Planting shade trees in these dry times
The usual recommendation for shade trees this time of the year is to plant one or more of the recommended species so they can take advantage of the cool weather and fall moisture before facing a South Texas summer.
I am going to be consistent with that basic recommendation, but I am going to emphasize tree-planting actions that help address the area’s lack of water in the soil after the hot, dry weather all spring, summer and fall.
The soil is so dry that planting a tree requires special attention to be successful even though this time of the year usually is most successful planting period for this area.
Here are five special recommendations:
1. Do not be overly ambitious when selecting a large tree for transplant. The soil in most San Antonio-area locations is rocky and difficult to dig into. The tree that is planted in a hole not as large as it should be usually will live, but often it will not grow as fast as a smaller specimen planted in a hole that is the right size. If you select a smaller specimen, it is easier to dig the correct size hole.
The recommended size for a planting hole is one as deep as the root ball was in the container and twice the diameter of the root ball.
2. To help ensure the new tree lives and prospers, fill the planting hole with water before the root ball is placed in it. Since most of the area’s soil is very dry, a hole filled with water prior to planting will ensure the soil around the root ball is moist enough to encourage root growth.
For the first winter, spring and summer, water the newly planted tree generously every week until there’s a return to a normal rainfall frequency.
3. Select the variety to plant from the recommended tree list: These are live oak, Texas red oak, cedar elm,
Mexican sycamore, bur oak, Mexican white oak, chinkapin oak and anaqua. They are long-living, drought-tolerant
and relatively pest-free, plus they are included on the CPS Energy rebate program.
To maximize energy savings
as a result of shade-tree planting and to consider appropriate spacing, follow the recommendations in the CPS Shade
Tree Rebate specifications. Similar useful planting information is available from the Plantanswers.com and the San Antonio Water System’s Gardenstylesandantonio.com sites.
4. If your neighborhood is dominated by oaks and/ or experiencing oak wilt infections, select one of the non-oak tree species from the recommended tree list: This will help reduce the threat of oak wilt.
5. Cover the soil over the root area of your newly planted shade tree with 3 inches of mulch: Doing this will contribute to water conservation and discourage string mower or other action that injures the bark and new tree’s vascular system. Leaves, bark chunks and compost all work as the mulch.