By Catherine Fontenot

LTEC 3220

11/29/2011

How to Plant a Ball and Burlap Tree

Preparations for your tree

The tools you will need for the job

Planting a ball and burlap tree

References

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Decide which hardiness zone you are inChoose the correct location for your treeDetermining a healthy treeCheck to make sure you have all the correct

toolsWhat time of the year to plant your treeDigging in poorly drained soilInstructions on how to plant your tree

Preparations for your tree

Before you buy your tree you must figure out which plant hardiness zone you live in.

Choosing the wrong zone could mean that your tree will not survive.

(USDA Hardiness Zone photo)

http://www.treelink.org/docs/zonemap.phtml

Decide which hardiness zone you are in

When choosing the location for your tree, you will have to take into consideration…Climate and soil

According to tree-planting.com you should “make sure that the tree species you are considering can flourish in your local climate and soil conditions (designated hardiness zone).”

DrainageThe trees should be planted in a well drained area. There

shouldn’t be any standing or stagnant water left around the tree. This could cause root rot.

Consider the area where you are planting your treeYou will need to make sure that the tree that you are planting

is a fair distance away from power lines, sidewalks, streets and buildings. Roots that grow above the ground could cause problems with sidewalks, foundations and streets. Planting to close to power lines could become a fire hazard.

Choosing the correct location for your tree

The best time to plant a tree would have to be in the fall or early spring. Typically you wouldn’t want to plant a tree in the summer or winter because the extreme weather can cause the plant to stress resulting in the death of the tree. Planting a tree in either the spring or fall will give the roots time to acclimatize and stabilize before they’re put under any stress from the weather.

The right time of year to plant a tree

1. Look at the container If the container that the tree is in is to

small for the tree, then this could indicate that the tree has become pot bound. (too many roots for the pot to handle)

2. Look at the foliage Good foliage and spacing will generally

mean that a tree is healthy

3. The trunk The trunk should not have a forked trunk

and there should only be one central leading shoot. The bark should not be damaged either.

Determining a healthy tree

A pointed shovelA pair of gardening glovesA cultivatorStrapsPruning shearsLoppersA hand shovelGarden rakes

The tools you will need for the job

Pointed Shovel

The pointed shovel will help you to dig the proper hole that you will need for the tree.

Shovel.jpeg © Cathy Fontenot. Used with permission

You will need a hand held cultivator to help loosen the root ball of the tree.

cultivator.jpeg © Cathy Fontenot. Used with permission

Cultivator

Pruning shearsUse pruning shears to

trim off any broken or unwanted tree limbs.

Prunning_shears.jpeg © Cathy Fontenot. Used with permission

Depending on the size of the tree you are planting, loppers might be useful to trim off any unwanted or broken tree limbs.

Image Source Page: http://www.gardentoolcompany.com/products/Felco-Loppers-%252d-Solid-Handle.html

Loppers

Gardening glovesGloves will help protect

your hands from the branches and help with the reductions of blisters.

gloves.jpeg © Cathy Fontenot. Used with permission

After you have planted the tree and backfilled the hole, use a garden rake to even out the dirt and/or mulch.

Garden_rake.jpeg © Cathy Fontenot. Used with permission

Garden rakes

Straps Depending on the size of

the tree that you are planting, straps will come in handy to help keep a larger size tree stay straight while you are filling in the hole.

Tie_downs.jpeg © Cathy Fontenot. Used with permission

Hand shovels can be used to dig holes that will be used for little sapling trees. They can also be used to even out the dirt that has been backfilled.

Hand_shovel.jpeg © Cathy Fontenot. Used with permission

Hand shovels

According to Watershed Activities to Encourage Restoration “A ball and burlap tree is a tree that has been grown past a seedling size (greater than three feet in height) to a sapling (a tree with a trunk diameter at chest level of less than 5 inches) or tree size. At this point, the tree has reached a sufficient size so that it is planted with its roots and the surrounding ball of soil wrapped in burlap and reinforced with a rope or a wire basket.  This is necessary to protect the fine roots that are easily damaged when exposed to air.”

Planting a ball and burlap tree

If you are digging in a poorly drained area you will want to avoid ‘glazing’. “Glazing occurs when the sides and bottom of a hole become smoothed forming a barrier, through which water has difficulty passing. To break up the glaze, use a fork to work the bottom and drag the points along the sides of the completed hole. Also, raising the bottom of the hole slightly higher than the surrounding area. This allows water to disperse, reducing the possibility of water pooling in the planting zone.”

http://www.treehelp.com/howto/howto-plant-a-tree.asp

Digging in poorly drained soil

1. Mark the spot where you want to plant your tree.

2. Measure the height of the root ball by standing the tree upright. Then measure from the ground to the loosened top of the root flare.

Instructions for planting a ball and burlap tree

Digging the hole for the ball and burlap tree

3. The hole for the tree should be deep enough so that you will have only two (2) inches of the root flare (the base of trunk that swells out to become the roots that enter the soil). The diameter of the hole should be 2-3 times wider than the root ball.

http://www.fallrivertrees.org/06DurfeeTreePlantingE.jpg

cont. instructions for ball and burlap tree

The hole diameter is 2-3 times larger than the root ball.

Root ball

Planting the tree

4. Carefully position the tree in the middle of the hole. Have someone hold the tree while you take a few steps back to make sure the tree is standing up straight.

Image Source Page: http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/01/27/planting-a-plum-tree/

cont. instructions for ball and burlap tree

4. Once the tree is in the correct position, start backfilling the hole. Make sure that you don’t cover up the top two (2) inches of the root flare.

Image Source Page: http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2009/08/17/st-paul-trees-are-choking-themselves-death.html

cont. instructions for ball and burlap tree

Root flare

6. After the tree has been planted and the hole backfilled, spread approximately three (3) inches of mulch around the tree and exposed dirt. This will help keep moisture in the soil. When spreading the mulch around the tree, try to keep it away from the tree trunk. Mulch that is right next to the trunk could cause trunk rot.

http://www.dyg.ie/forum/how-plant-tree-short-version

cont. instructions for ball and burlap tree

7. Make sure that the tree gets plenty of water. You will want to give the tree a regular deep soaking. Ideally they should be watered every other day for their first growing season.

cont. instructions for ball and burlap tree

http://www.treehelp.com/howto/howto-plant-a-tree.asp

http://www.dyg.ie/forum/how-plant-tree-short-version

http://www.fallrivertrees.org/06DurfeeTreePlantingE.jpg

http://www.treelink.org/docs/zonemap.phtml

http://www.gardentoolcompany.com/products/Felco-Loppers-%252d-Solid-Handle.html

http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/01/27/planting-a-plum-tree/

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2009/08/17/st-paul-trees-are-choking-themselves-death.html

References