HOW TO PLANT BALLED AND BURLAPPED EVERGREENS

DIG THE HOLE 50% WIDER THAN THE BALL

...REMOVE WIRE BASKET AND TWINE AROUND THE BALL..

...PLACE BALL IN HOLE AND REMOVE AS MUCH BURlAP AS POSSIBLE...

...PLACE AT RIGHT DEPTH AND BACKFILL...

...WATER WELL AND MULCH

Thursday,  8:00 AM.  Wind SSW, light.  The sky is cloudless with just enough haze in the east to create a soft, peach colored dawn.  The humidity is 77% and the barometer is trending strongly upward, now at 30.06".  It will be a gorgeous fall day, which I will have the privilege of spending washing windows.  Fall color is advancing, but we are not yet near peak color.  For the color to really be spectacular we will need some cold, close to freezing nights.  It looks to me like it will be a long fall color season.

   We just finished planting the conifers (a balsam fir, pictured, and two black spruce) on the job on Chequamegon Road that was delayed to mark utilities.  These trees were approximately 4' tall, the balled and burlapped root balls weighing about four hundred pounds each.  Most B and B trees today are delivered in a wire basket, which must be completely removed with a wire cutters to prevent obstruction of root growth and resultant girdling roots as the tree grows.

   The tree hole should be about half again as wide as the root ball to give the roots room to spread out and grow.  Once the tree is in the hole as much of the burlap should be removed as is possible.  The proper planting depth is determined by first measuring the depths of the hole and the ball, and then further adjusting the depth by finding the root flare, and being sure that it is at or just above the level of the surrounding native soil.  The root flare, also called the shoulder or  collar, is found by gently brushing away the soil at the top of the ball until the major support roots are found.  This is necessary because there tends to be buildup of soil around the trunk as trees are cultivated and mulched in the nursery.  If this is not done the tree will be planted too low.  Planting a little high is better than planting too low, but exactly right is best.

   The tree, without wire or burlap and sitting solidly in the hole at the right depth, should be backfilled with the excavated soil, usually without any amendments.  Be sure the tree is plumb, by sighting  it from two different directions.The soil should be well pulverized so that there are no air pockets, but it should not be compacted around the ball.  All twine used to wrap the branches should be removed, being sure there is none wrapped around the trunk. The tree should be watered in well and watered at weekly intervals for the first season at least, unless the soil is wet from a good rain.  It is usually best not to fertilize newly planted trees the first growing season. Wood chips or other suitable organic mulch should be placed around the tree to a depth not exceeding 4", but none should touch the trunk.

   Larger evergreens should be staked until they are well rooted, to keep them from tipping.  An evergreen of the size we planted usually does not need staking if the ball is solid and it sits firmly in the hole