Some Tree Planting Tips

By JIM ECK

Since Arbor Day is coming up and people will be planting trees, I thought it would be good to set forth some do's and don'ts on planting trees. It would also. in some respects. be good concerning the planting of shrubs also.

First, thanks to all who are planting trees! They are essential in providing us with oxygen to breathe and to also filter the crud we put in the air. Plant more trees — please.

It has been proven time and time again the number one problem for the failure of newly planted trees is planting them too deep. Research has shown that 80 percent of newly planted tree problems arise from too deep of planting.

Here are some suggestions that should help your newly planted trees to get off to a good start and eventually becoming an asset to our environment:

As a general rule, the width of the planting hole should be at a minimum 11/2 times wider than the root ball. Actually, the wider it is, the better, because this breaks up the compaction of the soil. When a soil is compacted there is very little available oxygen for plant growth. You do not have to remove the soil, but at least spade it up to loosen up the soil.

I like to remove any grass sod for a three-foot diameter around the tree. I also like to plant some type of annual flowers in that area so I will be watering the flowers and the tree as well. You need to measure the depth of the tree's planting ball so you know how deep to dig the hole.

Try not to dig the hole any deeper than required because when you dig too deep and you plant the tree at the proper depth the loose soil will compact enough that the tree will sink and be planted too deep. Should you do this, damp the soil down until you are at the right depth and plant the tree a little higher to still allow for some further settling.

The planting hole should be dug only deep enough that the bottom of the tree trunk where it enters the root ball (root flare) will be 2 to 4 inches above the existing soil line.

Do not add any peat moss, sand, fertilizer or anything else to the planting hole. Backfill it using only the soil that was removed. Do not stomp it down or in any way compact it. Let the watering in settle the soil in and around the root ball.

Remove the root ball from the container if that is how it comes and prune off any broken roots. If it comes in burlap wrap set the root ball in the planting hole and remove the twine from the trunk and peel down the burlap so it will be covered by the backfill soil. Cut off any wire bail below ground level. You do not have to completely remove the wire bail.

Never carry the tree by lifting on the trunk of the tree. Never put a strap or rope around the tree trunk to carry it. Carry it by lifting the container or by handling the root ball. Never drop a tree's root ball, smashing or flattening it out. You can kill it very easily at this time before you even get it planted.

After watering in the tree, put 2 to 4 inches of mulch around the tree, but keep it a few inches away from the tree trunk. This keeps the soil cool and helps conserve moisture, requiring less watering. Do not keep the soil water logged, but moist.

Stake or brace the tree from high winds, but only enough to allow some natural sway. Use slightly slack or expandable ties for attaching to the trunk. Leave it staked for at least one growing season and then remove them.

Happy Gardening