I am a landscape contractor of 80 years of age. I have about a 2% loss in planting. (that is not too bad) While I am backfilling the hole with soil, I put a hose to it and add a lot of water. Water is heavy and helps to compact the soil and removes air that may be trapped in the backfill. I may be wrong, but it works for me.
Question from a newbie: I planted 4 trees a decade ago. They are doing fine. But according to the guidelines mentioned here, I made a couple key mistakes. 1) I did not look for where the tree trunk began to widen out to form the rootball before planting. I later saw it was down several inches. 2) I dug down well below the root ball, amended the soil and packed it as best I could. But as you might expect, it settled several inches further down. I assumed things would 'self adjust' as the tree grew. My question is: Why is it important to have the rootball start AT surface height, versus being below it?
@@gregparrott The stem or trunk of the tree should not be covered with soil as this can tend to griddle the tree Trees do not grow roots from their trunk.
You are not wrong. I have always filled the bottom of the hole with water and also soaked the soil while backfilling. Very little loss and hardly any shock recovery. I have never understood all the tv show that have landscaping and don't do that.
I love this. After 10 years as Texas Master Certified Nursery professional, I have a couple other slight refinements that I think might help. First on the planting depth. Always err to the side of too shallow than too deep. 2 or 3 inches too high or 25 percent of the root ball height too high will be less harmful than 1 inch too deep, which for some sensitive tree species, might even be eventually fatal. There will usually be extra soil left over to make a raised up mound for the tree to live on, trees love growing on mounds, just like they like growing on slopes, super good drainage. This mound should make sort of the crater with a rim for holding the water, so it should look a lot like a moon crater. Use lots of mulch also applied like a crater, with zero depth at the tree trunk and up to 3 or 4 inches deep out by the crater rim, which is at least twice the root ball radius. On the binding circling roots, certainly they can all be cut off, and it won't harm or stress the tree too much. For professionals planting a large number of trees this is probably the most practical way. But for anyone who wants to improve a tad on that, I like to tease and loosen all those circling roots, unwinding them as much as possible and only cut the ones that are not cooperating. This can leave a nice shaggy mass of free roots, and only the inner roots not disturbed. The point to planting trees and the no amendments is to get the roots out into the natural native soil ASAP. These shaggy free roots can be layered in with the back fill soil in lifts as shown here. Another trick for getting native soil into the existing root ball is to stick some of the chunks of native soil right into the groves and holes in the existing root ball(that you can actually make for that purpose); kind of jam them. Then the planting hole could have some wings or groves going out as long as needed for the longest freed roots you've unwound. Get them going straight out and into the native soil. Do all this root preparation quickly or mist them with a little water so they don't dry out too much. Misty rainy weather is a nice time to do planting for this. Finally for staking, the best staking is no stake at all. Rather is to use some short grade stakes, 4 total, and make a square a fair ways outside of the to ball zone, pound them in until they are only a few inches high. Use regular non treated wood for the stakes so they will eventually rot away, if you can't completely pull them out a few years later. Those vertical stakes are then connected with some cross pieces, like 1x2s or 2x2 pressed tightly down on the soil over the root ball and nailed to the stakes. Make a wooden cage over the root ball, but not close to touching the tree's trunk. This holds the root ball down firm, but the trunk is totally free to move and strengthen in the weather. In a few years, those stakes and wood can be removed. The stake holes might be a place to put some slow release fertilizers, which after a few years, the tree will be ready for. Keep well watered in this crater fairly often in hot weather. I like hand watering, right on the tree, rather than relying only on a sprinkler system, which has to overwater the whole area, to fully moisten the new trees root zone. Sprinklers should be for all the established landscape, with deep infrequent watering, like weekly or less, even hot weather. New trees and plants need little drinks right on them more often when it's hot. After the first hot summer is over, start challenging the tree and plants with longer periods between watering, and cut off all watering once it has lost it leaves for winter. Evergreen trees will need a little more in winter, like once a month or every two weeks if it hasn't rained or has been unusually warm. Trees require about 1-2 years of careful care for about every inch of diameter they start out with. A three inch balled and burlaped tree will need about 3-5 years to get established, with some, but diminishing water help in the hot months.
I really like your experience , thanks for the share, and I get deer bones around here and throw in a few around the tree planting site for long term future use of the tree.
Out of curiosity: why would planting a tree a little too deep be so bad for the tree? Shouldn't a tree be able to cope with a little accumulated dirt or earth around it's stem?
i love everything he said....it makes sense!!! i planted 5 trees last year and did everything wrong according this video and my trees are flourishing!!!!.....
I know I just planted 14 arborvitae and the soil was so hard I had to use a pickax and so I looked it up online and it said to use compost and manure in the hole but no fertilizer and I did that for every tree or shrub, not sure which they are. It took me a week to dig and plant all the holes as I am 77 and it has been in the high 80's and they are in direct sun. So far after a couple weeks only the first tree has some brown on it the other 13 are beautiful. I have been watering them with a hose every day as only one day with rain. I am in WA state near Portland and it has been one hot summer. I am keeping my fingers crossed they all survive.
Good points. Here in Wyoming the last step would be installing wire fencing around the young tree to prevent deer from eating all the branches and leaves and male deer from scraping off the bark while rubbing the velvet off their horns. :) I have to add that the only time I paid a nursery to plant a tree (in Virginia) they sent out three guys who dug a hole, threw in the balled in burlap tree without removing or loosening the burlap, added a half dozen tree food plugs, and filled the hole. I have never paid for planting since. Thanks for the tips.
@@borodel619 Depends a lot on your climate and season. If you made some serious errors (not disrupting the circling of roots, or planting too deep), you could replant next autumn, just like trees at a nursery are replanted regularly. I wouldn't uproot it again after just two months, and disrupt the root regrowth the tree has already spent its precious stored energy upon. After an entire growing cycle (or two) it should have built up enough reserves in autumn to deal with that again, and it's not too late to fix errors.
I don’t think it’s because of the site. The Gardner wants his tree to be successful and was asking if he should replant 22:55 using this method to ensure healthy growth.
GREAT GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDEO! THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST PROVES THAT EVEN AT 70 YEARS OLD WE CAN LEARN NEW THINGS. YEP, I'M 70 AND JUST LEARNED THE RIGHT WAY TO PLANT A TREE. GOD BLESS YOU.
@@semiprolific774 If you have a pot bound tree, don;’t tear all the roots up like he did. Normally a tree’s roots will spread out any way but if there is any question, just take a knife and cut through them on one pass down the pot at 180 degrees.
@@marktapley7571 I learned that some container trees have such a mismanaged, matted, circling root area, that you have to be brutal (or returning the container to the shop). I saw a video of a woman who had to resort to decisive action. First it was a lot of work to get the container tree out of the pot (she cut off pieces of the plastic pot, piece by piece. No chance of getting the tree out in any other way.). And roots were totally dense, it had been too long in the pot. She did not want to return it (long drive, and usually she got better quality from that garden center. She gave the tip that one can ask them to pull the tree out of the pot so one can see right away what is going on. She did not do that because she was in a hurry). She was quite brutal when removing the circlng roots and when loosening up the root mats. One viewer commented that he/ she did not dare to manipulate / prune the roots in a similar situation - and had to remove the tree one year later for other reasons to replant it at another spot. So he/she saw what had become of the dense root system. Not much - the roots had mostly stayed in that circle, and not much growth either under or above soil, there was no spreading out over the former boundaries of the pot. Maybe there are better ways to cut into the roots - on the other hand he likely has to do it often, and the young trees establish themselves well. I think the more relevant mistake would be to not do anything at all. I am glad I saw these two videos - I would never have dared to remove roots in the way the more experienced people do. ... and tomorrow we will control the elderberry that we replanted yesterday, it might be just too low in the ground. Which is sloping anyway so we can remove some topsoil to not get a bowl in the end around the trunk.
His methods are absolutely correct. I've planted over a hundred container trees on my property over the last 3 years. The first year I did it almost all wrong and those trees have hardly grown at all. The last 2 years, I learned to do things his way and those trees are growing like crazy already. And, the beautiful thing is it's a LOT LESS work digging an 8" deep hole, then an 18-24" deep hole like I was doing at the start, lol.
Yes, you only need to plant deep when you are adding a deceased pet into your backyard pet cemetery and then only deep enough to keep strays, ferals and wild ones from digging fido or kitkat or george the guinea pig back up again (I have an old section of cast-iron porch railing that I've kept for many years laying it on top of the hole for a few months to make sure there is no re-excavations and that aid saves some of the deeper digging).
It always depends on the tree and plant. I had a bare root birch and I got it to 25 ish ft from 5 ft in 4 years and even then it was so deep it was around 3ft from how deep it was buried.
From my experience water is the most important factor for young trees. We have trees 4+ years old that have grown almost not at all in a dry spot and there's apple tree that has flowers 6 m after planting in a wet spot. There was were wet season and actually all are blooming.
Ok, I’m following but have a question. I live in an area with very rocky calcarious soil. I was thinking I would dig deep and wide to supply some quality soil. I’d basically be digging a new pot in the poor soil. The tree would not grow in the native soil……
@@brentfrank7012 I say, yes, you are correct. I plant mine in holes that around 4 feet deep, since the 1970's. but these years, then in past years around 4 feet around, and these years, 4 feet square at the surface and straight down as far as I have the motivation to keep the square sides fully 4 feet wide. and digging , gouging the corners too, in order that there will be no chance of the roots balling up in a circle like they do in round deep holes in the clay. thus, I get a whole mini soil environment, roots go deeper than the native trees that constantly fall over wtih shallow roots that don't go down into the red clay in north carolina, central piedmont region. and ... care for your fungus / bacteria ration. we need high fungus , it serves to deliver nutrients to the tree. fertilizers and aeration kills fungus, so do take care to ... put lots of woody mulch on the surface. ( the scavanging of nitrogen is not harmful to the health of the tree by doing this, and it supports the fungus to bacteteria ratio}
I am an arborist and nursery man and have planted over a thousand trees. I approve of this video! My only comment is to plant even higher than you recommend, I like to leave the crown about 1-2 inches above native grade, up to a foot above grade for bigger trees or in heavy clay. This is because the container medium will decompose and the tree will settle an inch or so. I also add a handful of high quality worm compost as a soil probiotic to kick things off. I make a good sized basin to water in, and fill the basin with wood chip mulch, leaving about a foot around the trunk clear of mulch.
Wood chip mulch is the best! My only concern in this video is what mulch he used? It is so black. I hope he didn't use that chemical laden black mulch, and this is just composted mulch to make it so black.
Excellent. It's kind of staggering to consider how many trees are planted with flares buried and or girdling roots. Cities plant and maintain trees very badly all the time. Bless you for this video.🙂🙂💯
1. Remove Gras and other plants in a much wider radius to remove competition for the tree. 2. Leave as much of the top soil as possible. (Let it decompose for down the line good soil) 3. Find the root flare (do not bury the graft union if the tree is grafted) 4. Cut or reposition circling roots that would girdle the trunk. 5. Make the hole wider than the root ball from the tree (not deeper) 6. Do not dig deeper and replace the bottom with good/ammended soil. 7. Root prune/tear to stop the circling 8. Compact the soil when backfilling 9. Prune roots sticking out of the ground 10. Mulch around the tree in a flat manner to avoid water running off 11. Stake (anker deep and firm, not shown) and attach but not with wire. Fairly low, aim is to stabilize the root ball. Things that I would add; If present, remove clay/field soil from the root ball (a lot of nurseries grow the root stock in the field and dig them out, put some good soil around and pop it into a container leaving the field soil close around the root ball with barely any feeder roots)
Sounds great to me! Although, in my experience, on number 4. I'd just do away with 'repositioning' any potentially girdling roots in favour of just pruning them. Especially container-grown, once a root starts turning, it's hard to get it to stop. Great additional point regarding the field soil! I've encountered some very compacted field soil clumps in container-grown rootballs. Breaking those up, or removing if you can, would be very beneficial! Cheers!
#6 is debatable. Some neighborhoods have poor soil from the construction process around the house and would definitely benefit from a proper soil for the tree. Lots of hard clay in the South.
Superb guide. Especially the flare locating and root pruning. Too many are unaware of those vital aspects, and nurseries cannot be counted on to educate consumers, for various reasons.
The project would have lost me if I found that first root. I did not know a tree could develop roots above its designated area. Is it not a sign that the tree is adapting to a new color(thats how I see that widening of the main stem) area. Which means beneath that area the stem would have started to widen? It already adapted to grow on anothers root system.
Planting a tree into a very dry soil needs an ample flow of water from a garden hose to wash the the filler soil into the cavities between the rootball and the settled ground. In that case no tamping down is required All cirkling roots should be pruned away since they have a tendency to keep on cirkling even after the planting into unrestrained soil. From the Sahel forester
I used this knowledge to expose my parents lemon tree root flare, and girdling roots. The tree went from 1 in trunk to 4 in trunk in 1 year. Before this it looked stunted and dormant for 5 yrs
In the summer months in Idaho, when not digging a hole in a lawn, the technique is to dig to a depth of a few inches, add water, wait over night, then finish digging in the softened soil. With bare root trees, the depth of the hole is determined by the depth of the caliche.
I'm doing that now. By July the soil can be really hard and dry. Digging a shallow hole, filling it with water, and then waiting overnight makes for a much easier job.
One of the best tree-planting videos I've seen ... possibly the best ... though where I live (southern Illinois), deer will be a significant hazard ... I have to cage the tree ... and from experience, I've learned to do that using 2 t-post and wire cage material around that (and I use whatever is on hand for the cage material) ... and since there are 2 posts, I tie the tree to those 2 posts using something stretchy and gentle to the tree (usually my wife's used hoses (sp?) that have been cut leaving just the leg ... other benefits of using 2 posts, is that they can be installed at an angle away from the tree to allow space for a "wind-blown" tree, AND, mowing around 2 posts inline with a trunk is easier than mowing around more than that.
I use cattle panels that are rolled. They're about 42" × 16'. Once set you can tie anything to them. You can also stack them. I cover the ground with visqueen, with gravel over that. Once the tree is up the wires tying the cattle panel round can be cut, and the panel removed.
I thought I was knowledgeable but not now. I'm only now hearing about root flare. Yours is the 2nd video to show that to me. I always thought the soil height in the container was where to line it up with the soil. Never thinking the plant or tree might be too low in the pot to begin with. Thanks so much for the instruction.
I don't get why it is a problem if the tree is a few inches lower. Surely, one would think that this only adds stability to it, to fend against gale force winds. Besides the fact that a couple or a few inches matters little to a mature tree. I just don't get this aspect of his commentary and he never explained it.
Wow. This video goes against EVERYTHING I believed with planting stuff. Not planting it lower into the ground, not amending the soil, breaking the roots, that’s insane! But I’m totally going to follow this to the T to most of my trees. Probably a couple I’ll do it the way I learned, just to do a comparison to see how much of a difference it makes. Sure enjoyed this video and the comments!! Thanks to all!!!
I'm just a backyard gardner and there are so many things I've never done, or even thought about. I'm getting ready to plant another tree and was just looking at lots of planting videos. This is the most informative tree planting video I've ever watched. Would be lovely to see this tree now.
Also-- I don't know why I stopped on this video?? I have planted hundreds of trees over 50 yrs. But it was one of the best, informative teaching videos for homeowners I have ever seen.
Note that this tree is a container tree. If the tree had been bare root it would need to be cut back ap. 1/3 to1/2 or else there would be too much top growth for the roots. When planting a tree it is much better to water it in as it is planted. The roots need moisture immediately. Also this will prevent any air pockets may kill the roots. I always sign the hole deeper than necessary, then throw extra dirt back in the hole before planting the tree. This helps the tap roots get going. Also dig a hole quite a bit wider than itnwould have to be. Tree will tend to maybe sink just a little but that just provides a depression which is good. Forget about the mulch. It is a wast of money. Keeping grass away from the tree is also not necessary. Just keep it mowed. The grass roots go down and break up the soil and will not hurt the growth of the tree. I have grown pecan trees where some were kept grass free around them and some I just mowed the grass. No difference. The main reasons for tree death in the first few years are too much fertilizer and hitting green trunk with herbicide. Good rule is do not fertilizer the first year and after first just a little 10-10-10 sprinkled around the outside of the canopy until the tree gets several years old. Young trees are often over fertilized then they will get too much stress, particularly in very hot dry conditions.
I typically FILL the excavated hole with water immediately after digging the hole, so the water percolates into the surrounding soil.... BEFORE I place the tree in the hole.
Mulch is possibly one of the most important things to put around trees. Just like in the forest the leaves fall and mulch the trees. Trees use fine surface roots to get moisture and nutrient. So mulch alowes them to spread and protects them from heat in the summer.
@@jaegertiger384 this also good to practice as it allows you to first check for any drainage issues right away. I would add for any diy, to maybe set up their planting holes in their yards well in advance and see how those sites behave with the local climate and drainage. Perhaps if you're still searching for the right tree but know where you wish to plant... place cheap temporary plants first if you're still thinking of which tree to purchase. The sacrificial plantings will clue you in to the possible shortcomings of the plant tree site.
I always dig a Deep Hole in center of planting hole with a Post Hole Digger, I make it at least 3-5 deep and fill with loose compost so that Tap Root will not have to Fight Hard soil--the Key to any Tree's Strength is it's Tap Root, it will allow trees to overcome strong winds without being Uprooted. Years ago an Old Timer taught me to do this and I have Planted Many Trees this way ever since...
One of the best tree-planting video's I have seen. Thank you for creating and posting! Now the bad part. I've got some remedial work to do on trees I have planted.
I’m sure the advice in this video about not amending the soil in the bottom of the hole is correct for most soil types, but if you try it in heavy clay soil like I have, you’ll end up with root rot. I followed that advice 15 years ago, and I lost my tree after 12 years. The only roots that were healthy were the shallow ones. The others were dead. If you have really heavy clay, I suggest amending as far out and as deep as possible. He mentions it at the very end. I plant trees over a couple of days: one day, I amend the soil wide and deep and end up with a pretty good sized mound. The next day, I actually plant the tree. The mound goes away after a few years, but by then the tree is well established. That’s been the most effective with my heavy clay and hard pan.
Thanks. I live in area w very dense poor drainage soil. I think you can dig deeper than root ball, as long as you compact bottom and plant inch or two high to allow for settling. The main idea of video is don't let flare end up too low
Great video. There is a lot of physical effort that goes into correctly planting a tree or large shrub. The soil Eric is working with is friendlier than the rocky shale held together with red clay that resents any disturbance I have in mind, that dominates my area. This brings me to the actual reason for this post. After watching about a gazillion gardening/planting videos, not one of these nice helpful people address tools. That botanical prize you just brought home could be a freebie from a friend or a highly sought after specimen that you paid a small ransom for at the Shady Tree Farm down the road. Planting one is just as physically demanding as the other. Folks, *The Quality Of Your Tools Matter.*. Don’t get stingy when purchasing yard tools or other implements of destruction! I am 71 yrs old and I need my feeble efforts to count as much as possible. If you think that you won’t work much harder with a $20 hoe or shovel than with a $50 one, then you need to get at least one high quality tool and give it a try. Pick out the one tool you use most and replace it with one of the highest quality you can afford. One of my favorite brands is Rogue. Quite a few of their tools are sold to fire departments and forestry divisions. Another brand I like is Radius Garden. I have the original root slayer and I use this tool more than any other tool I have. The third brand on my list is Bully Tools. Ammerican made and several of their tools have a choice of 12 or 14 gauge steel. I have no affiliation of any kind with the companies I have mentioned. These are just the manufacturers that I have experience with. My youth and vigor got left miles back down the road and considering that I am all of 5’2” and a massive 135lbs, I need my tools to work as effectively as possible. I really wish that some of the gardening/planting content makers would emphasize the importance of quality tools. They really do make a difference.
Yay! Great point. Couldn’t agree more, especially because gardening can take a toll on your back, especially the lower back where we often have issues even before we pick up a shovel. Work smarter not harder as they say.
@dammitbobby283 You are correct that many conifers grow faster and provide year round protection. But, depending on your area, conifers have to be chosen with care. Pine beetles have devastated much of the pine forest in the south. One day you can have a wonderful specimen adorning your yard and the next thing you know, you have a huge dead stick that you have to pay to have removed. I don't see why you feel the need to be derogatory. Depending on which side of the house the tree is planted, year round protection may not be ideal. But more importantly, it's his yard and deck, and he can plant whatever he chooses.
The only two tools I use are a small step stool that lets me sit down so I am close to the ground and don't strain my back and a pickax as the soil is so hard a shovel will not get the job done. I whittle away for a couple hours on one hole if it's a 5 gallon plant and a one gallon takes about an hour. I am 77 and at this rate I might get my backyard looking great before I die. Oh and the Gator wagon is the bomb for hauling things from front yard to back yard. Oh and it is not even my own yard, it is my daughter's and she lets me plant what ever I want. It keeps me busy and healthy and outdoors.
I have been a landscaper for 22 years and have planted thousands of trees from tublings to 90" rootballs. This is a good video and good advice. It also applies to contaner plants and on b&b trees you have to find the flare. We always plant everything a little high, survival is based on good planting skills but more importantly for homeowners watering correctly, drowning and not enough water can identical.
Good job. I have planted hundreds of orchard and landscape trees, I agree completely. If someone wants to skimp make the cleared area smaller but otherwise, excellant.
He makes so much sense. I’m watching all the UA-cam videos I can find for planting young trees. I’m planting three trees. I think this video is still the best I’ve seen yet in June 2022. I’d love to see an update. How did the tree grow? What does it look like now? I live in southern Oklahoma. I think I need to use compost/manure in my heavy clay soil. It’s summer and I think that will help my new trees. Is that correct? I’ve never planted a tree before.
Wish there was an easy answer or fix, because I'm in the same boat! However, he did directly speak on clay soil at the 17:00 minute mark and his opinion sounds pretty difficult. He says rather than amending the soil in the hole, you need to amend the whole yard area around the tree! Wow, that's a huge job. I have several trees in pots and you Can keep them potted for years, especially dwarf fruit trees, etc., among many others. Anyway, good luck!
@@Random-JustAnother He did indicate it's a whole-area improvement. But I think he meant to say that such soil improvement starts in the wide mulch ring. Anyway, in my opinion and experience, that's where compost, manure, and of course mulch do tremendous good in a tree's early years. In later years, when you fertilize the grass, you are really feeding your trees. At least that's how I think of it!
Algo de madera picada (woodchips) mezclada con la tierra, el humus va a durar más tiempo que otras formas de materia orgánica. Y también la madera favorece el desarrollo de los hongos, algo de gran importancia para árboles y arbustos. También algo de ceniza de madera y yeso para suelos ácidos y arcillosos.
I want to say that it’s now almost November 2022 and the two trees I got to plant in the spring are still alive! (Red Maple & an American Elm that’s an OKC survivor tree sapling) I didn’t do it perfectly, but they made it through the scalding summer we had. The third tree (Hackberry) I just planted earlier this month. So far so good on it too.
Incredibly helpful. Thank you so much! We are planting a tree in our yard in memory of my bf that just unexpectedly passed away and this means so much.
Good idea. 👍 I plant trees in random people’s yards in the middle of the night on Arbor Day. That way they are surprised when they get up that morning to see a tree there. Like Santa came but it’s Arbor Day instead. It’s fun to watch them from a mile away through a telescope 🔭 as they discover the tree 🌳.
Lots of great info! To this I would add: Do your research when selecting the variety of tree. I live in zone 9 and see a lot of problem with fruit trees that don't get enough chill hours. Also lots of death from fungal diseases such as peach tree leaf curl. When the tree gets sick, the only option is to terminate it and replace with a disease-resistant variety. In other words, what the homeowner should have done in the first place.
No Air pockets, no girdling roots, no overdoing the mulch or crowding the root flare/crown with it, keep it upright and protect it from wild animals/children! I agree! But, I would also add that it's quite possible to find girdling roots deeper inside the root ball than he dug, that you almost cannot give it too much water as others have commented, that a little bit of Milorganite in with the roots of most trees wouldn't hurt, and my personal favorite/opinion: Nature's lawn and garden in Buffalo has Aerify plus or Nature's Magic that can't be beat as a bioactivator as long as there is WATER!!!!!!!!!😇😇😇
Bang on! He's totally right about removing grass over a wide area. Dr. Albert Howard is one,if not the best, pioneer in soil fertility and did many studies confirming this practice, especially with fruit bearing trees.
Great instructional video. 👍 The most important point is NOT planting too deeply - the tree will literally suffocate over time if this is done. The rest of this video , especially the potion of cutting roots is debatable. The thought behind this is in creating a larger root mass, the tree shall become stronger over time. Have done this, as well as just teasing the roots - with great results.
Sir, this is an excellent video,so much goes into planting a tree properly. I had no idea,but it makes a big difference doing it the right way the first time. Thank you for your time and experience.
Most accurate and comprehensive video I have seen. One extra piece of advise I would offer. Plant bare root trees. That way you get to spot any root defects up front. Container grown could have all sorts of internal root problems which coukd sabotage the tree later on.
I'm in Western Colorado at about 6,500 feet elevation, zones 5/6. It usually doesn't reach under 0F, but occasionally will touch -5F for a short couple of hours. This month I planted 7 fruit trees that are about 4ft tall, from #5 buckets. 3 apple (2 varieties), 2 identical plum, and 2 different peaches. They are all within 50' of each other. I bought these locally. When I find them, I'm going to plant 4 more fruit trees, 2 of each pear and "fruit cocktail" trees (plum, nectarine, peach and apricot) within 20 feet of the first 7 trees. I am concerned with proper pollination as this has been an issue in the past with my garden. I do what I can to attract more bees by putting sugar water in the yard that feeds the humming birds too. I'm wondering if the sugar water is counterproductive though...and distracts the bees instead 😆. Two questions: 1. Why are some saying that pollination is best between two different varieties of apples, pears and plums? Why can't the trees be the same variety to pollinate each other? 2. I plan on keeping the trees under 10 feet tall, and making the young branches grow more horizontal than upward to make them bushy and easier to access. I've read this also makes the trees stronger and grow faster. And if necessary I can cover them easily on those abnormal deeper cold spells. Have you experienced this, or tried any methods to make them grow outward, more horizontally? Thanks! Chris
If we tried all that root cutting in the hot humid deep south we'd be inviting fungal cankers into the roots system which would be a death sentence for the tree . We would also make a post hole or soil auger hole in the bottom of the hole about 24' inches deeper than the bottom of the hole and fill it with a 50-50% mix of soil and pine bark mulch.or gravel to allow tap root to grow down .The tree would rest on the bottom of the hole but the tap root hold would be there fro teh tap roost to grow down .It would also be a good idea to bury a vertical 24-36" pvc pipe for deep watering to encourage the tap root to grow down .His tree as shown would not survive a southern drought (if not killed by fungal canker ) .Im sure it fine for Pa. But not the deep south
Note that this tree was grafted. The graft stock was probably a rooted stem. Thus, all the roots grow out horizontally. There is no tap root on rooted grafting stock. Also, some trees do not grow tap roots. And if the tree is in a yard that gets fertilized, most of the roots will grow horizontally to get the nutrients. The problem with that is the tree will grow shallow rooted and the wind could eventually topple it over. I have used a pipe to pound holes in the ground outside the drip line and poured fertilizer down the hole to get the roots to grow out and down to get to it.
@@doityourselflivinggardenin7986 I have noticed that seedlings grow much more vigorously than grafted trees but I never heard that grafted trees don't put down a tap root I just googled "do grafted trees put down tap roots ?" and I got no hits .Please provide me some links to article on te subject .Thanks
@@doityourselflivinggardenin7986 That is very interesting. Could you provide me with some links to university articles that state that "There is no tap root on rooted grafting stock. " Wouldn't that depend on the species of the tree the root stock was taken from? ....I know tree that grows from a seed sown in the ground will likely put down a deeper tap root than a root bound potted tree unless it hits a badly compacted layer and that if I use a soil auger to drill down 4-6 feet and fill the hole with a mix of pine bark mulch and soil then sow a tree seed over it the tap root will right grow down and if I put several such holes in the planting site an air root mulberry tree will grow 20 ft tall in one summer( see my video ua-cam.com/video/e90vJzPO0D4/v-deo.html )
@@rbbiefah I cannot point to the specific white papers you want to see. I have read numerous books, read articles and white papers on grafting, and watched UA-cam videos for many years. I also have anecdotal experience with rooting, grafting, seedlings, etc. If you want to see what I mean, simply purchase a bare root tree and look at the roots. Unless the root stock is a seedling and you work hard at keeping that tap-root if you transplant it, then the roots stock will probably have horizontal roots. The reason is simple, the side of a cutting is where the callus forms and then the root. Root stock are all rooted stems of some sort. Now if you want to make a project out of it, I imagine that you could select one root and train it to grow vertically downward for a tap root. However, I still don't think it would work really well if that root stock did not normally grow a tap root. The nutrients downward are not that great. In-fact, burying most root stocks too deep will kill some of them. I know because I purposely do it with some of my projects. In some seedling trees, I have dug them up and the primary root (what you could call a tap root), will go down, then eventually angle sideways to get nutrients. That is not desirable because the roots will then be heavy on one side and lacking on the other, causing them to lean or topple later in life. Having the larger roots go outward like bicycle spokes is better. Granted, there are some trees that do have a tap root when grown from a seed. I have seen them. They are generally forest type trees. But heck, even those will amass horizontal roots. You can see that when they topple over and a hole is left in its place.
I have been a landscaper for over 20 years. Definitely no need to clear such a large area. Good rule of thumb ‘For a $2 tree dig a $4 hole’ Which means twice the diameter of root ball. Then add mulch to smother sod. Some will come through. Just add more mulch 🎉 If you do decide to do the unnecessary extra work of removing sod, flip it over and use it as mulch. Then add more mulch!
There have been studies showing the immensely detrimental effect of turf and other competing plants on a newly planted tree's root development. Along with the solid advice in this video, to encourage wide and robust roots, it's a better rule of thumb to mulch 2-4" deep (no deeper) and at least out to the 'drip line' of the tree. The drip line being where the rain would drip off the canopy. As the tree grows this obviously extends, but for at least several years post-planting, this drip line rule is immensely helpful. Not to say it couldn't be done differently, it of course could, but the wide clearing shown in this video is definitely the ideal to aim for.
@@backgardenbotanic right. The sod should be killed. Point being (many years of actual experience here) digging the sod up is a waste of time and energy. It can easily be smoothed out in a plethora of different ways besides digging. If one does decide to dig, they should flip sod over in place and let it break down.
I have found that a circular hole can cause roots to go round in that circle possibly causing the tree to keel over in later life due to root girdling. so I always dig a square hole, as roots rarely grow backwards out of a corner, And one of the corners of that square I to point towards the prevailing wind, so that one root becomes an anchor against that wind . One other thing, I have also found, That a good mulch will kill off the sod, which makes extra food for the roots of the tree, so no need to remove the sod, occasionally I have dug the sod and turned it upside down to speed up the rotting process. RC.
You demonstrated measuring the tree's root ball height to the proper girdle level. You should then demonstrate measuring the depth of the hole that is usually obtained by laying the shovel handle across the level surface and measure off of it to the bottom of the dug hole to get an accurate depth.
Planting some of our potted trees (started from covid in 2020) to a plot of land now in 2023. This 10 year old video has some really good information in it.
What if I moved into a new house with young trees planted 'below ground' and when exposing the root flare/buttresses you are 4-6 inches below ground? What do you do then?
Good video, definitely spot on with some important points, hole not deeper than root ball but plenty wider, wider is better, rough up roots to stop from growing in circular fashion, not fertilizing at the time of planting, fertilizer can be too “hot” and toxic for young roots and I’ve experienced plant loss that I believe was from fertilizer poisoning, etc. A few tips I would offer: 1. Water! He literally didn’t water, the most important thing! When I get the tree to the site, I water it immediately while it’s still in the container. Travel can be stressful for a tree, of course, it should always be tarped before transporting it in a truck or trailer, and one would hope it was freshly watered coming from the nursery, but that’s not always the case…water first thing! Then, once you’ve placed the tree in the location where it is to be planted, water! Watering before the tree is taken out of the container allows the tiny root hairs to absorb the water before they get broken off during planting. These root hairs are very small and break off very easily. They are what actually absorb the water, so water while these hairs are still intact so the tree has a chance to absorb the water before it has to regrow these hairs. The water will not only water the tree, but it will begin to dampen the area where the tree is to be planted, softening the soil and facilitating digging the hole. Better yet, thoroughly saturating the area the day before planting will benefit not only the tree, but the planter of the tree as well! If adequate rainfall has occurred, you’re already ahead of the game. But the difference between bone dry soil, and adequately moistened soil is night and day. Water!! Next, after digging the hole, before even placing the tree in the hole, fill the hole with water! Let it soak in, and plant the tree while there is still water in the hole. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to get water down to the bottom of the hole where the roots will be absorbing it once the hole is back-filled. And that water you’ve put in the bottom of the hole will stay in the ground for an extended period providing moisture from the bottom up to the newly planted tree and helping it survive and encouraging the roots to grow deeper in search of that moisture. Lastly, once the tree is back-filled, mulched, and staked…water!!! This watering connects the water in the bottom of the hole to the surface. Water is the most important thing! 2. Compost! I agree not to fertilize at the time of planting, but compost is not fertilizer! It is crucial! You only have one chance to add this very important amendment…at the time of planting! There are so many benefits and necessities to compost: it loosens soil to allow for good drainage and oxygen, it breaks up clay to allow for the absorption of water and nutrients, it provides a habitat for beneficial microbes, worms, mycelium, etc., it helps the roots grow through the loosened soil, it helps hold moisture making it available to the tree while it is establishing itself, and so on. Compost is crucial!! I like using a product in my area called “Leafgro”. It’s is basically composted leaves, very dark and rich, and a must for healthy, happy plantings! 3. I would recommend turning the soil a shovel deep over the entire area that is being mulched. This allows the entire area to absorb water and will make a big difference in the long run. 4. Trust in the miracle of life that is in the tree. Trees are incredibly resilient, and with proper care and love, will weather all kinds of harsh conditions and continue to be there for us to enjoy. Get “in tune” with your new tree, and don’t forget about it when summer comes, and it’s hot and dry, and your newly planted tree might be suffering and longing for a drink of water. Water!!❤
Good points GWR...especially on the watering. I have always taken great care to really water a newly planted tree, before and after planting, I have an old half wine barrel that still holds water and I fill it with water, then submerge the new tree(container an all in the barrel for a few hours before planting......unless the tree obviously has had plenty of water in the container, which usually is not the case. On the hole......I have lived and planted trees my whole life(80 years) in some pretty bad soil/rocky or heavy clay and admit to digging holes deeper than the container sometimes, but I take precautions. We have to remember, the soil at nursery where the tree was grown IS NOT the same as the soil you are digging up to plant the tree....so why not amend slightly. If my soil is bad, I dig deeper, then fill in with good topsoil. The precaution I take is watering that new topsoil in the bottom of the hole heavily, then letting it dry out and settle, and then tamping it down to minimize settling. This is done over a few days. Then when I do plant the tree, I always plant the tree a little high. I have never lost a tree I planted this way. Another point, I always orient the branches of the tree in the hole to get them where they will grow to optimize shade and beauty. I would have turned Eric's tree about 90 degrees in the hole to have one of the larger branches parallel to the deck instead of point toward the deck. .
@@exnjute I totally agree exnjute, sometimes the soil is so bad, you have to give the tree something to grow in! I will add topsoil mixed with compost in some cases, but usually still lean on wider than deeper hole. I like your method of watering and tamping which will stave off settling, which I believe is the main reason for not digging too deep. Planting high to anticipate and allow for this is also a good practice. Anything to keep the tree from sitting and drowning in a water pit. And good point about orienting the tree at the time of planting. Another important consideration. Whatever it takes for the tree to grow and be as healthy as possible! And the results will not manifest until much later down the line, I have seen and had to deal with this first hand. You only have one chance to plant a tree right the first time! Thanks for all the trees you must have planted in your 80 years, you’ve made the world a better place!👍
So happy to see your post! For all the great tips in this vid, I was AGHAST that he didn't address any watering! I always soak the trees in the pots and flood the holes - at least once - before planting, then soak the area again immediately after planting. It's a critical step to welcoming the tree into the new terrain. ❤
@@wisedove7 yes, it’s really all about the water🙂. The compost helps absorb and hold the water, releasing it as the plant needs it over a longer period of time. The tree well is designed to capture the water and get it down to the roots, especially on a hill where you want to mound soil and mulch higher on the downhill side so the well is level at the base of the tree to maximize water collection and avoid runoff. The wider the tree well is, the better because it can capture more water and keep the water robbing grass away from the tree. And, of course, the mulch, which helps retain and hold in moisture. It also allows the water to penetrate the soil better preventing runoff. But it’s not always a do or die situation. It’s very possible to just dig a small hole and throw a tree in it and for it to survive and grow. Trees are incredibly resilient and nature always makes a way. But if you want a happy, healthy tree, the more care the better!🙂. And the more tree lovers the better too! Cheers!👍
@@TheArtisticGardener777 So true...and great tips for capturing water on a hill. My soil is extremely sandy, so amending at planting makes a huge difference for retaining water and nutrients while the tree gets established. That said, I always amend with 50% of the natural soil for backfill so the roots will be acclimated when they extend over time. Serious tree-plant-garden lover here! 😊💖🌻
I've heard when planting also plant a pipe that goes alil below the root line and water it thru this pipe so the roots search down for water instead of depending on surface water
Also, the 7 trees I planted are about 4 to 5' tall, and I assume they are about 2 years old. They were well-leafed and even had fruit growing on the peach trees (just 1 or 2 on both). Should I prune them after a couple to 4 weeks, or leave them alone for the first season? I should remove the immature fruit and flowers right, this first year, for sure? Thanks!
I take a section of washing machine drain hose, it's flexible and a 1 1/4 " in diameter. I coil a loop around the bottom of my hole a little ways from the root ball. I drill plenty of holes in it that's below the surface, then have the end stick out of the ground a few inches. You can then put a water hose in the end of the hose and water straight to the roots.
Arborists who refer to themselves as tree doctors sometimes have a cringe inducing pretentious know it all thing going on that does the profession no favors, but this is for sure a good video. It is possible to get great results with less root manipulation and removal. Also creating a planting mound, 3"- 4" above the surrounding grade and 4' wide can reduce the chances of ending up w/ a low root crown down the road. This will allow for initially mulching deeper with wood chips (maybe 4"- 6" above the surrounding grade). This won't direct water away from the planting site, it will help moderate soil temperature and moisture levels. A 6" layer does a better job of reducing the likelihood of soil compaction and weed germination, than a 3"-4" layer, and of course that layer won't stay 6" deep for long.
I'm also a retired landscaper. I was waiting to see him water but never did. I water as I'm going to get air bubbles out. I also add fish emulsion to the hole. If you wait til it's planted, to water, it's impossible to know if you've given it enough. I also have the root ball soaking in fish emulsion while I'm digging the hole.
For pete's sake... every single individual successfully planting trees it's doing it differently. Every single one of them! This says a lot about planting...have some common sense and put that thing in the ground, cover it with dirt, add some water if the soil is too dry and mind your own business, the tree will settle just fine.
As an organic homesteader for over 50 years, I would like to add a couple more best practices I've learned. When you dig the hole, make sure the sides go straight down so that when the roots hit the undug compacted sides they don't go up the slope or circle around. It also helps to use a thick layer of compost as the mulch. Trees rely on microbes and fungi to feed them. The tree trades sugars it makes from the sunlight for nutrients the microbes and mycelium fungi gather from the surrounding landscape. It is a crucial symbiotic relationship. It helps to gather some topsoil from a nearby forest because it contains the right ratio of microbes and fungi for trees - mix into the compost mulch. Using this method, no fertilizer will ever be needed and the tree will grow much faster. A layer of woodchip mulch on top of the compost is helpful to control soil evaporation. The microbes and fungi need a moist environment or they die.
Thank you for this clear, concise and informative video. Just about to plant container grown apple tree that looks like it has been in the container for some time. It does make me wonder about the success of these, we planted a million trees to save the planet schemes though.
I really applaud you for planting all those trees. I too have planted a lot of trees here, there and everywhere. The World was designed with trees being enormously important to the overall health of our environments, for multitudinous reasons. Climate change is a complete ho ax though.
I have a dozen fruit trees in my backyard, one simple trick that really helps the trees and other plants grow. Gather the fallen fruits put them in a mesh or screen of some sort and then into a bucket filled with water, let sit for a few days to a week, squeeze out all the water from the old fruit and pour the juicy water into whatever plant you want to grow. I had a pomegranate tree that was sitting in it's little bag from the store for about 6 months, the poor plant was just a stick when I planted it, a week later with this trick and now it's full of leaves and thriving.
I have seen Redwood trees planted so close to the house it is crazy. WE grow lots of palms here so you can plant those anywhere. We have them right beside our home, never a problem
One of the better planting videos I have seen. But you can get much better results (of course, this is a 11-year-old video). All that tamping and high staking and guidelines is unnecessary. We use just below ground level non-treated pine stakes pressed-up against the firm part of the root-ball and hammered into the ground. No tripping over guidelines. No trunk girdling. The stakes can be left to rot in the ground. We never mulch over the root ball. And mulch no more than 1" deep outside the root ball. I don't use watering mounds. All too often they become permanent parts of the landscape. Filling the planting hole with water every other day works great until rainfall/irrigation can take over. Flagging the nursery tree where it receives the most sun and orientate your installation appropriately or south. Does this work? On only 99% of the trees we plant.
Why is it that no-one ever mentions the paint mark that is in the trunk from the nurseries? I asked a nursery what the paint mark is all about. They explained to me that it indicates the shrub or tree that the paint mark points to the south. When planting your tree, make sure the paint mark points to the south. If you don't,, the tree is confused by its new orientation, and takes up to 3 years before it actually begins to grow properly. This makes sense to me cause you could imagine how confused you would be if one day the sun rose in the west!
I am a landscape contractor of 80 years of age. I have about a 2% loss in planting. (that is not too bad) While I am backfilling the hole with soil, I put a hose to it and add a lot of water. Water is heavy and helps to compact the soil and removes air that may be trapped in the backfill. I may be wrong, but it works for me.
You ain’t wrong friend
Question from a newbie: I planted 4 trees a decade ago. They are doing fine. But according to the guidelines mentioned here, I made a couple key mistakes.
1) I did not look for where the tree trunk began to widen out to form the rootball before planting. I later saw it was down several inches.
2) I dug down well below the root ball, amended the soil and packed it as best I could. But as you might expect, it settled several inches further down.
I assumed things would 'self adjust' as the tree grew. My question is: Why is it important to have the rootball start AT surface height, versus being below it?
@@gregparrott The stem or trunk of the tree should not be covered with soil as this can tend to griddle the tree Trees do not grow roots from their trunk.
You are not wrong. I have always filled the bottom of the hole with water and also soaked the soil while backfilling. Very little loss and hardly any shock recovery. I have never understood all the tv show that have landscaping and don't do that.
That's what I was thinking.
I love this. After 10 years as Texas Master Certified Nursery professional, I have a couple other slight refinements that I think might help. First on the planting depth. Always err to the side of too shallow than too deep. 2 or 3 inches too high or 25 percent of the root ball height too high will be less harmful than 1 inch too deep, which for some sensitive tree species, might even be eventually fatal. There will usually be extra soil left over to make a raised up mound for the tree to live on, trees love growing on mounds, just like they like growing on slopes, super good drainage. This mound should make sort of the crater with a rim for holding the water, so it should look a lot like a moon crater. Use lots of mulch also applied like a crater, with zero depth at the tree trunk and up to 3 or 4 inches deep out by the crater rim, which is at least twice the root ball radius.
On the binding circling roots, certainly they can all be cut off, and it won't harm or stress the tree too much. For professionals planting a large number of trees this is probably the most practical way. But for anyone who wants to improve a tad on that, I like to tease and loosen all those circling roots, unwinding them as much as possible and only cut the ones that are not cooperating. This can leave a nice shaggy mass of free roots, and only the inner roots not disturbed. The point to planting trees and the no amendments is to get the roots out into the natural native soil ASAP. These shaggy free roots can be layered in with the back fill soil in lifts as shown here. Another trick for getting native soil into the existing root ball is to stick some of the chunks of native soil right into the groves and holes in the existing root ball(that you can actually make for that purpose); kind of jam them. Then the planting hole could have some wings or groves going out as long as needed for the longest freed roots you've unwound. Get them going straight out and into the native soil. Do all this root preparation quickly or mist them with a little water so they don't dry out too much. Misty rainy weather is a nice time to do planting for this.
Finally for staking, the best staking is no stake at all. Rather is to use some short grade stakes, 4 total, and make a square a fair ways outside of the to ball zone, pound them in until they are only a few inches high. Use regular non treated wood for the stakes so they will eventually rot away, if you can't completely pull them out a few years later. Those vertical stakes are then connected with some cross pieces, like 1x2s or 2x2 pressed tightly down on the soil over the root ball and nailed to the stakes. Make a wooden cage over the root ball, but not close to touching the tree's trunk. This holds the root ball down firm, but the trunk is totally free to move and strengthen in the weather. In a few years, those stakes and wood can be removed. The stake holes might be a place to put some slow release fertilizers, which after a few years, the tree will be ready for.
Keep well watered in this crater fairly often in hot weather. I like hand watering, right on the tree, rather than relying only on a sprinkler system, which has to overwater the whole area, to fully moisten the new trees root zone. Sprinklers should be for all the established landscape, with deep infrequent watering, like weekly or less, even hot weather. New trees and plants need little drinks right on them more often when it's hot. After the first hot summer is over, start challenging the tree and plants with longer periods between watering, and cut off all watering once it has lost it leaves for winter. Evergreen trees will need a little more in winter, like once a month or every two weeks if it hasn't rained or has been unusually warm. Trees require about 1-2 years of careful care for about every inch of diameter they start out with. A three inch balled and burlaped tree will need about 3-5 years to get established, with some, but diminishing water help in the hot months.
Thank you for the tips, always great to hear from a professional.
I really like your experience , thanks for the share, and I get deer bones around here and throw in a few around the tree planting site for long term future use of the tree.
Wish YT would let me copy/paste your comment. I'm new at this planting thing and you have good instructions.
@Chuck Goecke Thank you so much for this info - I am most grateful you took the time to share your knowledge!
Out of curiosity: why would planting a tree a little too deep be so bad for the tree? Shouldn't a tree be able to cope with a little accumulated dirt or earth around it's stem?
It's been 10 years. Could you do a follow up on this tree if possible?
🤣😂🤣
Things been dead for 9 year and 11 months
@@JoeWayne84 that's terrible 🤣😂
Fantastic request... Putin killed it
He would but a huge gust of wind ripped it out of the ground and he didn't notice until it was too late.
i love everything he said....it makes sense!!! i planted 5 trees last year and did everything wrong according this video and my trees are flourishing!!!!.....
I know I just planted 14 arborvitae and the soil was so hard I had to use a pickax and so I looked it up online and it said to use compost and manure in the hole but no fertilizer and I did that for every tree or shrub, not sure which they are. It took me a week to dig and plant all the holes as I am 77 and it has been in the high 80's and they are in direct sun. So far after a couple weeks only the first tree has some brown on it the other 13 are beautiful. I have been watering them with a hose every day as only one day with rain. I am in WA state near Portland and it has been one hot summer. I am keeping my fingers crossed they all survive.
Good points. Here in Wyoming the last step would be installing wire fencing around the young tree to prevent deer from eating all the branches and leaves and male deer from scraping off the bark while rubbing the velvet off their horns. :)
I have to add that the only time I paid a nursery to plant a tree (in Virginia) they sent out three guys who dug a hole, threw in the balled in burlap tree without removing or loosening the burlap, added a half dozen tree food plugs, and filled the hole. I have never paid for planting since. Thanks for the tips.
I am a Master Gardener and I have learned so much with this video! By far the this is the best tree planting video I have ever seen.
I just plant 3 trees 2 months ago. Is it possible to re plant on this methode now?
@@borodel619 Depends a lot on your climate and season. If you made some serious errors (not disrupting the circling of roots, or planting too deep), you could replant next autumn, just like trees at a nursery are replanted regularly. I wouldn't uproot it again after just two months, and disrupt the root regrowth the tree has already spent its precious stored energy upon. After an entire growing cycle (or two) it should have built up enough reserves in autumn to deal with that again, and it's not too late to fix errors.
@@borodel619 why bother. If you like the spot it's fine.
I don’t think it’s because of the site. The Gardner wants his tree to be successful and was asking if he should replant 22:55 using this method to ensure healthy growth.
GREAT GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDEO! THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST PROVES THAT EVEN AT 70 YEARS OLD WE CAN LEARN NEW THINGS. YEP, I'M 70 AND JUST LEARNED THE RIGHT WAY TO PLANT A TREE. GOD BLESS YOU.
Seems like you could also benefit from learning to turn caps-lock off, too ... 😆
D0h @@anonanon7278
It took me years of planting trees to learn all these tricks he showed, wish I had watched this video sooner. Thanks for making this.
Same. I planted a tree a few hours ago and definitely didn’t make sure I had all the roots teased out…I was afraid of damaging them
¡±
@@semiprolific774 If you have a pot bound tree, don;’t tear all the roots up like he did. Normally a tree’s roots will spread out any way but if there is any question, just take a knife and cut through them on one pass down the pot at 180 degrees.
@@marktapley7571 I learned that some container trees have such a mismanaged, matted, circling root area, that you have to be brutal (or returning the container to the shop). I saw a video of a woman who had to resort to decisive action. First it was a lot of work to get the container tree out of the pot (she cut off pieces of the plastic pot, piece by piece. No chance of getting the tree out in any other way.). And roots were totally dense, it had been too long in the pot. She did not want to return it (long drive, and usually she got better quality from that garden center. She gave the tip that one can ask them to pull the tree out of the pot so one can see right away what is going on. She did not do that because she was in a hurry).
She was quite brutal when removing the circlng roots and when loosening up the root mats.
One viewer commented that he/ she did not dare to manipulate / prune the roots in a similar situation - and had to remove the tree one year later for other reasons to replant it at another spot. So he/she saw what had become of the dense root system. Not much - the roots had mostly stayed in that circle, and not much growth either under or above soil, there was no spreading out over the former boundaries of the pot.
Maybe there are better ways to cut into the roots - on the other hand he likely has to do it often, and the young trees establish themselves well. I think the more relevant mistake would be to not do anything at all. I am glad I saw these two videos - I would never have dared to remove roots in the way the more experienced people do.
... and tomorrow we will control the elderberry that we replanted yesterday, it might be just too low in the ground. Which is sloping anyway so we can remove some topsoil to not get a bowl in the end around the trunk.
Yes just in time here
His methods are absolutely correct. I've planted over a hundred container trees on my property over the last 3 years. The first year I did it almost all wrong and those trees have hardly grown at all. The last 2 years, I learned to do things his way and those trees are growing like crazy already. And, the beautiful thing is it's a LOT LESS work digging an 8" deep hole, then an 18-24" deep hole like I was doing at the start, lol.
Yes, you only need to plant deep when you are adding a deceased pet into your backyard pet cemetery and then only deep enough to keep strays, ferals and wild ones from digging fido or kitkat or george the guinea pig back up again (I have an old section of cast-iron porch railing that I've kept for many years laying it on top of the hole for a few months to make sure there is no re-excavations and that aid saves some of the deeper digging).
It always depends on the tree and plant. I had a bare root birch and I got it to 25 ish ft from 5 ft in 4 years and even then it was so deep it was around 3ft from how deep it was buried.
From my experience water is the most important factor for young trees. We have trees 4+ years old that have grown almost not at all in a dry spot and there's apple tree that has flowers 6 m after planting in a wet spot. There was were wet season and actually all are blooming.
Ok, I’m following but have a question. I live in an area with very rocky calcarious soil. I was thinking I would dig deep and wide to supply some quality soil. I’d basically be digging a new pot in the poor soil. The tree would not grow in the native soil……
@@brentfrank7012 I say, yes, you are correct. I plant mine in holes that around 4 feet deep, since the 1970's. but these years, then in past years around 4 feet around, and these years, 4 feet square at the surface and straight down as far as I have the motivation to keep the square sides fully 4 feet wide. and digging , gouging the corners too, in order that there will be no chance of the roots balling up in a circle like they do in round deep holes in the clay. thus, I get a whole mini soil environment, roots go deeper than the native trees that constantly fall over wtih shallow roots that don't go down into the red clay in north carolina, central piedmont region.
and ... care for your fungus / bacteria ration. we need high fungus , it serves to deliver nutrients to the tree. fertilizers and aeration kills fungus, so do take care to ... put lots of woody mulch on the surface. ( the scavanging of nitrogen is not harmful to the health of the tree by doing this, and it supports the fungus to bacteteria ratio}
I am an arborist and nursery man and have planted over a thousand trees. I approve of this video! My only comment is to plant even higher than you recommend, I like to leave the crown about 1-2 inches above native grade, up to a foot above grade for bigger trees or in heavy clay. This is because the container medium will decompose and the tree will settle an inch or so. I also add a handful of high quality worm compost as a soil probiotic to kick things off. I make a good sized basin to water in, and fill the basin with wood chip mulch, leaving about a foot around the trunk clear of mulch.
Wood chip mulch is the best! My only concern in this video is what mulch he used? It is so black. I hope he didn't use that chemical laden black mulch, and this is just composted mulch to make it so black.
@dammitbobby283 how the F do you know what the homeowner requested? Get over yourself!
Excellent. It's kind of staggering to consider how many trees are planted with flares buried and or girdling roots. Cities plant and maintain trees very badly all the time. Bless you for this video.🙂🙂💯
You are SOOO right about cities improper tree planting. More often than not, the trees are planted way too deep. Ugh!
1. Remove Gras and other plants in a much wider radius to remove competition for the tree.
2. Leave as much of the top soil as possible. (Let it decompose for down the line good soil)
3. Find the root flare (do not bury the graft union if the tree is grafted)
4. Cut or reposition circling roots that would girdle the trunk.
5. Make the hole wider than the root ball from the tree (not deeper)
6. Do not dig deeper and replace the bottom with good/ammended soil.
7. Root prune/tear to stop the circling
8. Compact the soil when backfilling
9. Prune roots sticking out of the ground
10. Mulch around the tree in a flat manner to avoid water running off
11. Stake (anker deep and firm, not shown) and attach but not with wire. Fairly low, aim is to stabilize the root ball.
Things that I would add;
If present, remove clay/field soil from the root ball (a lot of nurseries grow the root stock in the field and dig them out, put some good soil around and pop it into a container leaving the field soil close around the root ball with barely any feeder roots)
Sounds great to me! Although, in my experience, on number 4. I'd just do away with 'repositioning' any potentially girdling roots in favour of just pruning them. Especially container-grown, once a root starts turning, it's hard to get it to stop. Great additional point regarding the field soil! I've encountered some very compacted field soil clumps in container-grown rootballs. Breaking those up, or removing if you can, would be very beneficial! Cheers!
Thanks for the quick recap! SO helpful!
#6 is debatable. Some neighborhoods have poor soil from the construction process around the house and would definitely benefit from a proper soil for the tree. Lots of hard clay in the South.
Superb guide. Especially the flare locating and root pruning. Too many are unaware of those vital aspects, and nurseries cannot be counted on to educate consumers, for various reasons.
The project would have lost me if I found that first root. I did not know a tree could develop roots above its designated area. Is it not a sign that the tree is adapting to a new color(thats how I see that widening of the main stem) area. Which means beneath that area the stem would have started to widen? It already adapted to grow on anothers root system.
Planting a tree into a very dry soil needs an ample flow of water from a garden hose to wash the the filler soil into the cavities between the rootball and the settled ground. In that case no tamping down is required
All cirkling roots should be pruned away since they have a tendency to keep on cirkling even after the planting into unrestrained soil. From the Sahel forester
BEST tree planting video I've ever seen, and I've watched a lot of them! Thank you!!!
Wow, I’ve had over 30,000 trees planted and I just learned three things about planting trees! I wish I had seen this video 15 yrs ago!
You never stop learning
It all depends on your failure rate. If those trees are still around then you’re ok.
Slow learner?
I used this knowledge to expose my parents lemon tree root flare, and girdling roots. The tree went from 1 in trunk to 4 in trunk in 1 year. Before this it looked stunted and dormant for 5 yrs
I bet that you watered heavily in that year as well.
I am one year dormant. And I didn't go wide enough. And I found lots of rocks and competitive roots.
The best planting tutorial on UA-cam.
In the summer months in Idaho, when not digging a hole in a lawn, the technique is to dig to a depth of a few inches, add water, wait over night, then finish digging in the softened soil. With bare root trees, the depth of the hole is determined by the depth of the caliche.
@Eric Haskell .. +1.. A time-honored practice; Often overlooked. .. Danke!
I'm doing that now. By July the soil can be really hard and dry. Digging a shallow hole, filling it with water, and then waiting overnight makes for a much easier job.
Oh yeah, the caliche. I forgot about the caliche. And don’t forget about the spiradendum.
One of the best tree-planting videos I've seen ... possibly the best ... though where I live (southern Illinois), deer will be a significant hazard ... I have to cage the tree ... and from experience, I've learned to do that using 2 t-post and wire cage material around that (and I use whatever is on hand for the cage material) ... and since there are 2 posts, I tie the tree to those 2 posts using something stretchy and gentle to the tree (usually my wife's used hoses (sp?) that have been cut leaving just the leg ... other benefits of using 2 posts, is that they can be installed at an angle away from the tree to allow space for a "wind-blown" tree, AND, mowing around 2 posts inline with a trunk is easier than mowing around more than that.
I use cattle panels that are rolled. They're about 42" × 16'. Once set you can tie anything to them. You can also stack them. I cover the ground with visqueen, with gravel over that. Once the tree is up the wires tying the cattle panel round can be cut, and the panel removed.
I thought I was knowledgeable but not now. I'm only now hearing about root flare. Yours is the 2nd video to show that to me. I always thought the soil height in the container was where to line it up with the soil. Never thinking the plant or tree might be too low in the pot to begin with. Thanks so much for the instruction.
His method is great for container grown trees. But with fresh dug trees dig a bigger hole, rough up the roots and spread them out. Then backfill.
I don't get why it is a problem if the tree is a few inches lower. Surely, one would think that this only adds stability to it, to fend against gale force winds. Besides the fact that a couple or a few inches matters little to a mature tree.
I just don't get this aspect of his commentary and he never explained it.
Wow. This video goes against EVERYTHING I believed with planting stuff. Not planting it lower into the ground, not amending the soil, breaking the roots, that’s insane! But I’m totally going to follow this to the T to most of my trees. Probably a couple I’ll do it the way I learned, just to do a comparison to see how much of a difference it makes. Sure enjoyed this video and the comments!! Thanks to all!!!
I'm just a backyard gardner and there are so many things I've never done, or even thought about. I'm getting ready to plant another tree and was just looking at lots of planting videos. This is the most informative tree planting video I've ever watched. Would be lovely to see this tree now.
Also-- I don't know why I stopped on this video?? I have planted hundreds of trees over 50 yrs.
But it was one of the best, informative teaching videos for homeowners I have ever seen.
Would love to see how that tree has grown over the last decade. Probably massive today.
10 years makes it a moderately medium sized tree. To see a truely massive tree you need to find one planted in 1918 or even older.
Not massive, probably hasn't even supplied shade for the deck yet. Should of went with an elm or birch.
Note that this tree is a container tree. If the tree had been bare root it would need to be cut back ap. 1/3 to1/2 or else there would be too much top growth for the roots. When planting a tree it is much better to water it in as it is planted. The roots need moisture immediately. Also this will prevent any air pockets may kill the roots. I always sign the hole deeper than necessary, then throw extra dirt back in the hole before planting the tree. This helps the tap roots get going. Also dig a hole quite a bit wider than itnwould have to be. Tree will tend to maybe sink just a little but that just provides a depression which is good. Forget about the mulch. It is a wast of money. Keeping grass away from the tree is also not necessary. Just keep it mowed. The grass roots go down and break up the soil and will not hurt the growth of the tree. I have grown pecan trees where some were kept grass free around them and some I just mowed the grass. No difference. The main reasons for tree death in the first few years are too much fertilizer and hitting green trunk with herbicide. Good rule is do not fertilizer the first year and after first just a little 10-10-10 sprinkled around the outside of the canopy until the tree gets several years old. Young trees are often over fertilized then they will get too much stress, particularly in very hot dry conditions.
I disagree with you on many of your points. This guy nailed it on all fronts.
I typically FILL the excavated hole with water immediately after digging the hole, so the water percolates into the surrounding soil.... BEFORE I place the tree in the hole.
Mulch is possibly one of the most important things to put around trees. Just like in the forest the leaves fall and mulch the trees. Trees use fine surface roots to get moisture and nutrient. So mulch alowes them to spread and protects them from heat in the summer.
Where is your channel about trees?
@@jaegertiger384 this also good to practice as it allows you to first check for any drainage issues right away.
I would add for any diy, to maybe set up their planting holes in their yards well in advance and see how those sites behave with the local climate and drainage. Perhaps if you're still searching for the right tree but know where you wish to plant... place cheap temporary plants first if you're still thinking of which tree to purchase. The sacrificial plantings will clue you in to the possible shortcomings of the plant tree site.
I always dig a Deep Hole in center of planting hole with a Post Hole Digger, I make it at least 3-5 deep and fill with loose compost so that Tap Root will not have to Fight Hard soil--the Key to any Tree's Strength is it's Tap Root, it will allow trees to overcome strong winds without being Uprooted. Years ago an Old Timer taught me to do this and I have Planted Many Trees this way ever since...
A lot of trees don't have tap roots. Not sure on the exact varieties, but I think it's mostly pine type trees that have tap roots.
One of the best tree-planting video's I have seen. Thank you for creating and posting!
Now the bad part. I've got some remedial work to do on trees I have planted.
I absolutely agree
I’m sure the advice in this video about not amending the soil in the bottom of the hole is correct for most soil types, but if you try it in heavy clay soil like I have, you’ll end up with root rot. I followed that advice 15 years ago, and I lost my tree after 12 years. The only roots that were healthy were the shallow ones. The others were dead. If you have really heavy clay, I suggest amending as far out and as deep as possible. He mentions it at the very end. I plant trees over a couple of days: one day, I amend the soil wide and deep and end up with a pretty good sized mound. The next day, I actually plant the tree. The mound goes away after a few years, but by then the tree is well established. That’s been the most effective with my heavy clay and hard pan.
Thank you for sharing your experience
Thanks. I live in area w very dense poor drainage soil.
I think you can dig deeper than root ball, as long as you compact bottom and plant inch or two high to allow for settling. The main idea of video is don't let flare end up too low
Will you end up with a sump? That''s why you had rot?
Yes this is common problem.
Great video. There is a lot of physical effort that goes into correctly planting a tree or large shrub. The soil Eric is working with is friendlier than the rocky shale held together with red clay that resents any disturbance I have in mind, that dominates my area.
This brings me to the actual reason for this post. After watching about a gazillion gardening/planting videos, not one of these nice helpful people address tools. That botanical prize you just brought home could be a freebie from a friend or a highly sought after specimen that you paid a small ransom for at the Shady Tree Farm down the road. Planting one is just as physically demanding as the other. Folks, *The Quality Of Your Tools Matter.*. Don’t get stingy when purchasing yard tools or other implements of destruction! I am 71 yrs old and I need my feeble efforts to count as much as possible. If you think that you won’t work much harder with a $20 hoe or shovel than with a $50 one, then you need to get at least one high quality tool and give it a try. Pick out the one tool you use most and replace it with one of the highest quality you can afford.
One of my favorite brands is Rogue. Quite a few of their tools are sold to fire departments and forestry divisions.
Another brand I like is Radius Garden. I have the original root slayer and I use this tool more than any other tool I have.
The third brand on my list is Bully Tools. Ammerican made and several of their tools have a choice of 12 or 14 gauge steel.
I have no affiliation of any kind with the companies I have mentioned. These are just the manufacturers that I have experience with. My youth and vigor got left miles back down the road and considering that I am all of 5’2” and a massive 135lbs, I need my tools to work as effectively as possible.
I really wish that some of the gardening/planting content makers would emphasize the importance of quality tools. They really do make a difference.
Yay! Great point. Couldn’t agree more, especially because gardening can take a toll on your back, especially the lower back where we often have issues even before we pick up a shovel. Work smarter not harder as they say.
@dammitbobby283 You are correct that many conifers grow faster and provide year round protection. But, depending on your area, conifers have to be chosen with care. Pine beetles have devastated much of the pine forest in the south. One day you can have a wonderful specimen adorning your yard and the next thing you know, you have a huge dead stick that you have to pay to have removed.
I don't see why you feel the need to be derogatory. Depending on which side of the house the tree is planted, year round protection may not be ideal. But more importantly, it's his yard and deck, and he can plant whatever he chooses.
The only two tools I use are a small step stool that lets me sit down so I am close to the ground and don't strain my back and a pickax as the soil is so hard a shovel will not get the job done. I whittle away for a couple hours on one hole if it's a 5 gallon plant and a one gallon takes about an hour. I am 77 and at this rate I might get my backyard looking great before I die. Oh and the Gator wagon is the bomb for hauling things from front yard to back yard. Oh and it is not even my own yard, it is my daughter's and she lets me plant what ever I want. It keeps me busy and healthy and outdoors.
I have been a landscaper for 22 years and have planted thousands of trees from tublings to 90" rootballs. This is a good video and good advice. It also applies to contaner plants and on b&b trees you have to find the flare. We always plant everything a little high, survival is based on good planting skills but more importantly for homeowners watering correctly, drowning and not enough water can identical.
Now I have to dig my trees out and replant them. Thanks for the video.
Watching this on a Sunday morning experiencing the same regret from yesterday’s afternoon planting. :(
Terrific video. Just what we needed before we plant the maple tree that we just purchased. Thank you!
Good job. I have planted hundreds of orchard and landscape trees, I agree completely. If someone wants to skimp make the cleared area smaller but otherwise, excellant.
CONGRATULATIONS! Finally, someone getting it right. The root flare is always buried in the can or in the root ball.
I have been planting trees most of my life. I believe the way you do things is the correct way. Dig, plop, prune, drop. food and water too. Thank you.
He makes so much sense. I’m watching all the UA-cam videos I can find for planting young trees. I’m planting three trees. I think this video is still the best I’ve seen yet in June 2022. I’d love to see an update. How did the tree grow? What does it look like now? I live in southern Oklahoma. I think I need to use compost/manure in my heavy clay soil. It’s summer and I think that will help my new trees. Is that correct? I’ve never planted a tree before.
Wish there was an easy answer or fix, because I'm in the same boat!
However, he did directly speak on clay soil at the 17:00 minute mark and his opinion sounds pretty difficult.
He says rather than amending the soil in the hole, you need to amend the whole yard area around the tree! Wow, that's a huge job. I have several trees in pots and you Can keep them potted for years, especially dwarf fruit trees, etc., among many others.
Anyway, good luck!
@@Random-JustAnother He did indicate it's a whole-area improvement. But I think he meant to say that such soil improvement starts in the wide mulch ring. Anyway, in my opinion and experience, that's where compost, manure, and of course mulch do tremendous good in a tree's early years. In later years, when you fertilize the grass, you are really feeding your trees. At least that's how I think of it!
@@RichardGilbert2727 Thanks for that
Algo de madera picada (woodchips) mezclada con la tierra, el humus va a durar más tiempo que otras formas de materia orgánica. Y también la madera favorece el desarrollo de los hongos, algo de gran importancia para árboles y arbustos. También algo de ceniza de madera y yeso para suelos ácidos y arcillosos.
I want to say that it’s now almost November 2022 and the two trees I got to plant in the spring are still alive! (Red Maple & an American Elm that’s an OKC survivor tree sapling) I didn’t do it perfectly, but they made it through the scalding summer we had. The third tree (Hackberry) I just planted earlier this month. So far so good on it too.
Just found this video and it’s very timely for me. Thank you so much! Blessings to you & yours.
I learned so much - I've got to run out and get all the mulching off my trees and check for those rounding roots - Thanks so much
I like the long handle spade to remove the sod, you can also move the sod somewhere else to repair a dry area.
Outstanding clarity and explanation. Thanks for this.
Incredibly helpful. Thank you so much! We are planting a tree in our yard in memory of my bf that just unexpectedly passed away and this means so much.
Very sorry for your loss, what a wonderful tribute.
Good idea. 👍 I plant trees in random people’s yards in the middle of the night on Arbor Day. That way they are surprised when they get up that morning to see a tree there. Like Santa came but it’s Arbor Day instead. It’s fun to watch them from a mile away through a telescope 🔭 as they discover the tree 🌳.
@@boxelder9167 now that is creepy yet cool. Can you do my yard??
@@philnbroholm - Maybe I already have. Notice anything different out there in the yard? 😎😜😁
@@boxelder9167 Santa gets shot. Watch out!!
Lots of great info! To this I would add: Do your research when selecting the variety of tree. I live in zone 9 and see a lot of problem with fruit trees that don't get enough chill hours. Also lots of death from fungal diseases such as peach tree leaf curl. When the tree gets sick, the only option is to terminate it and replace with a disease-resistant variety. In other words, what the homeowner should have done in the first place.
No Air pockets, no girdling roots, no overdoing the mulch or crowding the root flare/crown with it, keep it upright and protect it from wild animals/children! I agree! But, I would also add that it's quite possible to find girdling roots deeper inside the root ball than he dug, that you almost cannot give it too much water as others have commented, that a little bit of Milorganite in with the roots of most trees wouldn't hurt, and my personal favorite/opinion: Nature's lawn and garden in Buffalo has Aerify plus or Nature's Magic that can't be beat as a bioactivator as long as there is WATER!!!!!!!!!😇😇😇
Bang on! He's totally right about removing grass over a wide area. Dr. Albert Howard is one,if not the best, pioneer in soil fertility and did many studies confirming this practice, especially with fruit bearing trees.
I'm planting 3 trees this weekend: Queen Anne cherry, Apricot, and 5 graft plum. Thank you so much!!
An updated version of this video done by a newer camera and microphone with a wind screen would be amazing! Thanks for the content!
Agreed. And better close ups of the hand-work area.
Great instructional video. 👍
The most important point is NOT planting too deeply - the tree will literally suffocate over time if this is done.
The rest of this video , especially the potion of cutting roots is debatable. The thought behind this is in creating a larger root mass, the tree shall become stronger over time. Have done this, as well as just teasing the roots - with great results.
I've been doing it all wrong. But no more thanks to you graciously sharing your knowledge.
It's been 11 years since this video, do you have access to the property to show us the progress of this tree?
Sir, this is an excellent video,so much goes into planting a tree properly. I had no idea,but it makes a big difference doing it the right way the first time.
Thank you for your time and experience.
Most accurate and comprehensive video I have seen. One extra piece of advise I would offer. Plant bare root trees. That way you get to spot any root defects up front. Container grown could have all sorts of internal root problems which coukd sabotage the tree later on.
I'm in Western Colorado at about 6,500 feet elevation, zones 5/6. It usually doesn't reach under 0F, but occasionally will touch -5F for a short couple of hours. This month I planted 7 fruit trees that are about 4ft tall, from #5 buckets. 3 apple (2 varieties), 2 identical plum, and 2 different peaches. They are all within 50' of each other. I bought these locally.
When I find them, I'm going to plant 4 more fruit trees, 2 of each pear and "fruit cocktail" trees (plum, nectarine, peach and apricot) within 20 feet of the first 7 trees.
I am concerned with proper pollination as this has been an issue in the past with my garden. I do what I can to attract more bees by putting sugar water in the yard that feeds the humming birds too. I'm wondering if the sugar water is counterproductive though...and distracts the bees instead 😆.
Two questions:
1. Why are some saying that pollination is best between two different varieties of apples, pears and plums? Why can't the trees be the same variety to pollinate each other?
2. I plan on keeping the trees under 10 feet tall, and making the young branches grow more horizontal than upward to make them bushy and easier to access. I've read this also makes the trees stronger and grow faster. And if necessary I can cover them easily on those abnormal deeper cold spells.
Have you experienced this, or tried any methods to make them grow outward, more horizontally?
Thanks!
Chris
If we tried all that root cutting in the hot humid deep south we'd be inviting fungal cankers into the roots system which would be a death sentence for the tree . We would also make a post hole or soil auger hole in the bottom of the hole about 24' inches deeper than the bottom of the hole and fill it with a 50-50% mix of soil and pine bark mulch.or gravel to allow tap root to grow down .The tree would rest on the bottom of the hole but the tap root hold would be there fro teh tap roost to grow down .It would also be a good idea to bury a vertical 24-36" pvc pipe for deep watering to encourage the tap root to grow down .His tree as shown would not survive a southern drought (if not killed by fungal canker ) .Im sure it fine for Pa. But not the deep south
Note that this tree was grafted. The graft stock was probably a rooted stem. Thus, all the roots grow out horizontally. There is no tap root on rooted grafting stock. Also, some trees do not grow tap roots. And if the tree is in a yard that gets fertilized, most of the roots will grow horizontally to get the nutrients. The problem with that is the tree will grow shallow rooted and the wind could eventually topple it over. I have used a pipe to pound holes in the ground outside the drip line and poured fertilizer down the hole to get the roots to grow out and down to get to it.
This video gives the best advice follow it.
@@doityourselflivinggardenin7986 I have noticed that seedlings grow much more vigorously than grafted trees but I never heard that grafted trees don't put down a tap root I just googled "do grafted trees put down tap roots ?" and I got no hits .Please provide me some links to article on te subject .Thanks
@@doityourselflivinggardenin7986 That is very interesting. Could you provide me with some links to university articles that state that "There is no tap root on rooted grafting stock. " Wouldn't that depend on the species of the tree the root stock was taken from? ....I know tree that grows from a seed sown in the ground will likely put down a deeper tap root than a root bound potted tree unless it hits a badly compacted layer and that if I use a soil auger to drill down 4-6 feet and fill the hole with a mix of pine bark mulch and soil then sow a tree seed over it the tap root will right grow down and if I put several such holes in the planting site an air root mulberry tree will grow 20 ft tall in one summer( see my video ua-cam.com/video/e90vJzPO0D4/v-deo.html )
@@rbbiefah I cannot point to the specific white papers you want to see. I have read numerous books, read articles and white papers on grafting, and watched UA-cam videos for many years. I also have anecdotal experience with rooting, grafting, seedlings, etc. If you want to see what I mean, simply purchase a bare root tree and look at the roots. Unless the root stock is a seedling and you work hard at keeping that tap-root if you transplant it, then the roots stock will probably have horizontal roots. The reason is simple, the side of a cutting is where the callus forms and then the root. Root stock are all rooted stems of some sort. Now if you want to make a project out of it, I imagine that you could select one root and train it to grow vertically downward for a tap root. However, I still don't think it would work really well if that root stock did not normally grow a tap root. The nutrients downward are not that great. In-fact, burying most root stocks too deep will kill some of them. I know because I purposely do it with some of my projects.
In some seedling trees, I have dug them up and the primary root (what you could call a tap root), will go down, then eventually angle sideways to get nutrients. That is not desirable because the roots will then be heavy on one side and lacking on the other, causing them to lean or topple later in life. Having the larger roots go outward like bicycle spokes is better.
Granted, there are some trees that do have a tap root when grown from a seed. I have seen them. They are generally forest type trees. But heck, even those will amass horizontal roots. You can see that when they topple over and a hole is left in its place.
Great video! Why do nurseries always bury them too deep into the pots?!?
Thank you very much for the advise and expertise. Respectfully suggest to improve the quality of the video. Thank you
This is clear and helpful. I m glad I just saw this bcz I needed a fruit tree in my backyard “abricotier”. Thx for this video
I have been a landscaper for over 20 years.
Definitely no need to clear such a large area.
Good rule of thumb ‘For a $2 tree dig a $4 hole’
Which means twice the diameter of root ball.
Then add mulch to smother sod. Some will come through. Just add more mulch 🎉
If you do decide to do the unnecessary extra work of removing sod, flip it over and use it as mulch. Then add more mulch!
There have been studies showing the immensely detrimental effect of turf and other competing plants on a newly planted tree's root development. Along with the solid advice in this video, to encourage wide and robust roots, it's a better rule of thumb to mulch 2-4" deep (no deeper) and at least out to the 'drip line' of the tree. The drip line being where the rain would drip off the canopy. As the tree grows this obviously extends, but for at least several years post-planting, this drip line rule is immensely helpful. Not to say it couldn't be done differently, it of course could, but the wide clearing shown in this video is definitely the ideal to aim for.
@@backgardenbotanic right. The sod should be killed. Point being (many years of actual experience here) digging the sod up is a waste of time and energy. It can easily be smoothed out in a plethora of different ways besides digging.
If one does decide to dig, they should flip sod over in place and let it break down.
I have found that a circular hole can cause roots to go round in that circle possibly causing the tree to keel over in later life due to root girdling. so I always dig a square hole, as roots rarely grow backwards out of a corner, And one of the corners of that square I to point towards the prevailing wind, so that one root becomes an anchor against that wind .
One other thing, I have also found, That a good mulch will kill off the sod, which makes extra food for the roots of the tree, so no need to remove the sod, occasionally I have dug the sod and turned it upside down to speed up the rotting process. RC.
Good advice for others to follow
Good idea to cut the circling roots off. An alternative to using the spade, is to use a saw and create a box form for the "root ball."
Fantastic
Best ever advice
I've been planting trees the wrong way for 50 years and always wondered why it was So hot and miss...
Thank you ☺️
Really appreciate this information. Thank you so much!! New to tree planting.
Superb video. Appears to have been filmed mid 90's but who cares, the information is bang on and in depth 👏
You demonstrated measuring the tree's root ball height to the proper girdle level. You should then demonstrate measuring the depth of the hole that is usually obtained by laying the shovel handle across the level surface and measure off of it to the bottom of the dug hole to get an accurate depth.
Planting some of our potted trees (started from covid in 2020) to a plot of land now in 2023. This 10 year old video has some really good information in it.
What if I moved into a new house with young trees planted 'below ground' and when exposing the root flare/buttresses you are 4-6 inches below ground? What do you do then?
Good video, definitely spot on with some important points, hole not deeper than root ball but plenty wider, wider is better, rough up roots to stop from growing in circular fashion, not fertilizing at the time of planting, fertilizer can be too “hot” and toxic for young roots and I’ve experienced plant loss that I believe was from fertilizer poisoning, etc.
A few tips I would offer:
1. Water! He literally didn’t water, the most important thing! When I get the tree to the site, I water it immediately while it’s still in the container. Travel can be stressful for a tree, of course, it should always be tarped before transporting it in a truck or trailer, and one would hope it was freshly watered coming from the nursery, but that’s not always the case…water first thing!
Then, once you’ve placed the tree in the location where it is to be planted, water! Watering before the tree is taken out of the container allows the tiny root hairs to absorb the water before they get broken off during planting. These root hairs are very small and break off very easily. They are what actually absorb the water, so water while these hairs are still intact so the tree has a chance to absorb the water before it has to regrow these hairs. The water will not only water the tree, but it will begin to dampen the area where the tree is to be planted, softening the soil and facilitating digging the hole. Better yet, thoroughly saturating the area the day before planting will benefit not only the tree, but the planter of the tree as well! If adequate rainfall has occurred, you’re already ahead of the game. But the difference between bone dry soil, and adequately moistened soil is night and day. Water!!
Next, after digging the hole, before even placing the tree in the hole, fill the hole with water! Let it soak in, and plant the tree while there is still water in the hole. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to get water down to the bottom of the hole where the roots will be absorbing it once the hole is back-filled. And that water you’ve put in the bottom of the hole will stay in the ground for an extended period providing moisture from the bottom up to the newly planted tree and helping it survive and encouraging the roots to grow deeper in search of that moisture.
Lastly, once the tree is back-filled, mulched, and staked…water!!! This watering connects the water in the bottom of the hole to the surface. Water is the most important thing!
2. Compost! I agree not to fertilize at the time of planting, but compost is not fertilizer! It is crucial! You only have one chance to add this very important amendment…at the time of planting! There are so many benefits and necessities to compost: it loosens soil to allow for good drainage and oxygen, it breaks up clay to allow for the absorption of water and nutrients, it provides a habitat for beneficial microbes, worms, mycelium, etc., it helps the roots grow through the loosened soil, it helps hold moisture making it available to the tree while it is establishing itself, and so on. Compost is crucial!! I like using a product in my area called “Leafgro”. It’s is basically composted leaves, very dark and rich, and a must for healthy, happy plantings!
3. I would recommend turning the soil a shovel deep over the entire area that is being mulched. This allows the entire area to absorb water and will make a big difference in the long run.
4. Trust in the miracle of life that is in the tree. Trees are incredibly resilient, and with proper care and love, will weather all kinds of harsh conditions and continue to be there for us to enjoy. Get “in tune” with your new tree, and don’t forget about it when summer comes, and it’s hot and dry, and your newly planted tree might be suffering and longing for a drink of water. Water!!❤
Good points GWR...especially on the watering. I have always taken great care to really water a newly planted tree, before and after planting, I have an old half wine barrel that still holds water and I fill it with water, then submerge the new tree(container an all in the barrel for a few hours before planting......unless the tree obviously has had plenty of water in the container, which usually is not the case.
On the hole......I have lived and planted trees my whole life(80 years) in some pretty bad soil/rocky or heavy clay and admit to digging holes deeper than the container sometimes, but I take precautions. We have to remember, the soil at nursery where the tree was grown IS NOT the same as the soil you are digging up to plant the tree....so why not amend slightly.
If my soil is bad, I dig deeper, then fill in with good topsoil. The precaution I take is watering that new topsoil in the bottom of the hole heavily, then letting it dry out and settle, and then tamping it down to minimize settling. This is done over a few days. Then when I do plant the tree, I always plant the tree a little high. I have never lost a tree I planted this way.
Another point, I always orient the branches of the tree in the hole to get them where they will grow to optimize shade and beauty. I would have turned Eric's tree about 90 degrees in the hole to have one of the larger branches parallel to the deck instead of point toward the deck.
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@@exnjute I totally agree exnjute, sometimes the soil is so bad, you have to give the tree something to grow in! I will add topsoil mixed with compost in some cases, but usually still lean on wider than deeper hole. I like your method of watering and tamping which will stave off settling, which I believe is the main reason for not digging too deep. Planting high to anticipate and allow for this is also a good practice. Anything to keep the tree from sitting and drowning in a water pit. And good point about orienting the tree at the time of planting. Another important consideration. Whatever it takes for the tree to grow and be as healthy as possible! And the results will not manifest until much later down the line, I have seen and had to deal with this first hand. You only have one chance to plant a tree right the first time! Thanks for all the trees you must have planted in your 80 years, you’ve made the world a better place!👍
So happy to see your post! For all the great tips in this vid, I was AGHAST that he didn't address any watering!
I always soak the trees in the pots and flood the holes - at least once - before planting, then soak the area again immediately after planting.
It's a critical step to welcoming the tree into the new terrain. ❤
@@wisedove7 yes, it’s really all about the water🙂. The compost helps absorb and hold the water, releasing it as the plant needs it over a longer period of time. The tree well is designed to capture the water and get it down to the roots, especially on a hill where you want to mound soil and mulch higher on the downhill side so the well is level at the base of the tree to maximize water collection and avoid runoff. The wider the tree well is, the better because it can capture more water and keep the water robbing grass away from the tree. And, of course, the mulch, which helps retain and hold in moisture. It also allows the water to penetrate the soil better preventing runoff. But it’s not always a do or die situation. It’s very possible to just dig a small hole and throw a tree in it and for it to survive and grow. Trees are incredibly resilient and nature always makes a way. But if you want a happy, healthy tree, the more care the better!🙂. And the more tree lovers the better too! Cheers!👍
@@TheArtisticGardener777 So true...and great tips for capturing water on a hill. My soil is extremely sandy, so amending at planting makes a huge difference for retaining water and nutrients while the tree gets established. That said, I always amend with 50% of the natural soil for backfill so the roots will be acclimated when they extend over time. Serious tree-plant-garden lover here! 😊💖🌻
I've heard when planting also plant a pipe that goes alil below the root line and water it thru this pipe so the roots search down for water instead of depending on surface water
Also, the 7 trees I planted are about 4 to 5' tall, and I assume they are about 2 years old. They were well-leafed and even had fruit growing on the peach trees (just 1 or 2 on both). Should I prune them after a couple to 4 weeks, or leave them alone for the first season?
I should remove the immature fruit and flowers right, this first year, for sure? Thanks!
I take a section of washing machine drain hose, it's flexible and a 1 1/4 " in diameter. I coil a loop around the bottom of my hole a little ways from the root ball. I drill plenty of holes in it that's below the surface, then have the end stick out of the ground a few inches. You can then put a water hose in the end of the hose and water straight to the roots.
Great valuable information. (Set playback speed to 1.5 to hurry things along.)
Lots of valuable tips well delivered. Thank you.
how do avoid roots from growing on the surface, causing havoc trying to mow? Thank you.
KNOWLEDGE. The gift that keeps on giving. Thanks.
Thank you for this most informative lesson on tree planting. As they say the cure for ignorance is knowledge acquisition 😁. Thank you very much. 🙏
I have been digging "deep and wide" for years. Thanks for the instruction.
I will be planting my 4 guavatrees, 2 apple trees and a peach tree in few days to come I will stick to your method of doing it. Thanks for the video.
I subbed because you opened with music from the Doors!🤘AND... he knows his stuff👍
Super Informative. One of the best on the topic
Arborists who refer to themselves as tree doctors sometimes have a cringe inducing pretentious know it all thing going on that does the profession no favors, but this is for sure a good video. It is possible to get great results with less root manipulation and removal. Also creating a planting mound, 3"- 4" above the surrounding grade and 4' wide can reduce the chances of ending up w/ a low root crown down the road. This will allow for initially mulching deeper with wood chips (maybe 4"- 6" above the surrounding grade). This won't direct water away from the planting site, it will help moderate soil temperature and moisture levels. A 6" layer does a better job of reducing the likelihood of soil compaction and weed germination, than a 3"-4" layer, and of course that layer won't stay 6" deep for long.
and now I have to go and replant my tree. Thank you.
Wow never knew this before. I will use this info when I plant my next tree.
10 yr old video, best info yet on planting trees, now i know why I lost a few trees, root flare too deep, tks
I'm also a retired landscaper. I was waiting to see him water but never did. I water as I'm going to get air bubbles out. I also add fish emulsion to the hole. If you wait til it's planted, to water, it's impossible to know if you've given it enough. I also have the root ball soaking in fish emulsion while I'm digging the hole.
Hi Paul, Question, do you add the fish emulsion as you are watering as you go?
Thanks
My grammar never used so much rules to plant a tree and she did very well... 😂
For pete's sake... every single individual successfully planting trees it's doing it differently. Every single one of them! This says a lot about planting...have some common sense and put that thing in the ground, cover it with dirt, add some water if the soil is too dry and mind your own business, the tree will settle just fine.
Need to show close up
of the root flare
Excellent information! Thanks so much for sharing.
Anything trees, love it. Brilliant video, thank you.
Thanks, there are some really good points in this video. Good job.
As an organic homesteader for over 50 years, I would like to add a couple more best practices I've learned. When you dig the hole, make sure the sides go straight down so that when the roots hit the undug compacted sides they don't go up the slope or circle around.
It also helps to use a thick layer of compost as the mulch. Trees rely on microbes and fungi to feed them. The tree trades sugars it makes from the sunlight for nutrients the microbes and mycelium fungi gather from the surrounding landscape. It is a crucial symbiotic relationship. It helps to gather some topsoil from a nearby forest because it contains the right ratio of microbes and fungi for trees - mix into the compost mulch. Using this method, no fertilizer will ever be needed and the tree will grow much faster.
A layer of woodchip mulch on top of the compost is helpful to control soil evaporation. The microbes and fungi need a moist environment or they die.
Thank you for this clear, concise and informative video. Just about to plant container grown apple tree that looks like it has been in the container for some time. It does make me wonder about the success of these, we planted a million trees to save the planet schemes though.
I really applaud you for planting all those trees. I too have planted a lot of trees here, there and everywhere. The World was designed with trees being enormously important to the overall health of our environments, for multitudinous reasons.
Climate change is a complete ho ax though.
Very helpful and informative video, thank you.
Thnx ! I hope your customers appreciate how lucky they are !
Please do a follow-up video I want to see the tree today
I have a dozen fruit trees in my backyard, one simple trick that really helps the trees and other plants grow.
Gather the fallen fruits put them in a mesh or screen of some sort and then into a bucket filled with water, let sit for a few days to a week, squeeze out all the water from the old fruit and pour the juicy water into whatever plant you want to grow.
I had a pomegranate tree that was sitting in it's little bag from the store for about 6 months, the poor plant was just a stick when I planted it, a week later with this trick and now it's full of leaves and thriving.
I have seen Redwood trees planted so close to the house it is crazy. WE grow lots of palms here so you can plant those anywhere. We have them right beside our home, never a problem
It’s now10 years later. Would be great to see how that tree looks now! Beautiful I’m sure.
I would like to see this tree again as it is now 10 years later.
One of the better planting videos I have seen. But you can get much better results (of course, this is a 11-year-old video). All that tamping and high staking and guidelines is unnecessary.
We use just below ground level non-treated pine stakes pressed-up against the firm part of the root-ball and hammered into the ground. No tripping over guidelines. No trunk girdling. The stakes can be left to rot in the ground.
We never mulch over the root ball. And mulch no more than 1" deep outside the root ball. I don't use watering mounds. All too often they become permanent parts of the landscape. Filling the planting hole with water every other day works great until rainfall/irrigation can take over.
Flagging the nursery tree where it receives the most sun and orientate your installation appropriately or south.
Does this work? On only 99% of the trees we plant.
Why is it that no-one ever mentions the paint mark that is in the trunk from the nurseries? I asked a nursery what the paint mark is all about. They explained to me that it indicates the shrub or tree that the paint mark points to the south. When planting your tree, make sure the paint mark points to the south. If you don't,, the tree is confused by its new orientation, and takes up to 3 years before it actually begins to grow properly. This makes sense to me cause you could imagine how confused you would be if one day the sun rose in the west!
That just change almost everything I knew about planting trees.
I definitely didn’t know all this for planting a tree correctly, I been doing it all wrong!