by Brent Jeansonne and REBAC Staff
Many people, including landscape professionals, discount the importance of the process and techniques of transplanting trees. These professionals are those such as: architects, landscape contractors and maintenance professionals. The transplanting process is critical to the successful establishment and future health of the tree.
Selecting a young tree is the best basis for having a healthy mature tree, but it is complicated. First, you have to consider the intended function and planting location of the tree as we discussed in Right tree / Right place.
In nature and within our personal landscapes, a few benefits that trees provide are: providing beauty and shade, reduce energy cost, modify wind and noise, protect our home from damaging winds, help clean the air, provide habitat and food for wildlife and increase property values if they stay healthy, strong and are long lived.
Terminology
If you want to purchase and plant trees, you need to understand the terminology of the tree market before jumping in. So, when it comes to planting trees, there are 4 options on who we go about buying and planting trees. These options are to use:
- Container Grown
- Containerized
- Ball & Burlap
- Bare Root
Containerized trees are becoming more popular in the nursery industry. They are easier to handle and store than B&B trees because they weigh less and are not as prone to damage of the root mass. It is assumed that they can be transplanted at any time of year because the root mass is extensive in the container and the roots will suffer very little damage in transplanting. Although generally true, you still must give serious consideration to root zone moisture during dry months because the plants are not dormant and leaves will be actively growing and losing water through transpiration.
Containerized production usually uses an artificial mix without soil that can dry out rapidly. Be sure the root mass has been thoroughly watered before transplanting and keep adequate moisture levels during establishment.
Ball & Burlap (B&B) – Are those trees that start their life as a seedling in the ground and are grown their entire life to the time of being transplanted for sale. In the transplanting process, the trees are carefully dug and the roots are wrapped with a bio-degradable burlap to ensure the roots are protected. Trees are planted are they are bought, with the burlap still intact. Most of the labor incurred is towards the end, when the tree is dug-up, instead of the begging as compared to container grown. Benefits are that the tree is faster in growth and caliper-up faster. Although there is more labor associated with B&B trees compared to container grown, the cost is more favorable in expense than the container or containerized trees. The success rate is less successful than container grown and containerized (greatly reflective and dependent of the tree specie and time of year planted) B&B trees can be transplanted in the fall, winter or spring because root growth occurs mainly in two seasons, fall and early spring. The trees should be dormant because they have suffered severe (up to 85%) root loss while being dug and wrapped in burlap. They will use energy stored in the trunk and roots to support new root growth. If planting after winter, don’t wait too long because trees need adequate time to develop enough roots to supply moisture to the spring growth of leaves and stems. When selecting these trees, be cautious if you notice that fresh roots are growing out of the burlap. This indicates that the trees have been in storage for a long time. Although new roots may exist within the ball, those roots outside the burlap will be destroyed when removing the burlap to transplant the trees.
Bare Root Trees – Will be available from late winter to early spring, and must be dormant during storage, transit and transplanting. The roots may be misted in storage to prevent drying, or the roots may be bagged in plastic or mesh bags with moist sawdust or wood chips to prevent drying. Be sure to shake or brush off as much sawdust as possible before transplanting and do not mix the sawdust or wood chips into the hole. The sawdust or wood chips can be added to any surface mulch you may use.
This method of tree planting is by far the least expensive method of planting trees. Trees are grown in the ground their entire life until they are sold. Benefits is that its the cheapest form of purchasing trees. The bad thing is that trees are only successfully bought and established when trees are relatively small. Success in tree establishment for large caliper trees is almost not possible! Also, there are some tree species that are easier to plant and have success than others. The success rate is the least successful and needs special care and attention (dependent of the tree specie, tree size and time of year planted)
After months of cold winter weather across much of the U.S., spring is a welcome time to enjoy the outdoors and reconnect with the trees that share our world. It’s also an excellent time to celebrate the many ways trees enhance our environment and add to their ranks.
Arbor Day is an optimistic time to observe, appreciate, and plant trees. The first U.S. Arbor Day was celebrated 150 years ago in Nebraska.
Currently, National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April. However, many states observe the holiday on other dates better aligned with the optimal time to plant trees in their areas.
Often, local Arbor Day celebrations include the distribution of bare-root tree seedlings. When handled and planted correctly, bare-root trees can enjoy a faster growth spurt than containerized trees, which need more time to adjust to transplanting.
There are factors that will determine the success of your planting. These factors are:
- Plant Specie Type: Trees such as Southern magnolia vs. crepe myrtle; the southern magnolia has a very low survival rate compared to the crepe myrtle.
- USDA Horticulture Zone: acclamation (i.e. plants/trees from zone 10 most likely will not survive the colder climate of zone 7 and likewise a plant from zone 7 may not survive in zone 10. Beware of mail order catalogs selling plants/trees from outside your USDA Horticulture Zone)
- Size of Plant/Tree to be Transplanted: In general, the smaller the plant the higher the survival rate and likewise, the larger the plant the less likely the survival will be.
- Time of Year: In general, the best time for planting is during the fall and early winter months. During this time the trees are dormant or resting and the weather is cool and moist, which reduces the chance for water and temperature stresses. Bare root plants/trees should be planted during the winter or dormmate months (i.e. In Florida, December through March). Planting outside these months and the per cent survival decreases significantly until November.
Regardless of whether you’re purchasing bare-root saplings or picking up free seedlings at an Arbor Day event, here’s how to give your baby tree a healthy start.
For Successful Bare Root Tree Planting, Follow These Steps
Step 1. Preparing the Bare Root Tree
When open the package of trees you ordered, you will see strips of damp paper around the bare-root plants and trees’ roots. Make sure the paper remains damp, but avoid drenching it.
Keep the bare-root plants/trees wrapped the and trees in the shipping plastic and store in a cool, dark place, like an unheated basement, cellar, garage or shed until its time to plant. It is ideal to store the tree at a temperature of 40ºF, but anything under 60ºF should work for a short period of time. This method will help keep your bare-root plants and trees dormant so you can safely delay planting for up to a week.
If planting must be delayed for more than 10 days, “heel in” your trees outdoors. To do this, start by digging a sloping trench long and wide enough to hold the roots. Lay the tree in this trench, with the roots against the steep side. Then, cover the roots with soil, and soak with water. As soon as possible, plant trees in their permanent location as you normally would.
It is very important that the plant/tree roots must never dry out. Immediately unwrap your tree and soak the roots in water for several hours. Before planting, gently untangle any sections wrapped together.
Step 2. Prepare the Hole
Planting depth is probably the most common error made when transplanting trees. Our experiences and observations indicate that trees are frequently planted too deeply into the ground.
The optimal planting tool depends on the size of your tree. Young seedlings only need a small v-shaped hole deep enough for the roots to extend downward fully. A shovel with a flat blade usually works well. If you’re planting many seedlings, you may want to buy a planting bar (also called a dibble bar) specially designed for planting trees.
Taller saplings require a larger, u-shaped hole that is slightly deeper than the extended roots and twice as wide as the roots. Typically, a standard curved shovel with a pointed tip gets the job done.
Step 3. Pack the Soil
Slowly and carefully refill the hole with the same soil. Do not amend the dirt with anything else, like peat moss, potting soil, or fertilizer. Instead, gently but firmly pack the soil around the roots so no “large” air pockets remain. Do NOT use your feet to compact the soil! Roots need air space for water movement, oxygen and gas movement. Foot compression may also damage roots.
Step 4. Water and Mulch
Mulch is good for trees for a variety of reasons. It looks good in the landscape and can help provide unity among different planting beds. It can suppress weed growth from underneath (lawn mower clippings blown onto it may have weed seeds that will germinate and grow well in it, however). It helps to conserve soil moisture and keep the roots cool in the summer. It can prevent soil erosion around roots on slopes. It can modify temperature extremes during winter freezes.
Mulch is beneficial because it:
- Prevents erosion
- Conserves soil moisture and keeps tree roots cool during summer
- Buffers low temperature extremes during winter freezes
- Suppresses germination of weed seeds
- Is aesthetically pleasing
- Helps provide unity among a group of planting beds.
After planting, create a ring (i.e. doughnut shaped continuous rings about 12-18 inches from the trunk of the tree and about 4-5 inches high. Then, give your tree a good soaking, so the soil is compressed around the roots and keeps them damp. Add a couple of inches of mulch to help retain moisture and prevent weed growth. Don’t bring the mulch in direct contact with the tree trunk. Dependent on the soil type, water:
CLAY SOILS: For clay soils:
- Initial watering: should be about 2-3 inches deep above the mulch.
- Water to keep the soil “damp” every day for 1 week
- Then water 1 inch deep every other day for 2-3 weeks, then water 3 inches once a week for a couple of months. At any time the leaves start to grow and begin the curl or look limp, then immediately add water.
SANDY SOILS: For sandy soils:
- Initial watering: should be about 2-3 inches deep above the mulch. Perform this watering twice a day for the first 3-4 days after planting.
- Then water to keep the soil “damp” one inch deep, every day for 2 weeks then water 1 inch deep every other day for 2-3 weeks,
- Then water 3 inches twice a week for a couple of months. At any time the leaves start to grow and begin the curl or look limp, then immediately add water.
Step 5. Take Protective Measures
Many backyard visitors, including rabbits and deer, love to eat tender, young seedlings, and saplings. A wire mesh tube positioned around each new plant will help protect them.
Step 6. Water Appropriately
Young trees need more frequent watering until they are well established. However, it’s also possible to water them too often, which causes their roots to remain shallow instead of seeking out deeper water sources.
For the best results, deeply water newly planted trees every seven to ten days, then let the ground dry out before the next watering.
