Plant Trees As If They Were Full Grown
"Before you buy a tree, look at the shade pattern it'll have when it's grown. You're going to start with this cute little tree, and it's going to look good when you plant it near the house, but once it grows up, it's going to be a problem with the roof and gutters."
Call Before Digging" Number
Did you know there's a nationwide number you can call before you dig? Call 811 to have your underground utility lines marked—for free. We recommend calling before starting any project that requires digging, even small projects like planting shrubs. Hitting an underground utility line with your shovel can knock out power to your house or neighborhood, and it can cause serious bodily harm—even death—not to mention a rather large bill from the utility company.
When you call 811 from anywhere in the country, your call is routed to affected utility companies, which send out a professional locator to mark the underground lines, usually within a few days. For more information, visit call811.com. The other one-call referral system number we've featured, (888) 258-0808, can still be used to have your underground utilities marked.
Tree Trunk Protector
Protect the trunks of young trees and bushes from lawn trimmers and critters by using 6-in. flexible plastic drainage pipe. Cut a short piece of pipe, split it along its length, and wrap it around the young tree.
Dig a saucer-shaped hole three to five times the diameter of the root-ball (or the spread of the roots for a bare-root tree). This allows the roots to easily penetrate the softened backfill and properly anchor the tree. If you’re planting in clay or wet soil, use a garden fork or your spade to roughen the bottom and sides of the planting hole to avoid glazing. Glazing happens when the sides and bottom of a hole become so smooth and compacted that water can't pass easily through the soil. In extreme situations, it could block roots from penetrating the sides of the planting hole.
Plant the tree so its root collar—the trunk flare right above the root system—is about 1 in. above the soil level. Take the tree out of the container (slitting the container sides) or cut away the wire cage and burlap. Then measure the distance from the root collar to the bottom of the root-ball and dig the hole to that depth. Don't rely on the container size, the wires or the wrapping around the roots as an indication of the depth you want to plant your tree. If the tree is planted too shallow, the roots could be exposed above the ground, especially as the tree grows. But don't plant it too deep either (a common mistake!). New roots can girdle the trunk and they need oxygen to get established.
If you're planting a bare-root tree, leave a cone of soil at the bottom of the planting hole and set the root system on top. Place the handle of your shovel flat across the hole from one side to the other to make sure the crown is level with the surrounding soil.You should be able to partially see the root collar, or trunk flare, after the tree is planted,
Before placing the tree in the hole, break up the tightly wound root-ball and carefully fan out the roots. Don't pull too hard or the roots will break. It's OK if some of the soil in the root-ball crumbles and falls off. It'll help free the roots. Pulling apart the root-ball encourages the roots to expand into the surrounding soil. If the roots circle the root-ball, but none are thicker than a pencil, use your fingers to tease the root-ball apart.
If the tree is severely root-bound and has circling roots larger than a pencil in diameter, box-cut the root-ball using a pruning saw to shave off all four sides, creating a square root-ball. Once the roots are free, you'll have to be careful when you handle the tree, or what's left of the root-ball will fall apart and you could tear the smaller roots.
Never pick up the tree by its trunk. Instead, support the tree from under or from the side of the root-ball. Set the tree in the center of the hole. Again, keep the root collar about 1 in. above ground level. If it's too high, remove the tree and dig the hole a little deeper. If the trunk flare is too low, add soil under the roots. Cut away all rope, twine, wire, staples and burlap before backfilling (you can leave natural burlap underneath the root-ball if you can't cut it all away).
Backfill With the Dirt You Took Out of the Hole
For years, experts recommended adding compost, peat moss or fertilizer to the planting hole. However, most now agree that you shouldn't backfill with anything other than the original soil from the planting hole (despite what the plant tag says). Soil amendments in the planting hole can discourage the tree roots from spreading into the surrounding soil and can cause poor water drainage. Also, in some instances, fertilizers can kill young roots.
Use a spade to backfill around the tree with the dirt you excavated when you dug the hole. Be sure to keep the tree properly in place (right depth, straight up and down) and shovel in the soil evenly around the roots as you backfill. Once the hole is about half filled in, run water around the roots to eliminate air pockets in the soil and continue filling with soil. The tree will move easily until the hole is completely filled.
For years, experts recommended adding compost, peat moss or fertilizer to the planting hole. However, most now agree that you shouldn't backfill with anything other than the original soil from the planting hole (despite what the plant tag says). Soil amendments in the planting hole can discourage the tree roots from spreading into the surrounding soil and can cause poor water drainage. Also, in some instances, fertilizers can kill young roots.
Use a spade to backfill around the tree with the dirt you excavated when you dug the hole. Be sure to keep the tree properly in place (right depth, straight up and down) and shovel in the soil evenly around the roots as you backfill. Once the hole is about half filled in, run water around the roots to eliminate air pockets in the soil and continue filling with soil. The tree will move easily until the hole is completely filled.
Taken from https://www.familyhandyman.com/landscaping/how-to-plant-a-tree-that-will-thrive excellent article with pictures so if interested have a look.
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa
"Before you buy a tree, look at the shade pattern it'll have when it's grown. You're going to start with this cute little tree, and it's going to look good when you plant it near the house, but once it grows up, it's going to be a problem with the roof and gutters."
Call Before Digging" Number
Did you know there's a nationwide number you can call before you dig? Call 811 to have your underground utility lines marked—for free. We recommend calling before starting any project that requires digging, even small projects like planting shrubs. Hitting an underground utility line with your shovel can knock out power to your house or neighborhood, and it can cause serious bodily harm—even death—not to mention a rather large bill from the utility company.
When you call 811 from anywhere in the country, your call is routed to affected utility companies, which send out a professional locator to mark the underground lines, usually within a few days. For more information, visit call811.com. The other one-call referral system number we've featured, (888) 258-0808, can still be used to have your underground utilities marked.
Tree Trunk Protector
Protect the trunks of young trees and bushes from lawn trimmers and critters by using 6-in. flexible plastic drainage pipe. Cut a short piece of pipe, split it along its length, and wrap it around the young tree.
Dig a saucer-shaped hole three to five times the diameter of the root-ball (or the spread of the roots for a bare-root tree). This allows the roots to easily penetrate the softened backfill and properly anchor the tree. If you’re planting in clay or wet soil, use a garden fork or your spade to roughen the bottom and sides of the planting hole to avoid glazing. Glazing happens when the sides and bottom of a hole become so smooth and compacted that water can't pass easily through the soil. In extreme situations, it could block roots from penetrating the sides of the planting hole.
Plant the tree so its root collar—the trunk flare right above the root system—is about 1 in. above the soil level. Take the tree out of the container (slitting the container sides) or cut away the wire cage and burlap. Then measure the distance from the root collar to the bottom of the root-ball and dig the hole to that depth. Don't rely on the container size, the wires or the wrapping around the roots as an indication of the depth you want to plant your tree. If the tree is planted too shallow, the roots could be exposed above the ground, especially as the tree grows. But don't plant it too deep either (a common mistake!). New roots can girdle the trunk and they need oxygen to get established.
If you're planting a bare-root tree, leave a cone of soil at the bottom of the planting hole and set the root system on top. Place the handle of your shovel flat across the hole from one side to the other to make sure the crown is level with the surrounding soil.You should be able to partially see the root collar, or trunk flare, after the tree is planted,
Before placing the tree in the hole, break up the tightly wound root-ball and carefully fan out the roots. Don't pull too hard or the roots will break. It's OK if some of the soil in the root-ball crumbles and falls off. It'll help free the roots. Pulling apart the root-ball encourages the roots to expand into the surrounding soil. If the roots circle the root-ball, but none are thicker than a pencil, use your fingers to tease the root-ball apart.
If the tree is severely root-bound and has circling roots larger than a pencil in diameter, box-cut the root-ball using a pruning saw to shave off all four sides, creating a square root-ball. Once the roots are free, you'll have to be careful when you handle the tree, or what's left of the root-ball will fall apart and you could tear the smaller roots.
Never pick up the tree by its trunk. Instead, support the tree from under or from the side of the root-ball. Set the tree in the center of the hole. Again, keep the root collar about 1 in. above ground level. If it's too high, remove the tree and dig the hole a little deeper. If the trunk flare is too low, add soil under the roots. Cut away all rope, twine, wire, staples and burlap before backfilling (you can leave natural burlap underneath the root-ball if you can't cut it all away).
Backfill With the Dirt You Took Out of the Hole
For years, experts recommended adding compost, peat moss or fertilizer to the planting hole. However, most now agree that you shouldn't backfill with anything other than the original soil from the planting hole (despite what the plant tag says). Soil amendments in the planting hole can discourage the tree roots from spreading into the surrounding soil and can cause poor water drainage. Also, in some instances, fertilizers can kill young roots.
Use a spade to backfill around the tree with the dirt you excavated when you dug the hole. Be sure to keep the tree properly in place (right depth, straight up and down) and shovel in the soil evenly around the roots as you backfill. Once the hole is about half filled in, run water around the roots to eliminate air pockets in the soil and continue filling with soil. The tree will move easily until the hole is completely filled.
For years, experts recommended adding compost, peat moss or fertilizer to the planting hole. However, most now agree that you shouldn't backfill with anything other than the original soil from the planting hole (despite what the plant tag says). Soil amendments in the planting hole can discourage the tree roots from spreading into the surrounding soil and can cause poor water drainage. Also, in some instances, fertilizers can kill young roots.
Use a spade to backfill around the tree with the dirt you excavated when you dug the hole. Be sure to keep the tree properly in place (right depth, straight up and down) and shovel in the soil evenly around the roots as you backfill. Once the hole is about half filled in, run water around the roots to eliminate air pockets in the soil and continue filling with soil. The tree will move easily until the hole is completely filled.
Taken from https://www.familyhandyman.com/landscaping/how-to-plant-a-tree-that-will-thrive excellent article with pictures so if interested have a look.
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa
