Planting

Plant Material Maintenance

Transplanting Systems

Bare Root Containers Ball and Burlap Tree Spade

Bare Root

Dormant plants usually planted in early spring.

Advantages Light weight. Low cost. Damaged roots can be pruned.

Disadvantages Time constraint/availability. May need to be “sweated out”.

Bare Root Plants

Dogwood

Daylily

Sweating Plants

• Plants that have been in refrigerated cold storage for long periods of time can become deeply dormant.

• Sweating involves placing plants in a warm (70-75° F), humid location to promote bud swell.

Container Advantages

Transplant at any time.Relatively light weight and transportable.100% of roots stay with plant.

DisadvantagesRoot-bound; Pot-bound; Potential girdling

roots.Soil dries out quickly in container.

Container Grown Plants

Pot-bound Container Grown Plant

Ball and Burlap

AdvantagesNative soil kept with root mass.Larger sizes available.

DisadvantagesVery heavy to move.Can only be dug during dormant season.Difficult to keep root ball moist if there is a

delay between digging and planting.

Ball & Burlap Plants

Machine Dug B&B Tree

Tree Spade

AdvantagesCan move very large trees.

DisadvantagesExpensive equipment.Should only be dug during spring and fall.Root loss.Glazing of planting hole sides.

Tree Spade

Tree Spade Holes

Correct time to transplant

Dependent upon the system used. Spring and Fall are best.

Cooler temperatures and adequate moisture.Some plants prefer to be moved in Spring.

Oaks and evergreensFall is an excellent time to move many

deciduous trees. Have long, slow spring to get established before hot summer.

Dicot Root Systems

The very first structure to emerge from a germinating seed is the radicle (young root).

White Oak

• The radicle becomes the primary root.

• Secondary roots branch off the primary root.• Secondary roots are

also called “lateral roots”.

• Tertiary roots branch off secondary roots.

Adventitious Roots

Develop from newly organized meristems forming in leaves, stems, trunks, and roots.

Adventitious roots can develop on the trunks of trees that were planted too deep.

Adventitious roots developing on the trunk of ash.

Stem Girdling Roots

Sometimes adventitious roots can develop into stem girdling roots.

Planting Depth

Correct planting depth is critical! Two main considerations:

the grower (nursery) the plant installer (landscaper; grounds

maintenance; homeowner)

The Grower

The top of the root ball is not a reliable indication of planting depth.

Tree/Shrub Planter

What are the chances all of these are being planted at the proper depth in the field?

Harvested B&B trees.

The tree on the left was planted too deep in the

nursery.

soil ball

Lateral roots should be no more than 3 inches below the surface of the root ball.

The Landscaper; Grounds Maintenance; Homeowner

Can’t assume the roots are at the correct depth in the soil ball.

Probe to soil ball to locate lateral roots. Remove excess soil prior to planting.

General Planting Steps Locate lateral roots in the soil ball; remove

excess soil.

Dig hole 2-3 times wider than root ball. Slope the sides of the planting hole. The hole depth should be equal to, or slightly

less than, the soil ball depth. Make sure the bottom of the planting hole is

firm.

Place B&B plants into the hole prior to removing burlap, wire, and string.

Remove a minimum of the top 1/3 of a wire basket. Fold down or remove burlap. Remove all string and twine.

Backfill part way. Check for proper alignment and depth.

Backfill with excavated soil. Lightly tamp soil.

Finish backfilling.

Create a water basin around the plant if needed.

Water Slow and gentle trickle of water to avoid runoff, moisten soil,

and eliminate air pockets. Tree-Gator- 20 gallon bag that slowly drips water directly onto

root zone.

Mulch 2”-3” of mulch. Avoid piling mulch up against trunk.

Staking 1 year max (unless in a very windy site). Allow some flexibility for tree movement.

FertilizingWait 1 year before fertilizing?

Establishment PruningPrune out damaged branches.Prune out poor branch structure without

removing large amounts of branches. Do not prune branches just to make up for lost root

system.

Above grade planting Install plant higher than normal.

Technique used in poorly drained soils. Also used for some plants that do not like to have

“wet feet” – Ex. Yews and Rhododendrons.

Special Considerations for Container Grown Plants

Water plants thoroughly prior to planting. Remove the container. Apply treatment to pot-bound roots.

Boxing the Root Ball

Butterflying the Root Ball

Scoring/Teasing the Root Ball

Transplant Shock

Plant continues to use water and nutrients, but uptake is hindered.

Can last several years. During move most fine root hairs have been

damaged. Many larger roots are lost/damaged.

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Demonstration ½” Bare Root 1” Container 2” Ball and Burlap 4” Tree Spade Same cultivar of Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

planted side by side; each received identical cultural care.

Bigger isn’t always better

Viewed 3 years after planting with identical care

the smallest had become the largest and healthiest.

END