Trees and Shrubs
Planting trees and shrubs is an excellent way to reduce
maintenance demands, provide forage and cover for wildlife, control erosion and
stabilize streambanks; and to develop a future timber resource. The following
information will help you determine what to plant, prepare a site for planting,
order and care for seedlings, learn proper planting methods, and maintain new
plantings.
Deciding What to Plant
Bareroot seedlings are trees and shrubs that have
been grown from seed in a nursery bed and lifted out after one or two growing
seasons. They are shipped and planted without any soil around the roots. Older
and larger trees and shrubs must be potted or balled in burlap. Unless you are
considering planting just a few trees or shrubs, the cost and labor demands
associated with potted or balled trees and shrubs far exceeds that of bareroot
seedlings. In some instances directly planting seeds is an option, but seed
sources are hard to find and the germination requirements for tree and shrub
seeds is highly variable. So when deciding what species of trees and shrubs to
plant you should most likely be considering bareroot seedlings.
There are so many species of native tree and shrub
seedlings that can be planted for wildlife that deciding what to plant can be
overwhelming. However, you can narrow down the search by eliminating species
that are not commercially available or that may be so rare and hard to get that
they are not economical for most purposes. Before any final decisions on
planting are made, you should contact your seedling sources (see Ordering and
Caring for Seedlings below) to see what is in stock. Due to variable weather
conditions and consumer demands, many nurseries will not have everything that is
advertised in stock.
When selecting species that are desirable for your tree
planting objectives it is also important to choose tree and shrub species that
are suited to the soil type and growing conditions for your planting site. For
example, if you are interested in planting pines, white pine may be the most
desirable tree for your objectives because of its hardiness, fast growth, and
form. However, loblolly pine is better suited to poorly drained soils and
Virginia pine is better suited to shallow and excessively dry soils. Table 1
provides some useful information for selecting tree and shrub species based on
your planting objectives and soil characteristics. Keep in mind that topography
will greatly influence local growing conditions, north and east facing slopes
generally hold more moisture and have deeper soils than south and west facing
slopes which tend to be droughty and have shallower soils. Before making final
species selections, you may also want to consult with your local resource
professionals.
Preparing A Site For Planting
Site preparation is an important factor to consider
in tree planting and should be planned well before you intend to plant your tree
or shrub seedlings. Controlling the existing vegetation on your planting site
will generally improve seedling establishment and vigor, and in some situations
may be necessary for survival. Generally, on good growing sites such as rich
bottomlands or gently sloping upland sites with deep, well drained, silty loam
soils, site preparation is a necessity. The lush weedy growth or dense sod on
these sites will choke out all but the hardiest seedlings. On poorer growing
sites, particularly if pine is planted, plant competition is usually not as
severe, and the faster growing pines can often overcome it with little or no
help. As a rule of thumb, hardwoods are generally more sensitive to plant
competition than pines, so regardless of site conditions some type of site
preparation should be considered when planting hardwoods.
Preparing a site for tree and shrub planting can be
accomplished in a variety of ways. The two primary methods are conventional
tillage and the use of herbicides. A herbicide treatment or spraying is suitable
for any area, but strongly recommended on any slopes with high erosion
potential. The advantages of spraying include less time from the landowner and
minimal problems with soil erosion. You can also contract with a local farm
store or a local farmer to have spraying done. On areas where topography is mild
and the threat of soil erosion is not a concern, conventional tillage can be an
effective means of site preparation. This involves either fall or spring plowing
and disking*, or rototilling, to prepare the site. For a detailed description of
site preparation using herbicides and conventional tillage please see the
Habitat How-To titled "Fescue Eradication"*.
Ordering and Caring for Seedlings
Tree and shrub seedlings can be ordered from a number of
state run and private nurseries. The Kentucky Division of Forestry operates two
nurseries where a variety of low-cost
seedlings are grown for tree and shrub planting projects
in the state. Order blanks may be obtained from district offices, County
Extension offices, and County Farm Service Agency offices. Listed below is
contact information on some reputable nurseries that sell bareroot tree and
shrub seedlings.
The lack of proper care given to planting stock is a major
cause of seedling mortality. You should inspect your seedlings when they arrive.
Check to see if your order was correct and examine the roots to see if they are
moist. If the roots are dry to the touch and powdery you should contact the
nursery you purchased them from and inquire about replacements. If only moderate
drying has occurred and you intend to store your seedlings for several days,
adding a little water to the package is recommended. Seedlings should be stored
at a temperature of about 40-45 degrees prior to planting. Temperatures above
about 60 degrees can affect survival and growth. However, do not leave the
seedlings where freezing is likely.
If you need to store seedling for more than 10-14 days,
either place them in a cooler or refrigerator at 40-45 degrees or
"heel" them in the ground. To heel in seedlings, dig a trench deep
enough for the roots to fit without bending. Gently separate the bundles, place
the seedlings in the trench, cover with soil to just slightly above the depth
they were planted in the nursery, and firm up the loose soil with your feet. If
watered regularly, seedlings can be kept in this manner for up to a year.
However, be careful about waiting until seedlings leaf out to plant them.
Seedlings should be planted while they are still dormant. Do not keep the
seedlings in a bucket of water. This will wash off valuable particles of soil
attached to root hairs and may eventually "drown" the seedlings and
kill your planting stock.
Planting Dates
Trees and shrubs should be planted during the
dormant season, which occurs after hardwoods have lost their leaves in the fall
and before they begin to grow in the spring. The dormant planting season will
vary from year to year depending on weather conditions. Spring planting is
generally the recommended time to plant tree and shrub seedlings. Fall planting
is acceptable, but there are some disadvantages. Freezing during the winter
months may cause a winter kill on some seedlings and frost-heaving (freezing and
thawing of the soil that can work seedlings loose) can be a serious problem for
seedlings planted on bare ground or fine-textured soils.
Spacing
No spacing recommendation can be considered optimum
for all species in every situation. However, there are some generalizations that
can be made. Table 3 gives the number of trees per acre for variety of common
spacings.
There are several factors that can influence your decision
on spacing. Do not plant on a spacing that is too narrow for your equipment.
Shrub rows and cover thickets* are generally planted on a much closer spacing
than whole field plantings. Most shrub and cover thicket plantings should be
less than 6 feet apart. Whole field plantings of pines or hardwood trees are
generally not planted closer than 9 feet apart. Three hundred to 500 trees per
acre in a reforestation project is usually considered adequate.
Planting Methods
Bareroot tree and shrub seedlings can be planted by
hand or with a planting machine. In either case it is extremely important to
make sure that 1) seedlings are planted at the same depth they were planted in
the nursery; 2) the soil is firmly packed around the seedlings and there are no
air pockets; and 3) seedling roots are pointed straight down, not bent or
doubled up (J-rooted). Careless planting methods can result in significant
seedling mortality.
Hand plantings are recommended for small projects (less
than 1,000 seedlings), planting on sites too rough for planting machines, and
planting seedlings with roots too large for planting machines. Seedlings can be
hand planted using a planting bar (also called dibble bar or planting spade),
mattock, shovel, or post-hole digger. When using a mattock, shovel, or post-hole
digger a simple hole is dug, deeper than the seedling roots, and the seedling is
held upright while refilling the hole and packing the loose dirt firm around the
seedling. Planting bars provide a more streamlined planting approach and are
often the preferred tool for hand planting seedlings. Using a planting bar, a
slit is made in the ground, the seedling’s roots are place in the slit, and
the planting bar is used again to push the opening closed. Planting bars are
available on a loan basis from the Kentucky Division of Forestry and the
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Tree planting machines offer a fast, effective, and
economical method for planting seedlings on large projects (more than 1,000
seedlings) where the soils and topography are suitable. Most planting machines
consist of a rolling coulter that cuts the ground surface, followed by a an
adjustable trencher that creates a slit for inserting seedlings, which is
followed by a set of packing wheels that firm up the soil around the seedling. A
50 hp. or larger tractor is needed to pull a planting machine, although slightly
smaller tractors may work in some situations depending on the size of the
planting machine. A 3 to 4 man crew is generally needed to man the tractor and
planting machine and have someone walk behind the planter to make sure seedlings
are being planted properly. Tree planting machines are available on a loan basis
from the Kentucky Division of Forestry.
Maintenance
Even the best initial site preparation may give way
to aggressive, competitive vegetation that can stunt seedling growth or
completely smother new seedlings. Efforts should be made to control this
competition for the first few growing seasons to ensure your tree and shrub
planting efforts will be successful. After the second or third growing season
the seedlings usually outgrow the surrounding vegetation, and weed control is no
longer necessary. Most tree and shrub plantings are maintained by periodic
mowing to keep surrounding vegetation lower than newly planted seedlings. There
are effective herbicides that can be used to maintain new plantings. If you are
interested in using herbicides to maintain your tree and shrub planting, you
should consult with your local forester or biologist for up to date maintenance
information. Also, keep in mind that for some wildlife plantings, such as shrub
rows or cover thickets where the spacing is too close for mowing, unmanaged
native plant growth may be a desirable component of your project.
Fencing and Tree Shelters
Your planting project should be fenced to protect
seedlings from grazing damage if livestock are present. Rabbits, small rodents,
and deer may browse or girdle seedlings in some situations. Some wildlife damage
problems can be solved using tree shelters or wildlife deterrents. If you notice
seedling mortality you should consult with your forester or wildlife biologist
to determine the cause and potential remedies.
Table 1. Trees and shrubs to
plant based on objectives and soil characteristics.
