Horticulture News

DATE: March 03, 2008

HARDIN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
201 Peterson Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701-9370

BY: Amy Aldenderfer
County Extension Agent for Horticulture

Planting a Tree, Simply

Planting a tree certainly sounds simple, but is it?  It is indeed a simple yet thoughtful act with lots of rules that some of us follow and some of us don’t.  Let me share with you the rules of success.

Planting a tree plants hope.  Properly planted trees and shrubs offer a great deal of satisfaction to the person planting, and the person caring for them.  They give us joy as we watch them grow with each passing year.  Trees in the landscape will reduce your heating and cooling costs, increase your home’s value and make it easier to sell.  They are also valuable for adding privacy and attracting wildlife.  Unfortunately, you cannot start with mature specimens.  The care at planting and in the early years will determine what the tree or shrub will look like when mature, if it survives transplanting.

Woody plants are produced and sold in three different forms:   container grown, balled and burlapped (B&B) and bare root.  Each has its own unique characteristics and planting requirements.

Container grown trees and shrubs are generally smaller than B&B plants.  They are well established in the container and may be kept easily until planting time as long as they receive adequate water.  These plants are generally less expensive to ship.  Another advantage is the root system is delivered completely intact.  A disadvantage is that once planted in the landscape, the roots are often slow to break out of the artificial mix in which they were grown into the native soil.  The watering of all new plant material is most important.

The root system of a B&B plant is cut when it is dug from the nursery.  The root ball is generally wrapped in burlap and larger balls are often placed in a wire basket for support during transportation and sale.  These plants need to be kept in a sheltered place outdoors until they are planted.  While B&B plants can be held for short periods of time, the sooner they are planted the better.  The weight of the B&B plants makes them difficult to handle, and are often too heavy for one person to carefully plant.  Never drop the soil ball since it will crack and break roots.  Also, never pick up the plant by its trunk; the roots cannot support the weight.

Bare root plants are normally kept in cold storage until they are sold.  Prompt planting while the plant is still dormant is important.  This method of shipping is the most inexpensive and results in a greater savings for the customer.  The main disadvantage is that they suffer a great deal of root loss when they are dug and the soil is removed.  Because of this extreme root loss, these plants must be handled with extreme care.

In all three types of commonly sold plant material, we have discussed one common factor, the roots.  Without them planting a tree or shrub would be futile.  The major site of root regeneration is the severed root end.  Consequently, take care of the roots, especially the outer root ends and keep them from drying out.  Keep the soil moist until the tree or shrub is planted, but never leave the plant standing in a tub of water.

Bare root plants have a better chance of survival if you plant them in the spring before their active growth starts.  Never allow the roots to dry out or they will die.  Dampened sawdust, loose compost, or potting mix is packed around the root system before shipping and should be kept moist at all times.

Next week we will begin discussing site selection, the planting hole and planting a tree, simply.