Selecting
the Right Tree for the Right Place
Tim Burress
Dr. John Kushla,
guest speaker for the New Albany Garden Club, began his talk by quoting an
ancient Chinese Proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best
time is right now.” Since Arbor Day is just around the corner, Dr. Kushla gave
a short history of Arbor Day and told that first time it was documented was in
1594 in Mondonedo, Spain. The first American Arbor Day was April 10, 1872 and
was celebrated with it’s founder J. Sterling Morgan in Nebraska City, Nebraska.
Over one million trees were planted that year in Nebraska. Arbor Day was made a
national holiday in April 1885, with each state having it’s own designated day.
Mississippi celebrates Arbor Day the 2nd Friday in February. On
April 15th 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt issued an Arbor Day
Proclamation to the School Children of the United States. “When you help to
preserve our forests or plant new ones you are acting the part of a good
citizen. The value of forestry deserves, therefore, to be taught in the
schools, which aim to make good citizens of you. If your Arbor Day exercises
hep you realize what benefits each of you receives from the forests, and how by
your assistance these benefits may continue, they will serve a good end.”
Logging was a big industry and President Roosevelt that if the forests were not
replanted there would be no more. Logging is a renewable industry as long as
the trees were replanted in a timely fashion.
Dr. Kushla tells us
that there are several factors involved when planting a tree in your landscape.
Design criteria for planting a tree involve climate, soil properties, growing
space, water requirements, growth rate, size at maturity, clearance from
buildings, overhead wires, and pavements, and insect and disease resistance.
Dr. Kushla says to
be sure and read the label that comes with the tree or at least do some
research. Will this species survive the heat and humidity of Mississippi? Will
it fit in the space that you want to plant it? Size at maturity should be what
you look at when selecting a tree for your landscape. Next on your list is to
look at how close to your home or pavements are you going to plant. Trees are
for sure going to have a root system that will spread in circumference equal to
the diameter of the canopy. Planting that tree too close to the house or
driveway or sidewalk will certainly cause major problems later. Make sure water
and sewage lines are not in the root area as roots can cause serious damage to
these pipes. Will the tree get enough sun and have adequate water drainage?
Water drainage is a key element also, as roots that stand in water for the most
part will cause serious root damage. Check for clearance for utility wires,
trimming a tree to keep it out of utility wires will most likely be one sided
and very unsightly.
Now that you have
done all of these things it is time to plant. First and foremost, please call
811 before you dig, it’s the law. You can be fined severely for cutting utility
lines in the ground and could cause an explosion in the case of a gas line. When
digging your hole, dig the hole 2 to 3 times the size of the root ball wide and
just a little deeper. Back fill the hole slightly so as to plant the tree just
above ground level. Remove the pot or wrapping the tree is transported in and
set tree in hole. Back fill and water with the dirt from the hole tamping it
down as you go to eliminate as much of the air as possible. After backfilling
add mulch approximately 3 inches thick being careful not to pile the mulch
around the base of the tree. Leave mulch about 2 to 3 inches back from tree
trunk. Keep tree watered during the first season until it is established.
Enjoy your new
tree for many years to come.
Dr. John Kushla is an Extension/Research Professor for
Mississippi State University Extension and Forestry Service at Verona with
specialties in Agroforestry, Christmas Trees, GIS, Forest Soils, and Pine
Silviculture. He can be reached at 662-566-2201.
No comments:
Post a Comment