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Give your planet a Christmas Present
A guide to transplanting a tree from the Carson
Give yourself and your planet a real Christmas present: consider
transplanting a tree from the forest instead of cutting one down.
It doesn't cost any more than a permit to cut a tree, and your
Christmas present will last along with your memories of this beautiful
season.
The following is a guide to transplanting a Christmas tree from the
Carson National Forest. Christmas is an excellent time to transplant trees
because the trees are dormant this time of year.
Digging
All evergreens are best moved with a bass of soil that keeps a central
core of roots intact.
1. Mark the north side of the tree, then mark a circle on the ground
around the tree making the radius of the circle somewhat larger than the
width of the lower limbs. A tree two to three feet high should have a ball
12 to 16 inches in diameter. A tree eight to nine feet tall can have a ball
24 to 30 inches in diameter.
2. Dig the trench just outside the marked circle going down below the
depth of the root ball to be dug. The depth of the ball varies with the size
of the tree. (A ball 12 inches in diameter should have a depth of nine to 10
inches, a ball 23 inches in diameter should have a depth of 16 to 18
inches.)
3. Cut any roots extending past the root ball. To avoid jarring the
soil loose, use pruning shears or a saw instead of an axe for the larger
roots.
4. If the ball is more than 18 inches in diameter and the soil is
compact and adhering firmly, simply undercut the ball and tip it over on a
square of burlap or black plastic. Next, draw the burlap or plastic tight
around the ball and pin in place with nails or ties. If the soil is loose,
reinforce the pinning with heavy cord, net fencing or light rope drawn
around the ball. Pinning and roping should be completed in the hole before
lifting, then lift the ball from the hole. Be careful lifting; the ball will
be heavier than it looks. Take advantage of periods when the ground is moist
to move trees.
Planting
1. Locate a clear open site for your tree with generous rooting area
and good drainage. Make sure north side faces north
2. Loosen and blend the soil in the entire planting area six to 10
feet deep. You may need to pick through a few inches of frozen soil. In the
center, dig a hole at least as wide, but only as deep as the root ball.
3. Remove tree from burlap or container and place on solidly packed
soil so that the root collar is slightly above the surrounding grade. Make
sure north side of the tree is facing north.
4. Back fill hole and lightly pack the soil into place around the tree
removing any air pockets.
5. Spread a two to three inch layer of mulch in the entire area,
keeping a six to eight inch distance from the tree trunk.
6. Water the tree thoroughly.
Why transplant a tree instead of cutting it down?
1. Trees cool the earth. Trees absorb heat-trapping CO-2 and produce oxygen.
Each tree will absorb over 500 pounds of CO-2 during its life.
2. Before men invented agriculture, 15 billion acres of the earth were
covered by forest. Today, barely 10 billion acres are forested. Almost all
of this loss happened in the last 30 years.
3. The average American uses seven trees a year worth of paper and
packaging.
Special Extras
1. Pinon trees on south-facing slopes are the best bet in December because
the soil should not be frozen or frozen very deep . You can dig other
species, but you may have to pick through a six inch perma frost.
2. Use double plastic trash bags instead of or in addition to burlap. This
way you can water the ball in the house, and you won't have to find a large
basin.
3. Select ground that is free of rocks so that the rocks don't fall out of
your root ball.
4 Lining the hole with bone meal enhances the chance of survival.
5. Conifers like acidic soil. Once a month, crush two aspirins in a gallon
of water and water the tree with the mixture.
Care After Planting
1. To the newly planted tree, proper, watering is the most important
of all measures. The soil should be kept only damp at all times and
occasionally be well saturated to make sure that the roots have not dried
out. Water logging should be avoided; this kills trees. About two waterings
per week should be enough in the winter. The amount of watering also depends
on the species of tree---a pinon needs less water than a white fir. During
transplanting, roots must be kept moist.
2. Stake the tree so that it can flex in the wind. Attach stake to
tree using discarded rubber inner tubes. Remove them after six months.
--
I smile and go off waving
(Amiably) - for that's my way
Baal
http://www.helden.org.uk
"ziz" wrote in message
...
I had already done so before posting my message and had not found the
detail I require. Your link does not work.
"Baal" wrote in message
...
Why not try typing 'Transplant a christmas tree' onto google, yo never
know what my happen!
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson/html_...s_dig_tree.htm
--
I smile and go off waving
(Amiably) - for that's my way
Baal
http://www.helden.org.uk
"ziz" wrote in message
...
I have a christmas tree (don't know what sort but the basic one) in my
back garden which has grown to about 12 feet. I would like to transplant
it to another location in my garden.
Can anyone advise me on how to do it? ie best time of year, best method
etc.
Many thanks.
Mick
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http://www.teranews.com