A well-placed tree, thoughtfully chosen, carefully planted, and lovingly nurtured, is beautiful and a fundamental contribution to any landscape plan.
Trees are frequently planted to frame a home or to provide its background. By all means, consider these important roles when planting trees on your property, giving thought to eventual size and habit.
But supplement these key trees with smaller ones that contribute to seasonal interest in flower, fruit, autumn color or branch, and twig patterns.
The source of trees is important. When possible, purchase them from reliable local nurserymen, but since few retail dealers carry a wide selection, ordering by mail will often be necessary and simpler.
Transplanting Trees
Some property owners transplant trees from wasteland or areas about to be developed.
Select a tree with a fibrous root system, which may be natural or may lie developed by root pruning the year before transplanting, especially if humus is incorporated in the area of the severed roots.
Root pruning can be done by driving a spade into the soil in a circle around the tree. The circle’s diameter should be 10” inches for each inch of tree girth. Measure the tree one foot above the ground level.
Maples, elms, and pin oaks move easily, though root pruning will be helpful if trees are not nursery stock. Other oaks, dogwood, and sweetgum are more difficult.
Successful Transplanting Tips
Smaller wild trees, 5’ feet or less, are more successfully transplanted than larger ones. Trees from open ground adjust more readily to the full sun than those taken from wooded areas.
Trees in moist, humusy soils will have more fibrous root systems, but careful digging to keep roots intact pays dividends.
Never allow roots to freeze or dry during transplanting. It is better to move deciduous trees when they are dormant. Late fall is ideal because roots will become established before spring growth starts.
Protect The Leader
Proper top pruning to balance the cut-hack root system is important when planting a large tree.
Interfering, broken, and dead branches should be entirely removed, with the additional cutting of side branches back to lateral buds when necessary.
Do not cut the leader unless he has been injured. Of course, a tree moved with a large ball of earth or one grown in a tin can may need little or no pruning.
Soil Drainage
Adequate soil drainage must be provided. Improper growth and susceptibility to pests are often due to poor drainage, which can be corrected by installing tile drains covered with gravel.
Some species, such as sour gum, pin oak, and willow, will tolerate poor drainage but do better if the soil is not waterlogged.
Protect Trees During Transplanting
Trees moved with bare roots or inadequate balls of earth, especially in fall, with winter winds ahead, should be guyed or staked so the bark is uninjured. Place a heavy cedar pole in the planting bole six to eight inches before the trunk.
Then, twist a piece of pliable hose in the shape of figure eight around the tree and the pole, securing both ends of the hose to the pole with nails.
With larger trees, wrapping the trunk with burlap strips or double-kraft paper will protect from drying out and borer attacks.
Smaller trees are sold according to height, and larger ones are sold according to diameter. A tree listed 1 ½ to 1 ⅓” inches in diameter is measured one foot above the ground.
A large diameter does not always signify a tall tree. If grown close together, trees will be taller than the trunk diameter.
Importance of Proper Planting
Our grandfathers talked about planting a 50-cent tree in a dollar hole. The same principle is valid today.
If a large hole is dug and the soil is enriched with humus or compost and a non-burning fertilizer, a small tree often catches up with a larger, more expensive one. Adequate after-planting care in the form of watering and fertilizing is essential.
44659 by John C. Swartley