PURPOSE & SCOPE:
Planting trees is an easy and effective way to beautify our property, provide shade in summer and wind protection in winter. Tree is such a visible part of the landscape care must be taken to ensure proper growth conditions are maintained. A tree is far more difficult and expensive to replace, once mature in the landscape, than most shrubs.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Head of Administration is responsible for implementation
of this SOP
CHOOSING A TREE:
The first step in tree selection is to
determine the type of tree appropriate for your property and your needs. Climate
and soil play big roles. make sure that the tree species you are
considering can flourish in your local climate and soil conditions.
And don’t forget some of these other important factors:
Matching tree to site
is a key part of the tree selection process.
Trees can play an
important role in climate control.
Deciduous trees planted on the south, west and east perimeters of a lot will
provide shade during the summer while allowing scarce sunlight through in the
winter when leaves have fallen. Evergreens, on the other hand, planted on the
north and west sides of a property, can reduce winter heating costs by serving
as windbreaks.
TYPES
OF TREES
 Balled and Burlapped |
 Container- Grown |
 Bare Root |
Trees purchased from
wholesale and retail nurseries and garden supply stores generally come in one
of three forms:
Balled
and Burlapped
The roots of the tree and the ball of soil containing the roots are bound in burlap.
The roots of the tree and the ball of soil containing the roots are bound in burlap.
Container-Grown
The plant is sold in the container in which it was grown.
The plant is sold in the container in which it was grown.
Bare-Rooted
The plant is sold with the roots exposed. Not very common with trees.
The plant is sold with the roots exposed. Not very common with trees.
WHEN
TO PLANT TREES
Climate plays a
deciding role when determining the appropriate planting time. Newly
planted trees do best when exposed to moderate temperature and rainfall and
they need time to root and acclimatize before the onset of intense heat and
dryness of summer or the freezing temperatures of winter. Spring and early fall, therefore, are
generally the best planting seasons (depending on location) with spring
preferred over fall in the more northerly latitudes.
HOW
TO PLANT A TREE
While planting each of these different types
of trees differs in the details, all trees eventually end up in a hole. But not
any old hole will do.
The most
common mistake when planting a tree is a digging hole, which is both too deep
and too narrow. Too deep and the roots don’t have access to
sufficient oxygen to ensure proper growth. Too narrow and the root
structure can’t expand sufficiently to nourish and properly anchor the tree.As a general rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were originally grown. The width of the hole should be at least 3 times the diameter of the root ball or container or the spread of the roots in the case of bare root trees. This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root structure to establish itself.
When digging in poorly drained clay soil, it is important to avoid ‘glazing’. Glazing occurs when the sides and bottom of a hole become smoothed forming a barrier, through which water has difficulty passing. To break up the glaze, use a fork to work the bottom and drag the points along the sides of the completed hole. Also, raising the centre bottom of the hole slightly higher than the surrounding area. This allows water to disperse, reducing the possibility of water pooling in the planting zone.
PLANTING BALLED AND BURLAPPED TREES.
Balled and burlapped (B
& B) trees, although best planted as soon as possible, can be stored for
some time after purchase as long as the ball is kept moist and the tree stored
in a shady area. B & B trees
should always be lifted by the ball, never by the trunk. The
burlap surrounding the ball of earth and roots should either be cut away
completely (mandatory, in the case of synthetic or plastic burlap) or at least
pulled back from the top third of the ball (in the case of natural
burlap). Any string or twine should also be removed. Backfill soil
(combinations of peat moss, composted manure, topsoil, etc.) is then placed in
the hole surrounding the tree just to the height of the ball or slightly lower
to allow for some settling. Be careful not to compress the back fill soil
as this may prevent water from reaching the roots and the roots from expanding
beyond the ball.
Container trees (though subject to greater heat and drying conditions than B and B) can also be stored for a brief period of time after purchase as long as the soil in the container is kept moist and the tree stored in a shady spot. The procedure for planting container trees is similar to that for B & B trees. In the case of metal or plastic containers, remove the container completely. In the case of fibre containers, tear the sides away.
Once carefully removed from the container, check the roots. If they are
tightly
compressed or ‘potbound’, use your fingers or a blunt instrument (to minimize
root tearing) to carefully tease the fine roots away from the tight mass and
then spread the roots prior to planting. In the case of extremely woody
compacted roots, it may be necessary to use a spade to open up the bottom half
of the root system. The root system is then pulled apart or ‘butterflied’
prior to planting. Loosening the root structure in this way is extremely
important in the case of container plants. Failure to do so may result in
the roots ‘girdling’ and killing the tree. At the very least, the roots will
have difficulty expanding beyond the dimensions of the original
container. To further assist this, lightly break up even the soil outside
the planting zone. This allows roots that quickly move out of the
planting zone to be more resilient as they anchor into existing surrounding
soil conditions.Once the tree is seated in the hole, the original soil is then back-filled into the hole to the soil level of the container. Again, remember not to overly compress the back-filled soil especially by tramping it with your feet. Compress gently using your hands instead.
PLANTING
BARE-ROOTED TREES.
Planting bare-rooted trees is a little
different as there is no soil surrounding the roots. Most importantly,
the time between purchase and planting is a more critical issue. Plant as
soon as possible. When purchasing bare-rooted trees, inspect the roots to
ensure that they are moist and have numerous lengths of fine root hairs
(healthy). Care should be taken to ensure that the roots are kept moist
in the period between purchase and planting. Prune broken or damaged
roots but save as much of the root structure as you can.
To plant, first build a
cone of earth in the centre of the hole around which to splay the roots.
Make sure that when properly seated on this cone the tree is planted so that
the ‘trunk flare’ is clearly visible and the ‘crown’, where the roots and top
meet, is about two inches above the soil level. This is to allow for
natural settling.
WATER,
MULCH AND FERTILIZER
Watering
Newly
planted trees should be watered at the time of planting. In addition, during
the first growing season, they should be watered at least once a week in the
absence of rain, more often during the height of the summer. However, care
should be taken not to overwater as this may result in oxygen deprivation.
If
you are uncertain as to whether a tree needs watering, dig down 6-8 inches at
the edge of the planting hole. If the soil at that depth feels powdery or
crumbly, the tree needs water. Adequately moistened soil should form a ball
when squeezed.
Regular
deep soakings are better than frequent light wettings. Moisture should reach a
depth of 12 to 18 inches below the soil surface to encourage ideal root growth.
Mulching
To
conserve moisture and promote water and air penetration, the back filled soil
surrounding newly-planted trees can be covered with mulch consisting of
material such as bark, wood chips or pine needles (although the acidity
associated with pine needles is not suited for many plants). Mulch depth should
be between 3 to 4 inches. Do not, under any circumstances, cover the area
surrounding the tree with plastic sheeting since air and water movement are
prevented. Porous landscape fabric can be used since it freely allows water and
air penetration.
Fertilizer
Since
all soils have a history, it can be beneficial to get soil analyzed properly
for macronutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K),
micronutrients, pH, soil type, and drainage. Although many trees survive
without fertilizer at time of planting, the majority of plants suffer root loss
and stress associated with movement between ideal nursery grown conditions and
the final planting.
Staking and Guy-Wiring
Young trees should be
able to support their own weight, but when they are transplanted, they often
need time to reestablish themselves. Also, many nurseries plant their
trees very close together to maximize use of space and stake them to promote
height growth at the expense of trunk strength. When shopping for trees,
look for trees with branches all along the trunk - not just at the top.
Once
a tree is planted, it will concentrate its energy on standing upright. If
it is unable to do so, try thinning out the upper branches to reduce wind
resistance. If that is not enough and you find you have to stake a tree,
remember the following"
1.
Only stake the tree long enough for it to be able stand on its own.
2.
Stakes should not be too tight - there should be room for the tree to sway in
the wind.
3.
Stakes should not be too loose - the tree should not rub against the stakes.
4.
Stakes should be buried at least 1.5 feet underground to provide ample support.
WRAPPING
AND PRUNING
Wrapping
Wrapping
refers to the technique of winding a crepe-type paper around the barks of
trees. Generally speaking, you only need to consider doing this in the northern
United States and Canada to prevent the ‘sun-scalding’ of thin-barked
trees like soft maples and crabapples during the first one or two winters after
planting. Commercial tree-wrap is sold at nurseries and in garden-supply
stores. To wrap a tree, start at the bottom and wind the paper around the tree
to the level of the second branch. Fasten the paper at the top with a tack.
Don’t forget to remove the wrapping each spring to prevent moisture buildup,
disease and insect infestation.
Pruning
Use
restraint when pruning your newly-planted trees. Prune only to remove damaged
or broken branches. Do not prune the top of the tree as this may alter the
structure of the tree excessively (check species requirements) and may hamper
carbohydrate production. Do not paint the cuts with compounds (e.g.
Latex) that prevent air from accessing the wound, thereby slowing the healing
process.
Transplanting Trees
There is always danger
in moving plant material from one location to another. Root material is
sacrificed, and depending on the previous state of the plant, this can be a
severe stress. If necessary, it is possible to transplant trees from
one area of your property to another. The
key lies in ensuring that the tree to be transplanted has a good healthy root
ball and that the tree and ball together are not unmanageably heavy.
•
Start by tying the branches together loosely.
•
Then dig a two-foot deep trench around the tree at least one foot larger than
the size of the root ball (or as much intact viable root material as
practical). Once the trench is dug, undercut around the shrub. Carefully prune
the roots extending from the ball as you dig down.
•
When the ball is partially exposed, begin to wrap the ball in burlap starting
from the base of the tree down using twine to secure the wrapping. Keep digging
until the ball is undercut and sitting on a soil pedestal.
•
Then carefully tilt the tree and ball and finish wrapping and securing the
burlap underneath.
•
Then carefully tilt the tree and ball and finish wrapping and securing the
burlap underneath.
