A BIG JOB WELL DONE

PLANTING SITE AS VIEWED FROM BROWNSTONE TRAIL, WITH PLASTIC MATTING TO DISCOURAGE WEED GROWTH.  NOTE UTILITY MARKINGS

REMOVING STRING, WIRE AND BURLAP...

...DITTO...

FINDING THE ROOT FLARE AND REMOVING EXCESS ROOT GROWTH AT TOP OF POT

PLANTED TREES READY TO BE MULCHED

TREES AND BLUEBERRIES ARE PLANTED; OWNER WILL PLANT PERENNIALS THROUGH WEED BARRIER...
VIEW OF THE TRAIL PLANTINGS FROM THE HOUSE

DONE: HOME SHELTERED FROM TRAIL

Tuesday, 9:30 AM.  50 degrees F at the ferry dock, 46 oN the back porch.  Wind variable with light gusts.  The sky is  overcast and it is raining; an eighth of an inch has fallen.  The humidity is 90% and the barometer is still steady at 29.64".  Rainy weather will persist for the next few days and then skies should clear.
  We wrapped up what is probably the last planting job of the season yesterday, in the rain.  We planted 12 8'-10' conifers (white fir, white spruce and Black Hills spruce) and 6 large native blueberry bushes, which make nice landscape shrubs in a northern environment, plus a 15 gallon  potted 3" DBH hybrid maple, 'Autumn Blaze.'
   The primary objective was to create a privacy screen between the residence and The Brownstone Trail, a very popular hiking trail that passes close by the front of the property.  The conifers were B&B, in wire baskets.  The lower branches were tied to keep them safe from damage during delivery and planting.  The earth balls are 3' in diameter, about 24" in depth and weigh around 1500 lbs.
   First, and of utmost importance, was to call Diggers' Hotline to have all utilities marked.  Never put a shovel in the ground without doing so, as it is impossible to know where lines and services are, and they are often very shallow,  and memory of where things may be fades quickly.
   About 20 yards of topsoil was added to the planting site, graded, and each tree planted in a planting hole about 5' in diameter.  Care was taken to expose the root flare of each tree to be sure it was planted at the same level as in the nursery.  All string, burlap and wire were removed from each tree.  The trees were backfilled with topsoil and watered in with ten to fifteen gallons of water each.  Additional backfill was added where necessary and several inches of mulch spread over the entire planting area, taking care to keep mulch away from the trunks of the tree (to discourage rodents from nesting there).  Finally, the trees were staked to keep them plumb, and to steady the root ball to prevent the breakage of new feeder roots as they develop.
   Potted trees and shrubs. such as the maple and blueberries, must have the pots removed, of course, and the roots that have encircled the root ball cut or roughed up to prevent the growth of  girdling roots and promote the development of new feeder roots.  In addition, roots of plants grown in pots usually grow in excess towards the top of the pot, and must be carefully removed.
   All in all, this was a big job well done.