Planting Red Oak Trees
Whenever I think of Red Oak Trees,
I remember hunting when I was a kid and standing near trees that were
giants. Now every Red Oak tree I plant, I can envision those days in the
deep woods, and those grand trees and hope someone else will have that
same enjoyment. These trees will help you too in establishing a desired
vision to your landscape.
Beyond their size, Red Oak Trees are also important ecological niches.
They grow across broad ranges of forest and urban conditions, finding
much of North America to their liking.
Red Oak Trees need protection from deer, disease, insects, and competing
weeds and shrubs. The better your weed control the better your trees
will grow.When seedlings are planted, it best to plant them with large
spacing to allow more light to the plant. If these trees are planted in
shade, they tend to be more open. Red Oak Trees are used around new
construction because they perform in a wide range of soil conditions.
These trees can take wetter soils than most trees and are
found in native areas near creek or river banks. If you have compacted
soil from a new construction, we suggest smaller trees of 3-5' height.
When handling seedlings and small trees you need to help with the life
support of your plants. Seedlings are like fish out of water, and need
care which is often overlooked between the time the seedlings are lifted
and transplanted.
Improper care means
higher mortality. Do not try and reinvent the wheel. You must protect
seedling from moisture and temperature extremes, as well as physical
damage. Seedlings are living and should be handled carefully. For a
higher survival rate, treat trees carefully and
plant them immediately.
I like to have a backup plan for planting if the
weather turns bad. I will sometimes switch from lining out the seedlings,
to potting them up if I realize that the soil conditions will not be
right for an extended length of time. If planting must be delayed a few
days, keep the plants in a cold, protected place with air circulation
between the trees. Keep the trees out of the rain and wind.
To check if
the trees
need water, feel the media at the roots.. If it isn't damp, water the
trees and allow the excess water to drain. In cool, damp weather, the
biggest threat to these trees is from mould. Try to keep soil
seedlings moist by either restricting water loss with a water vapor
barrier or by wetting the roots at regular intervals.
While handling or
planting try to reduce temperature and air movement around the
seedlings. Windy days
can dry out seedlings so consider waiting for calmer weather. Once your
soil conditions are correct OUR FREE USE PLANTERS will make planting a
snap so its will be worth waiting for good planting conditions.
HOW TO PLANT
Ideal planting days are cool and cloudy with little or no wind. If
possible, avoid planting on warm, windy days. The soil should be moist
not wet.
Care in planting is more important than speed. Make sure the
roots are never allowed to become dry. Bare root
seedlings, should be carried in a waterproof bag or bucket, with plenty of
moist material packed around the roots to keep them damp. Ideally, bare
root boxes should be kept refrigerated or packed in ice or snow. Don't
freeze the trees.
Competition from weeds, grass, brush or other trees is
very detrimental to survival and growth of seedlings. Choose areas free
from this competition or clear at least a three-foot square bare spot
before planting.
Seedlings should not be planted under the crown of
existing trees, or closer than 6 feet to existing brush. Avoid areas
near walnut trees. Brush aside loose organic material such as leaves,
grass, etc., from the planting spot to expose mineral soil.
If organic
matter gets into the planting hole, it can decompose and leave air
spaces. Roots will dry out when they grow into these spaces. Open up the
hole, making sure the hole is deep enough for the roots to be fully
extended. If roots are curled or bunched up, the tree will not be able
to take up water correctly, will often weaken and die, or may blow down
later due to poor root structure.
Take a tree out of your planting bag
or bucket only after a hole is ready. When exposed, the fine roots can
dry out in as little as 30 seconds. Seedling shoots and roots lose water
to air, roots require more protecting. Unlike leaves ,they do not have
stomata, (closable openings on the surface of the leaves), or any waxy
coatings to help reduce water loss. If the roots appear dry they are
probably dead.
Now I know you are thinking, "I will place them in a
bucket of water and store them there until planting". This will not
work. Submerge plants for no longer that a couple of minutes. Placing
them in water cuts them off from oxygen.
Remember to remove the container before planting a containerized tree. A
helpful hint to all those new gardeners just starting is to remember to
always plant green side up. Hold the seedling in place in the hole,
making sure the roots are straight, fully extended and that the tree is
neither too shallow or too deep in the hole. Fill hole, allowing soil to
fall in around the roots. Tamp with hands or with your heel.
Don't crush
the roots by jumping up and down around the seedling like there is a snake curled up
around the seedling. It is delicate. Fill with more soil, if necessary,
and tamp. Tamping is important. If soil is not firmly packed around the
roots, there will be air pockets
that can dry out the roots, and the seedlings may be weakly anchored.
It
is far easier to plant the tree strait up then have the tree leaning and
have to adjust the tree later. (Addition of fertilizer and plant
vitamins at the time of planting is not generally necessary.) Take your
time in planting. Proper spacing will help you grow a more valuable
crop. I have tried to get more production from a limited area by over
planting and then thinning, but I always have had trouble in harvesting
.... digging is slower and poor quality usually results for a portion of
the crop. Avoid these tree planting errors:
Tangled roots Planting too shallow Planting too deep Air pockets Turned
up roots (this is called J rooting) Planting trees that are not tolerant
of wet soils in poorly drained areas Planting over rocks, septic tanks
and leach fields, on sand mounds
CARE OF TREES FOLLOWING PLANTING
Check periodically to be sure that
brush, grass and other vegetation is kept under control by mowing,
mulching, spraying or a combination of these treatments. Always obtain
advice from a licensed pest control advisor before using chemicals. You
local extension agency may offer courses in application of chemicals.
Monitoring the appearance of your trees will help you to detect signs of
insects, diseases or other problems. Appearance also help sell your
product. Look for foliage turning yellow, new foliage drooping or other
signs of poor health. It is easier to take successful corrective action
if the problem is detected early.
Over watering is a common problem in irrigated plantations. You probably
won't need to water more frequently than every 7-10 days. Give your
trees a thorough, deep soak and then let the soil dry out before the
next watering. This encourages the roots to grow down in search of
water.
Frequent, shallow watering encourages root growth near the
surface and the trees are more dependent on irrigation and are less wind
firm. Animals can be a major cause of damage to young trees. Porcupines,
gophers, mice, rabbits, deer and cattle are the most frequent source of
damage.
In many states you may have to call your games commission and get
their recommendations on legal methods to protect your crop. In our
state, you can get help from the Pa.
Game Commission to kill
deer that are a threat to your seedlings or obtain a free fence to keep
deer away from your seedlings. Over the years we have lost more trees to
mice than any other animal. Put rat baits out on a regular basis.
You an see more articles
about the care of trees plants and nursery stock at our web site
http://www.seedlingsrus.com other links are:
http://seedlingsrus.com/DeerDamageControl
http://seedlingsrus.com/Soils
http://seedlingsrus.com/PlantingTips.html
http://www.zone5trees.com/GrowingGrasses.html
