TIPS ON PLANTING TREES 

WHEN TO PLANT:

The best time for transplanting is as soon as the plants go dormant—usually early December for Bandera County.  The roots grow during the dormant period and when spring comes and growth starts, the plant has a head start.  The later in the winter that you plant, the less time that the roots have to grow.   In some years we have 100-degree temperatures in March and this is deadly for plants with small feeder root systems. 

CHOOSING THE PLANT:

Bare root plants need to be top pruned by about a third and should be planted as early after dormancy as possible.

Plants grown in a plastic container are often “root bound “, that is, the feeder roots grow to the sides of the bucket and start to circle around inside it.   This makes it more difficult for the plant to establish feeder roots in the surrounding soil and it needs to be corrected.  During dormancy simply untangle the feeders before planting and spread them out in the surrounding soil.  If the situation is severe, use a sharp knife to cut the feeders vertically in a half dozen places around the root ball before planting.

Trees that are balled and burlapped have lost many feeder roots in the digging process and may need some top pruning to keep the tops and root systems in balance.

Growbag trees are my personal choice because they have been grown in a fiber bag and most of the feeder roots have been contained.  Their disadvantage is that they can be dug only in the dormant season.  To plant them, cut the bag  vertically  in numerous places and remove the bag before planting.  You will see that the feeder roots are at the surface of the bag ready to grow and are not circling.  They establish very quickly.

DIGGING THE HOLE:

Dig the hole as wide as you like, but be careful about how deep it is.  The worst mistake is to dig a very deep hole, fill it with soft, uncompacted topsoil before planting.  With time and successive waterings the soil will compact and the tree will sink as it does.  If this results in the tree being below the level of the surrounding ground, water will accumulate around the tree saturating the soil around the root system, and the tree will die for lack of oxygen (“it drowns”).  It is best to dig a hole not quite as deep as the root ball and plant the tree a few inches above grade so that water drains away from it.  Always water thoroughly after planting to help compact the soil around the feeder roots, thus eliminating air pockets.  When digging a hole in a fine soil, be careful not to glaze the sides of the hole with the shovel (shiny marks on the sides of the hole).  These tightly compacted areas make it more difficult for feeder roots to penetrate the soil surface.

Adding anything, like organic matter or fertilizer to the soil in the hole can be counter productive.  Any organic matter that is not completely decayed will rob the plant of nitrogen and stunt its growth.  Fertilizer can burn the tiny feeder roots.  Mild root growth stimulators (if they make you feel better) are acceptable but natural fertilizers spread on the surface are better.

COMPETITION FROM OTHER PLANTS:

The importance of not allowing competition from grass, weeds, or flowers around your newly planted tree cannot be over emphasized.  Bear in mind that the entire root system of the plant is no larger than the container it came in.  With such a restricted root system it cannot compete effectively for nutrients and water.  Mulching around the tree to smother competing plants is an excellent practice when practical.  In the last several years we have started using four-foot diameter circles of ground cover cloth under the trees.  It shades out competition while allowing water penetration.

WATERING NEW TREES:

Deep watering is crucial---never water by hand with the hose because it coaxes the feeder roots to the surface where they are vulnerable to hot temperatures.  Let the hose drip slowly at the base of the plant for half a day, or overnight, and don’t water again until the plant shows need for water.  For areas you cannot reach with the hose, use a five-gallon bucket with a couple of small (1/16” or 1/32”) holes drilled in the bottom of it.  This allows five gallons of water to be dripped very slowly to the exact place desired with no runoff.

A WORD TO THE WISE ABOUT BAMBI:

There is hardly any place we can plant that our big brown-eyed friends cannot find during their search and destroy missions.  Strongly consider a four-foot diameter cage five feet high made from 14 gauge 2” X 4” welded wire.  It takes 12 feet of wire to make a cage this size.  It must also be staked down with three rebar or cedar stakes, or with two T-posts if livestock have access to the area.  It usually takes two years for the tree to grow tall enough to be able to remove the cage.  After it is removed it is wise to leave a small cage (or wire chimney) loosely around the trunk until the bark becomes rough.  This prevents the bucks from girdling the tree with their horn sharpening activity and may also discourage porcupines.  Lots of sausage for breakfast helps, also.

Office phone-830 589-2588    Email:  maplesandapples@lovecreeknursery.com

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