Archive Tip of the Week
TIP OF THE WEEK
JUNE 8, 2009
Shake, Don’t Stake Your Trees
When will they ever learn? They, in this case, are landscape contractors. And what many of them never seem to learn is how to plant a tree (or how to prune them, or how to set an automatic sprinkler system properly, or how to mow a lawn, etc. But I’ll save those topics for later.)
Case in point: The pictures you see here are of a recently planted oak tree, one of several that were planted as part of a hotel landscape makeover. I didn’t actually see the planting process, but if the finishing touches are any indication, it probably wasn’t done right either.
First, the mulch issue. The volcano approach taken here is one of the worst things you can do to a tree. It also looks really stupid. The mulch, which extends up the trunk nearly a foot, sets the stage for rot, especially if the mulch stays moist. And since a newly planted tree needs to be water regularly, the mulch will almost certainly stay moist. The proper method would be to spread the mulch out and away from the base of the trunk to a depth of three to four inches
Now let’s review the staking method. It looks slick, but the trunk is so rigid as a result of the three stakes and the wiring technique used that it can’t sway in the wind. Truth is, I never stake trees unless they’re large bare-root ones, and even then I remove the stake or stakes after the first year. (And don’t forget, I live in the middle of tornado alley.) Research has shown quite clearly that unstaked trees that are allowed to sway in the wind develop stronger trunks. (Research has also shown that spanking tree trunks will make them stronger. I just thought I’d throw that in for those of you who are into spanking.)
So by all means, plant a tree. But don’t do it the way these clowns did.
Judging from the width of the mulch applied, the planting hole is way too small as well. Remember, the width of the planting hole should be roughly three times the diameter of the rootball, and the hole itself should be saucer shaped. I couldn’t tell if the rootball was planted too deeply, but my guess is it was. I always leave a quarter to a third of the rootball exposed, that is above grade, and I suggest you do likewise. It’s like I’ve always said – you want to plant the tree, not bury it!
