Digging a Hole

Have you ever wondered what the proper way to install that new tree that you just purchased? Well now you don’t have to wonder anymore. I have two answers for you to create your own technique. I have been installing trees and shrubs on a daily basis since 1998.

If you read in the official textbook, you will read that when digging the hole, you are to make the hole twice the width and depth of the pot. The reason being that you are loosening the soil and are able to amend the soil around the new plant to give the roots a soft area to stretch out.

If you talk to any landscaper or even some of the agricultural extension agents, they will tell you that it is unnecessary to dig a hole that large. One of the down falls to digging that big of a hole is you can trick the roots into thinking that they can stay in that loose soil and not penetrate the rest of the dirt. With larger trees, digging a hole that large can cause the tree not to have a stable foundation and the wind will blow it over before the roots take hold.

My personal experience has taught me that you can dig a hole large enough for the plant, and lightly amend the native soil with some organic material. Fill the hole with water and put the plant in the hole and squish the amended soil around the edges. Make sure you eliminate any air bubbles in the dirt, as an air gap can cause the roots to dry out. DO NOT plant the tree or shrub any deeper the dirt level of the root ball. Usually leaving it an inch higher is recommended.

Using a root stimulator product is like having life insurance for your plant. Mulch can be esthetically pleasing to the eye, help hold in moisture, and slow down weeds. DO NOT put the mulch around the trunk of the tree, changing the level of the dirt around the trunk.  Raising the dirt level of the root ball will trick the tree and it will put out roots in places it shouldn’t, ultimately killing the tree.

Happy Planting

Landscape Design fully executed

With us into fall, and many places getting too much rain, it is time to be getting ready for your landscape overhaul.  As I have said before, I love planting in the fall and the winter.  Of course, if you live extreme north, you are quickly running out of time before the ground completely freezes for the winter.  Today I want to give you a teaser overview on how to start creating a landscape design. Starting a design is obviously the hardest part. I have put together an outline on what to evaluate about your attitude, situation and site. I have assembled it from the perspective of if you were doing a project for someone else and you needed answers to begin the design.

The questions you should ask yourself before starting a Landscape Design should look like this.  Once all these questions have been answered, you will know exactly how to precede with the design.  If you want to send me pictures of your area to design, I will give my opinion on what should be installed.

Evaluate Likes / Dislikes

• Do you want Color
• How much Maintenance
• Do you want Flowers in the design
• Or just all Shrubs

Evaluate Purposes

• What are the Goals of this project
• What are your Desires for the end result

Evaluate Timeline

• Are you Selling the home / when?
• Is this your final Permanent home
• Is there a Wedding planned for your house
• Is there a Party planned / when?

Evaluate Future Projects

• Pools
• Decks
• Concrete / driveways – walks
• Patios

Evaluate climate

• What kind of Sun do you get in the morning/afternoon
• Does it get any Shade
• Does the house have Brick or Siding
• Does a Tree create shade or block visibility

Evaluate Windows / Doors

• Height
• Width
• Positioning

Evaluate Environment

• Brick color
• Tree color
• Other blooming plants in yard
• Fence? What Color
• Nearby animals – dogs, cats, deer, rabbit

With us finally arriving into the best time of the year to plant trees and shrubs, I wanted to take a moment and remind you about the watering technique that all plants and trees would love to tell you…but they can’t talk!  So that leaves myself to do the talking for them.  When a new tree or shrub is planted, it usually has a ball of roots tightly knit together and not much extra room for water.  When the root ball is planted, it begins to fight the native dirt for any moisture that might be in it.  Typically, the native dirt will win because it doesn’t have all the roots crowded the places for water to attend.  With balled and burlap trees, it is very challenging to keep that dirt ball wet.

A side note, for those of you in Atlanta, Ga right now…you don’t have to worry about your plants getting enough water, you have to worry about them floating away to Alabama!!!

How to Water Properly!

Watering a new tree is the most important thing that you can do for it. Even if it has rained, it is still important to give your tree a deep soaking.

Most people stand with a water hose and spray the top of the dirt and watch the water flow downhill away from the tree, and think that they watered their tree. You must give your tree a deep root watering in order to call it watered. Here is the best technique for maximizing the effectiveness and saving water.

Turn your hose on a very slow drip and let it stay on the trunk of the tree for at least 8 hours at a time. Do this no less than 3 times per week. More often in the heat of the summer.  Once the plant has gone dormant, usually after the first hard frost, watering becomes less critical.  But always pay attention to the ground moisture if you have newly planted items.

If you want to invest in a Tree Gator, a 20 gallon slow release water bag, that will work too. I recommend filling it everyday.

Happy Watering

Soil Sample

Many times I am evaluating someone’s yard and they ask me questions like, “Why is this half of the yard not growing?”, “Why is this area not green like the rest of the yard?”, “How come this bush just sits here and doesn’t grow like the other ones?”.  I usually cannot give them an answer, because the answer is in the soil.  In any given yard, no matter the size, there can be a big pH difference that needs to be corrected.  In these instances, a soil test is a necessity to find out truly what is going on.  So what is involved in a soil test is what you want to know?  Let me help you with that question.

I am going to use information from the UT agriculture extension website because it can’t be said more clearly or precisely than this.  Each state should have their own agriculture extension agency to take care of the testing for you.  The link to this page is, http://extension.tennessee.edu/county/williamson/soil_testing.htm.  Here is what they have to say about getting a soil test and how to take the samples…

Soil testing can provide useful information on the proper amount of lime and fertilizer needed for lawns and gardens, etc… Soil testing can also diagnose nutrient deficiencies or toxicities for poorly growing plants.

It is very important that the soil be collected properly for sampling.

To collect samples use a soil probe, hand garden trowel, shovel or spade. Mix soil or sub-samples in a clean, plastic bucket. If fertilizer and/or other chemicals have been used in the bucket, wash and rinse thoroughly before using it for soil sampling. Residue from fertilizer or lime can contaminate the sample and produce inaccurate results.

Areas to avoid testing are small areas where soil is obviously different from the rest of the landscape such as, low lying wet areas, yard or landscape borders, ditches, severely eroded areas and fence rows.

If the lawn has healthy and poor growing areas, soil test both areas separately. By comparing the results, the soil test may point out troubles that exist due to lack of nutrients and /or incorrect pH.

Dig down, at an angle, about 6 inches dig right behind the first cut and use the slice of soil, as in the example. Take approximately 15 to 20 sub- samples within each acre. Mix these sub-samples together and bring to the soil lab approximately 1/2 pint. You can bring it in a plastic baggie(and transfer it into the box) or you can stop by the Extension Office and pick up a soil test kit which consists of an information sheet and a soil sample box. Fill out the information sheet as complete and accurately as possible. Fill the box with loose soil and label it with your name, and sample identifier. Choose a unique identifier that will help you remember the area it corresponds to. Such as GARDN, FLAWN,BLAWN, ROSE. Bring it to your local Extension Office, 4215 Long Lane, Ste. 200, Franklin, TN 37604.

The fees for soil testing start at $6.00 for a basic test. Providing which different factors you are looking for there will be additional fees.

You should receive your results in approximately 7 to 10 days depending on what time of the year it is (early spring is when everybody tests soil) therefore, the soil lab becomes over loaded which results in a longer turn around for patrons.

For more information contact University of Tennessee Extension at (615) 790-5721. Useful information can also be found at University of Tennessee’s Soil Testing Lab.