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Planting Trees and Shrubs

Whether bare-rooted, balled, burlapped, canned, or potted, take good care of the trees and shrubs you buy for home landscaping.

Nursery stock comes packaged in four ways. You can buy some plants with no soil on the roots. Others have a soil ball around the roots which is wrapped in burlap. Some are sold in plastic or metal containers. Still other plants grown in the field are transferred to papier maché pots before sale.

Bare-rooted stock is usually cheaper. It is normally available only during April and early May.

Soak the roots of bare-root stock overnight or up to 12 hours before planting in a dilute solution of water soluble fertilizer. If you cannot plant immediately, store the stock in a cool place out of sunlight and wind.

Larger plants, including most evergreens, are usually balled and burlapped. You can plant them either in early spring, from April through June, or in fall from late August into October.

Water and keep balled and burlapped stock in a sheltered location. Keep the soil ball damp. To plant, leave the burlap around the roots, but untie the twine. Twine left tied around the stem could girdle the growing plant later.

You can plant container-grown and potted plants anytime the ground is not frozen. They take the shock of transplanting much better than others. If you do not plant them immediately, however, water and fertilize them regularly. After you remove the plant from the pot, disturb the root system by cutting and fraying it with your fingers. This encourages root development in the planting site soil.

Make the planting hole one foot wider than the plant's root system. Plant the stock as close to the original nursery depth as possible. Setting the plant too deep could kill it.

Set the plant in the hole and place the backfill soil around the plant roots. Water liberally to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Do not step on the soil to pack it down. This could harm the roots and overly compact a heavy soil.

Do not place fertilizer directly into the planting hole, unless it is the slow release type in premeasured packets or pill form. Water-soluble starter fertilizers are available; you can apply them immediately after you plant.

Put mulch over the plant's roots to help keep moisture in the soil and control weeds. Mulch also moderates temperature extremes in the soil, which could harm growing roots.

Give the new plant a deep soaking once a week for at least the first growing season.

For future reference, you may want to obtain a copy of Extension bulletin H-531, "Planting Trees and Shrubs," which is available from your county office of the NDSU Extension Service.

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