Planting Trees- Reader's Choice
Springtime in Kansas is the best. Grass is growing, flowers are blooming, and leaves are growing back on the trees. This is also the perfect time to add some appeal to the outside of your home (not to mention the environmental benefits!) by planting a tree or two! Trees can take many years to reach their full maturity, but they still have lots of great benefits to offer, even before you plant it!
Picking a particular species of tree is the hardest part! The first choice you need to make is deciding if you want a fruit bearing tree. Some people want them for the obvious, fruit!! We live in Climate Zone 6, and therefore we can grown a wide variety of trees (fruit bearing or not!). Some good varieties include plum, Bartlett pear, Fiji apple, and many others. Going to your local nursery will help you finalize your fruit tree selection. (meaning- I am not an expert, but they are and will help you finalize your selection) If you are not wanting fruit, your choices are still wide open. You can choose trees that work well with wind breaks on the farm such as evergreens or holly trees. If you wanting something more "traditional," Oak, Maple, Cottonwood, Elm and many others are the way to go. Another good place to go for advice on which trees to plant is your county extension agent's office.
Once you have selected your new tree, the next thing to do is plant it! When selecting a spot, there are several factors to keep in mind. Make sure that the site you are selecting is not too close to the foundation of your house, otherwise you potentially could have problems in the years to come. For that matter, make sure you are not interfering with any utilities that may be buried underground (water, gas, electrical, sewer, phone, ect.). Contact Kansas One Call, and your local utility provider will come out for free and mark where your utilities are with spray paint, so you will not hit anything while digging or plant your tree too close to said utilities. After this is done, the last thing to consider is the amount of drainage the site will have. Make sure that the site that you have has good drainage, so you do not over saturate your roots with water.
Now you get to start actually planting your new tree!! First, dig the hole in your chosen spot. Be sure that it is twice the width of the container the roots were shipped to the nursery in. The depth of the hole needs to be a few inches deeper than the shipping container the roots are in. It is a good idea to have some loose soil in the bottom of the hold (use a pitch fork to loosen the soil) and spread some finished compost in the bottom of the hole (see March 2009 Green Tip of the Month to learn about composting). Next, remove the wrappings around the roots (especially if its plastic). Once removed, try to hand loosen some of the roots. Be especially careful when you do this, so you do not rip off some of the roots that are trying to grow. Place the tree into the ground, and make sure that the tree is straight up and down from several angles. Do this to ensure that your tree will grow straight, otherwise you could end up with a crooked tree!! Fill the hole with some dirt, and pack it with your foot. Make it the level of the rest of the ground, so you do not have standing water in your hole.
Next, get a bag of mulch and place it around your tree in a volcano-type shape (gradually climbing up about 3-4 inches) and water it with the garden hose for about 10-13 minutes or so, about half-speed (not full blast!). Finally, stake in your tree. You can use T posts, wooden stakes, or anything else that can withstand weather. Put one stake on each side of the tree, and secure it with straps that are tree friendly and are not tied too tightly, because it will inhibit growth of the tree.
Be sure that you have all of the right supplies to finish the job. Necessary tools include shovels (don't forget for the kids!), garden hose and nozzle, t-post stakes, and gloves. We have all of these essential tools in stock, so stop in today and pick them up today...because you are creating a memory to last for generations!
Planting a tree is a very enriching and rewarding experience, one that you will look on for many years from now. This can also be a great and memorable activity for all members of your family. Happy Tree Planting!!
