Planting tree Flashcards
Planting is key due to..
- Quality planting technique leads to successful establishment
- Establishment means survival and ‘normal’ growth and function
- Successful establishment means objectives can be met
Planting techniques differ althought they should depending on end use…
Planting care decreases as planting intensity increases
Planting must take into account a trees biological needs, an example of this is root development is impeded by…
Compaction
Insufficient volume
Oxygen deficiency
Too little moisture
While Biological requirements dont differ why do planting techniques differ
- Trees may survive irrespective of planting technique
- Cost of failure depends on cost of production
- Desire for greater rate of survival
- High establishment cost
What are the 6 steps for successful tree planting
Timing
selecting your tree
Transport
Sit prep
the planting hole
Planting the tree
Timing of tree planting is important because…
- Winter/early spring planting
- Best time for planting
- Generally high soil moisture
- Low atmospheric demand
- Time for roots to get established before increased atmospheric demand for water in late spring/summer
months - Deciduous trees are dormant
- No leaves/needles to transpire
- Evergreen trees may also be dormant
- Late autumn planting
- Acceptable time for planting
- Soil moisture can be low
- Atmospheric demand for water can remain high
- Soil remains warm allowing roots to establish, assuming trees are not yet in dormancy
- Bare root are more susceptible to issues relating to planting time
- No soil around rootball to buffer from desiccation
Transport and prep is important due to..
Wanting to minimise desiccation and wind load thus reducing breakage
- Keeping roots moist at all times
depends on production type - Keep air around crown humid
Keeping trees in shaded, sheltered
environment to minimise
transpiration - Period from digging tree up to
replanting should be as short as
possible for bare root - Less important for container and B&B
- Leaf-off period for deciduous trees,
cool/humid/still day (winter/
Branches ma be tied up to reduce breakage
Site prep
- Weeds should be eradicated before planting
- Competition for water and/or light stresses newly planted trees
- Includes any undesirable vegetation that will compete with trees
- Can occur days or weeks ahead of planting or even on the day
depending on eradication method - Soil amelioration may be undertaken
- De-compaction
- Introduction of organic matter
- Drainage
Weed eradication in a site
- Chemically
- Herbicides kill weeds/grasses
- Understand systemic v. non-systemic herbicides
- Transferred within plant to kill whole plant
- Understand selective v. non-selective herbicides
- Kills all types of vegetation
- Be aware of residual time
- Herbicide can remain active in soil, thereby affecting
tree planting - Mechanically
- Tilling
- Covering/Smothering
- Mulching or weed barrier
Planting depth
- Planting depth is important
- Trunk flare should be visible above ground
- Promote a spreading, lateral root system to
optimise nutrient/water uptake and provide
stability
Transplant shock
- Newly planted trees are susceptible to transplant shock
- Lack of above ground growth, while root:shoot ratio is re-balanced
- 10 cm DBH tree can take 5 years to regrow root system
- Post-planting maintenance can minimise shock and maximise establishment success
Post-Planting Maintenance
Newly planted trees are sensitive to stresses
Protecting roots and above-ground components is key to
minimising stress
Maintenance differs depending on land use
* Typically level of maintenance increases with cost of
producing and planting
Tree Maintance blanking
- Where tree plantings have
failed, replacing to fill gaps
may be desirable - Scale of failure is important
- Blanking large areas of failure is
conducted in plantation forestry - Blanking single tree failure is
conducted in urban forestry - Determine likely cause of
mortality
Staking (used for urban)
- Do not stake unless strong winds expected
- Stakes must be outside of planting hole undisturbed soil
- Appropriate choice of fastener/straps
- Positioned at 1/3 of height of tree
- Stem movement forms reaction wood (normal taper) and stimulates root growth
- Always remove after 1 – 2 years
Mulching (urban and restoration)
Urban: * Mulching limits soil water evaporation, protects trees from mechanical damage, introduces organic matter into soil
Restoration: * Limit competition from weeds/grass
* Can be widespread or around individual trees
