Plant Selection and Installation

1. Plant Selection and Installation

2. Learning Objectives • Describe the factors involved in selecting appropriate landscape plants. • Explain the general guidelines for purchasing healthy landscape plants. • Compare and contrast the planting procedures for balled-and-burlapped vs. container-grown plants. • Diagram how to stake a newly planted tree.

3. Choosing Trees and Shrubs • Trees • Size • Large (>45 ft.) • Medium (30-45 ft.) • Small (10-30 ft.) • Shade • Rooting characteristics • Invasive • Surface roots • Shrubs

4. Plant Selection Small-space trees • Amur maple • Japanese maple • Eastern redbud • Kousa dogwood • Kwanzan cherry • Japanese tree lilac

5. Tree Roots Trees with invasive roots: • Silver maple • Willow • Poplar • Alder • Sweet gum

6. Sources of Landscape Plants • Local garden centers • Sell plants grown by wholesale nurseries • Retail nurseries • Grow some of the plants they sell, and may offer landscape design and installation services • Mail-order catalogs • May offer plants not available locally

7. Select Healthy Stock • Tree health • Tree size • Tree type Root system, root ball, or container spread should be 10 to 12 inches for every inch of stem diameter.

8. Tree Type: Bare-Root • Inexpensive and light weight • Best when young • Should have a caliper of <2 inches • Plant when dormant before buds begin to swell • Soak roots in water for up to 24 hours before planting.

9. Tree Type: Balled-and-Burlapped • Both fine and coarse roots are included • Less transplant shock • Handle root ball gently to avoid disturbing root contact with soil • Watch for buried root collars: • Avoid buying trees with more than 4 inches of soil over the root collar.

10. Tree Type: Containerized • Round pots can cause circling roots • cut or straighten at time of planting. • Should be well rooted but not root-bound. • Avoid trees grown bare-root but recently potted for sale.

11. Root Bound

12. Pre-Planting Care • Keep trees and shrubs shaded, cool, and moist before planting. • Remove all labels/wires from the stem. • Point tops of plants away from afternoon sun if they must be stored in the open.

13. Tree Roots Grow Laterally

14. Planting Depth • Remove wire baskets, pots, etc. • Cut away the burlap from top and sides of root ball

15. What NOT To Do…

16. Staking New Trees • Bare-root trees need staking to anchor. • Staking should allow for trunk flexing in the wind. • Trees allowed to move with the wind develop reaction wood. • Remove after 1-2 seasons.

17. Irrigating New Trees • Deep, thorough watering is key. • Sprinkler systems for lawn offer only shallow watering. • Place a hose at the tree base for 15 minutes. • Mulch around the base to prevent evaporation.

18. Dealing with Poor Drainage • Plant shallow using backfill soil mounded to cover root system • Install subsurface tile drains to carry water away from roots

19. Review Questions • The most important aspect of landscape tree selection is tree ______________. • A common problem with balled-and-burlapped trees is buried root __________. • Bare-root trees should be planted in which season? • The planting hole should be _________ times ___________ than the root ball. • T or F –All newly planted trees should be staked.