Spring Into Action for Earth Day!
How to Plant Trees and Shrubs
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Welcome to “The Sunny Side” where we’ll chat about all things homesteading! My name is Liz Threlkeld and I have been homesteading with my family in small forms or large fashions for most of my life. From growing gardens to DIY projects, to cooking and preserving, to raising and processing our own meat animals, we’ve learned a thing or two along the way. I’m excited to get to share some of this life with you. Ready? Let’s grow!
Homesteading as a Mindset
Happy spring, Y’all!
Let’s jump right in! Spring and fall are ideal for planting larger flora, as summer's heat requires established roots for water uptake, and winter's freeze makes soil water inaccessible. Moderate temperatures benefit both the planter and the planted.
Ponder…
Begin with the end in mind. Consider things like:
● How tall and wide will this end up being above and below ground - think overhead and underground power/utility lines, in-ground gardens, etc.
● Does this plant produce an allelopathic compound, produced by a plant to stunt the growth of another plant?
● Does it drop seeds, fruit, leaves, or shade?
● How much sunlight/drainage does it require?
PAUSE!
Don’t forget this next critical step! Dial 811 from any phone, or go online, and put in a FREE utility line locate request. It is required by law in every state before digging, even on privately owned property. Digging without contacting 811 can create a dangerous, life-threatening situation, result in personal fines from the utility companies and/or neighbors, or cause an outage to essential utility services for yourself and/or others.
Dig…
Dig the hole 2½ – 3 times wider than, and to the depth of, your root ball (the roots plus all the dirt it’s clinging to). If your soil is very dry, fill the hole with water and let the earth absorb it all. Place the plant into the hole with the place where the roots meet the stem being just above the ground by an inch. Backfill the hole with the original soil that was taken out of the hole. Now isn’t the time to fertilize because it can actually discourage the roots from branching out into the surrounding soil, causing root burn on the tender new root shoots.
You will likely have excess dirt. Use that to build a levy around it. This creates a barrier that holds water until it can be absorbed directly on top of the root system.
Mulch…
Mulching is a great way to bump up the probability of success for your plant. It will prevent water loss by preventing evaporation and prevent nutrition competition from weeds. Pile mulch 2-4 inches high and the same width or a smidge bigger than your hole was.
Stake…
Staking’s main purpose is to stabilize the root ball from being jarred by the wind. Drive it into the ground about 1 – 1.5 ft. You can use more stakes for bigger plants. Place the stakes equidistant on the outside of the hole. Use something thick that has some give to it to loosely tie around the stake and the trunk. The tie should be slack at all times unless being stretched by the plant from the wind. Stakes for up to 1-3 years. If left too long, they can hinder growth and weaken the tree’s ability to protect itself against the winds.
Water…
Watering is essential for a newly planted tree/shrub! Your plant should get 2-3 gallons of water/inch of trunk width at a rate of 2-3 times per week for at least the first year or two! You want the soil around your entire root ball to stay moist – not water logged – that first year. This will not only help the plant grow, but it will also keep the soil pliable enough for the roots to spread out and move through.
Wait…
My first gardening mentor told me: “The first year it sleeps. The second year it creeps. The third year it leaps!” Every day is Earth Day, Friends! What will you plant this spring? I’m ROOTing for you!
Liz Threlkeld
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