I picked up some fruit trees and dunstan chestnuts on sale. I plan to get them in the ground this week. They seem in good shape. I will probably only be able to get to them once a week for watering over the summer, if that. Come August if we hit a dry spell and they are still doing OK I will get up there as often as need be. I got some miracle grow garden soil to plant them in. Otherwise any suggestions will would be appreciated on things I can do on the front end to beat the late planting odds.
planting potted trees mid-summer
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AllOutdoors
Well-Known Member
I always have the best luck planting in the fall. But your plan is valid. As long as you can water like you said. When it's dry be sure they get water long and slow. A bucket with a small hole to water through should accomplish this. Also don't forget tree tubes. They will keep the bucks from rubbing them and stop the girdling. Keep the weeds away from the root ball and drip line as well. Seems like a lot but it will be worth it in the end. Good luck. Hope this helps.
Hunter 257W
Well-Known Member
In addition to what AllOutdoors said above, I have seen drastic improvements in survival rate of trees by using the water retention pellets mixed in the dirt when planting. I wouldn't think of planting a tree in a remote place this time of year without it.
I have always used Moisture Mizer brand, which I order from The Wildlife Group. They sell 1 lb for $12 and that will easily plant several dozen trees. I bought a 5lb bag and have planted about four hundred trees and still have over half the bag left.
http://www.wildlifegroup.com/
In use, I'd wet the outside of the dirt/root ball and sprinkle about a large tablespoon full of the pellets onto the dirt/root ball so that they stick to it. The pellets need to be against the end of the roots.
I have always used Moisture Mizer brand, which I order from The Wildlife Group. They sell 1 lb for $12 and that will easily plant several dozen trees. I bought a 5lb bag and have planted about four hundred trees and still have over half the bag left.
http://www.wildlifegroup.com/
In use, I'd wet the outside of the dirt/root ball and sprinkle about a large tablespoon full of the pellets onto the dirt/root ball so that they stick to it. The pellets need to be against the end of the roots.
treefarmer
Well-Known Member
Place a heap of mulch around it but not touching the tree. Mulch will bind to the soil so water goes into the soil. I like the 5-gallon bucket with small hole idea.
Thanks for the tips. I was looking into the water crystals and the only that I can find local are mixed in with miracal grow garden soil. Because I am planting tomorrow, no time to order. I guess that should work just as well.
For mulch, I have 3 options on hand: a several year old pile of wood chips, some round bales of hay that's many years old, and a pile of logging debris from 2 months ago....mostly pine needles and chips. I think I will go with the hay.
The one thing I am unsure of his pruning the trees so I can get 5' tree tubes on them, or cage them. Post of the information I see says prune and tube.
For mulch, I have 3 options on hand: a several year old pile of wood chips, some round bales of hay that's many years old, and a pile of logging debris from 2 months ago....mostly pine needles and chips. I think I will go with the hay.
The one thing I am unsure of his pruning the trees so I can get 5' tree tubes on them, or cage them. Post of the information I see says prune and tube.
treefarmer
Well-Known Member
Most any woody/grassy material will work for mulch. I used bark that I pulled off old firewood and it has worked surprisingly well. More is better.
I would cage them to keep deer and other animals off them...........3 or 4 stakes and Hog wire or chicken wire........lots of water...
I got 15 trees in the ground today....overdid it on myself a bit in the process. The 9 chesnuts I got into 5' tree tubes. I planted them near a huge chinese chestnut I discovered on the property a year ago. Thousands of hulls but the nuts don't develop because there is no tree to pollinate it. That's why I am eager to get the chestnuts in the ground. They just finished logging the place in May so I couldn't get them in when I wanted to. I am eager see how they turn out.
The fruit trees I planted in existing tree plots. I did not get a chance to cage them yet. I did notice japanese beetles all over my fruit trees eating the leaves. Should be plenty of rain for the next week. Hopefully most of them make it.
The fruit trees I planted in existing tree plots. I did not get a chance to cage them yet. I did notice japanese beetles all over my fruit trees eating the leaves. Should be plenty of rain for the next week. Hopefully most of them make it.
I went back and checked these trees yesterday a week after planting. I removed the tubes from the chestnuts and pruned branches so that they are just a central leader, and replaced tube. I pruned the fruit trees down to a central leader and tubed. We will see how they turn out as the summer progress. Plenty of rain so far.
Definitely cage them. Planted 15 pear and apple trees here back in the spring and even with them being caged with field fence the deer were eating the leaves and a few tree tops. Had to go back and run mesh around the cages.
And mulching helps too, clipped grass works fine.
And mulching helps too, clipped grass works fine.
