxxxx
Turkeys and turtles!? in NY? :eek:
The turkeys are in groups and run around crazy! The turtles come from the pond in the backyard. |
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| mdxxxx |
quote:
Originally posted by laborlitigator
The turkeys are in groups and run around crazy! The turtles come from the pond in the backyard.
Oh my! The Racoons regulate the pond area at our house. Fish, and any other creature will be at their mercy...:eek: |
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