Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
Gardening:
It might be your last chance to plant a tree.
IF YOU MISSED the spring planting season, this is your last chance to get some trees in. March through May is good because a freshly planted tree can put its energy into growing roots instead of foliage, and will establish itself before winter. While spring offers a better selection of nursery stock, garden centres and nurseries often have late-season sales. You’ll be choosing from trees that may have been containergrown for most of summer, so look for one with healthy foliage. Be sure to get the planting done before late autumn, when many trees are largely dormant and won’t spread roots; depending on where you live, colder ground can also inhibit root growth. But whether you are planting a tree in spring or autumn, there’s still really only one way to do it right.
STEP 1: CALL AN UNDERGROUND CABLES DETECTION SERVICE /
Before you do any deep digging or soil sampling, contact a local services surveyor or -detection company to identify the location of underground lines so you can avoid hitting them while digging. Call well in advance before planting to allow marking crews sufficient time to visit the site.
If you’re in a development with a homeowners association (HOA), you may need to get permission before planting a tree. Also, they may manage the community’s irrigation system, which will probably not be marked by the public services contractors. Contact your HOA to find the location of irrigation lines, which may be quite shallow. If your shovel hits something hard, make sure it’s a rock, not a plastic irrigation pipe.
STEP 2: MATCH TREE SPECIES TO PLANTING SITE /
After the utility marking is complete, take a soil sample and send it to your nearest company who specialises in soil analysis. They will tell you the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH, and organic material levels so you’ll know what trees might be
Digging or shovelling? Pick the right tool for the job.
suited to the conditions, or if your soil needs amendments.
Next, check the soil quality in your planting area. Jim Barborinas, an International Society of Arboriculture certified arborist who runs Urban Forestry Services in Washington, US, says dig at least two-thirds of a metre down, or use a soil probe, to look for clay or backfill. Urban gardens are often filled with gravel that will need to be replaced. You can alleviate clay soil by backfilling around the root ball with a mix of one part compost to two parts existing soil.
The ideal tree species depends on soil, climate, sun and space. When considering size and growth, your tree should still fit comfortably in the space 25 years from now, says Jim. ‘When you’re browsing trees, look for a good single leader; well-spaced lateral limbs; fat, healthy buds; and no physical damage.’
STEP 3: PREP AND PLANT /
Measure the diameter of the root ball, then rotavate a circle five times the diameter across, to give your roots more space to grow. With a round-point shovel, dig a dish-shaped hole that’s twice the diameter of the root ball and deep enough that only the tree’s root flare will be above ground. Remove any plastic or wire from the root ball. If it’s covered with hessian, you can leave that in the hole after unwrapping it. Place the sapling in the planting hole. Check that the tree is plumb, gently backfill, compact the soil, and water the tree – the soil should feel moist but not muddy. Spread 5 to 8 cm of mulch over the planting hole, leaving the root flare – where roots meet the stem – exposed.
Avoid using tree stakes, as they can inhibit wide root growth that’s essential for stability. Most balled trees don’t need them; bare-root trees often do; and container trees sometimes do. If your tree requires staking, remove stakes after two to three months, or after the first growing season at the latest.
STEP 4: WATER YOUR NEW TREE /
One of the most common mistakes is overwatering. It’s not unusual to dig out a dead plant and find a puddle of water in the bottom of the planting hole. Jim prescribes watering based on size. Set your hose to a trickle over the root ball. Let the water run 10 minutes for each 2 cm of the trunk’s diameter; for conifers, let it run two minutes for every 30 cm of height.
Water weekly, then adjust for the soil. Clay traps water, requiring less. Loose, sandy soils drain fast. To tell if your tree is getting enough water, stick your finger in the planting hole and wiggle it around. It should be moist, not wet or dry.