| bottom-link"> | | | | in" a vacant flower bed where it may be kept |
| In planting or transplanting a tree, and in building on | | | | before planting as long as dormant. This means |
| a lot where you wish to preserve the trees, the | | | | laying it on its side and covering the roots with |
| gardener's chief consideration must be to protect | | | | good soil. When you take it from the soil, give it a |
| the root structure of the tree. The big roots near | | | | mud bath or "puddle" it. |
| the stem anchor the tree to the ground, while the | | | | Puddling protects the roots from exposure to air |
| fine root hairs at the ends of the rootlets absorb | | | | before planting and also from any air pockets |
| the water from the soil. | | | | which may exist after planting. Having filled the |
| In planting trees, their mature height and spread | | | | hole to the depth required by the roots of the |
| must be considered before a selection is made. | | | | plant, flood it with water to settle the soil at the |
| Tempting as are the nursery catalogs, it is | | | | bottom; when this has drained away, place the |
| necessary to choose carefully, especially on the | | | | tree in the position in which it is to grow and |
| average lot, because crowding spoils the growth | | | | settle the soil about it. |
| and appearance of trees, particularly specimen | | | | Use a stick or shovel handle to work the soil |
| trees. | | | | around the roots, and make cer tain there are no |
| In general, it is wisest and most economical to | | | | air pockets. Spread the roots out naturally, |
| plant young trees. Planting a mature tree is | | | | planting the tree at about the same depth as in |
| difficult and, if done professionally, costly. If, | | | | the nursery or its former location. When the hole |
| however, a mature tree is badly needed for a | | | | is two-thirds full, trample it down and again fill with |
| terrace or for screening, it may well justify the | | | | water. Don't firm down the remaining soil, so that |
| expense. What you are buying is the time it takes | | | | the water will drain towards the trunk. |
| a smaller tree to mature. | | | | A balled-and-burlapped tree is one dug with a solid |
| Today you can plant trees when in full leaf with | | | | ball of rich, heavy loam in which it has been |
| the aid of new wilt-proof sprays that seal the | | | | growing in the nursery for years, its root system |
| leaves against moisture loss until the roots are | | | | thus amply covered and protected. The ball is |
| established. This, however, costs money and | | | | firmed and held in place by a secure covering of |
| entails greater risks than buying your tree and | | | | twine and burlap. |
| planting it in early spring( the best time) or late fall | | | | To plant it, set the tree in a hole a trifle lower |
| or winter. | | | | than it stood in the nursery. Work the soil |
| If you are planting a tree over 6 feet tall, it will | | | | beneath this depth, as directed above. Dig the |
| suffer less setback if moved with a bur-lapped | | | | hole about twice the size of your ball and plant at |
| root ball. The soil preparation described in the | | | | once. If the ground is dry at planting time, fill the |
| previous chapter is helpful for most tree and | | | | hole with water and let it soak away before |
| shrub planting. But since the root system must | | | | planting. |
| have fertile soil when it is planted, special steps | | | | Cut the burlap at the top when you put the ball in |
| must be taken. | | | | place, rolling it back 3 or 4 inches. Plant ball, burlap |
| Dig a hole 2 feet deep and at least 1 foot wider | | | | and allthe burlap will soon rot away. If you are |
| each way than the full spread of the roots. The | | | | planting a big tree, it is transported in a truck, |
| bottom of the hole should be broken up with a | | | | lowered to the ground by winches, rolled along a |
| pitchfork and thoroughly mixed with peat, leaf | | | | plank track on rollers and maneuvered into the |
| mold, loam, etc. Manure should be used sparingly | | | | exact center of the hole on a single board. |
| and only on the top of the hole as it burns the | | | | A holding rope from the truck to the base of the |
| roots. | | | | tree trunk helps to position the tree. After the |
| The deeper you can cultivate your hole, the | | | | tree is planted, cutting back is proper. Cut back |
| better for your tree. Once it is planted, you can | | | | sharply at least one-third, pruning the branches. It |
| cultivate around it but not under the roots. If you | | | | is necessary to brace the tree with wire ropes so |
| strike a subsoil of building rubble or clay, which | | | | that the roots will not be broken by the wind. |
| you are very apt to find anywhere near a house | | | | Use a single wire around the trunk and three guy |
| and in which a tree cannot grow, this subsoil must | | | | wires. For the first year after planting, the more |
| be removed and good soil, or better still, garden | | | | cultivation the better Keep weeds away, too, with |
| humus, substituted for it. | | | | straw or mulch, and strawy manure mulch in the |
| If you are planting a seedling that is not balled and | | | | spring and fall will help keep the moisture in the |
| burlapped, you will want to protect it by "heeling | | | | ground. |