Plant a tree like an expert
We believe in the experts.
One of those experts is Jen Llewellyn, provincial nursery and landscape specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). In this role, Llewellyn advises the professionals who grow trees for a living on how to maximize their growing success.
In August, we had the opportunity to talk to Llewellyn on our podcast, Green File, where we learned so much that we had to have her back for a second conversation in October. It just so happens that this is a great time of year to plant a deciduous tree, so here is some of the advice we got from the expert:
Ensure there are no underground utilities that your new tree can interfere with. Should you bother if you are just planting a small tree? Yes. “It’s best to know where your utilities are coming in, especially in the front of the property,” says Llewellyn. “With the smaller properties we have now, there is a good chance you could hit a service line so its important to know where they are."
WATER
It is impossible to know when a tree you have purchased was last watered, so as soon as you get home give it a good, slow drink.
Find the top of the root flare. The root flare is where the trunk meets the roots and then “flares” out. Llewellyn explains this is important because trees breathe through their bark, and the tissue around the root flare is an important site for gas exchange. “When you’re walking around in the woods and you’re looking at trees you will notice that they are really wide at the base of the trunk, that’s a tree that planted itself and it’s at the right level." Make sure the root flare is openly visible above the soil line.
DIG A SHALLOW, BROAD HOLE
Trees do not just grow straight down; many roots grow horizontally in the soil where it is warm with nutrients, water and oxygen. The top 30 cm (12 in) of the soil will give your transplanted tree access to more readily available moisture teeming with microbial life.
AMEND THE SOIL
“A nice compliment of sand, silt, clay will support your feeder roots," says Llewellyn. Avoid triple mixes that have too much peat moss. She reminds us, “peat moss is not soil. It is a temporary media for container production. Soil is made up of sand, silt, clay and organic matter."
REMOVE THE TREE FROM THE CONTAINER
Loosen up the roots and encourage them to grow outwards. Remember, we’re trying to encourage horizontal root growth and “if you see any roots that are circling from growing in a container, unravel them or cut them off," Llewellyn tells us. Those circling roots may become a girdling root that can gradually strangle from the lower trunk. Backfill and pack the soil to make sure there is no
air pockets, and water slowly. Llewellyn has a point: “If we can slow down the watering over a longer period of time, it’s going to give you the best infiltration into the root system." Add mulch to a maximum of 2-4 in (5-10 cm) and do not allow the mulch to pile up around the of the tree like a pylon or volcano. Make sure there is 4-6 in (10-15 cm) of open space around the root flare so the bark can breathe.
STAKING
Don’t bother. Unless you are in a very windy site or the tree has a large canopy, trees get stronger if they are not staked.
“The more a tree moves, the stronger it gets. Just like us,” says Llewellyn.
PRUNING
Don’t bother with that, either. “You only prune branches if they’re broken in the first year," says the expert. “The canopy is a powerhouse for photosynthesis and carbohydrate production, which is producing hormones to promote root growth." In the second year you can consider some light pruning for structure or shape.
As trees drop their leaves, we pause to appreciate what they do for us throughout the season. Why not take the opportunity to plant another – planted like a pro.
You can find the Green File podcast with Ben and Mark Cullen on Apple, Spotify, or at www.markcullen.com.