Power Planting Tree Tips ??

I went hog wild ordering trees and shrubs from my local conservation department and now I'm asking for the best method of planting them. I've ordered over 100 trees. Most are young saplings about two foot in height. The 5 fruit trees are 5 feet tall.

Would you recommend using rooting hormone in the planting hole? This time of year the woods are very wet. How big of a hole would you dig for these small trees? Any help or advice is most welcome.

I'm in zone 5 in a wetland area. I'm trying to repopulate my woods that are mostly ash trees. I'm trying to get more varities of trees in there. I've ordered white pine, white oak, red oak, silver maple, hybrid poplar, hazelnut for the woods and pear, plum, peach trees. I've also bought a bunch of different shrubs like cranberry, elderberry, ninebark, dogwood, forsythia etc. I also bought some colored tape to tie on the trees so I can watch them grow.

Thank you for any suggestions.

Just remember to keep the roots wet before planting and try to pick spots that get some sun.

Sounds like fun,

Good luck, Will

How long should I soak the roots and should I soak them in water with rooting hormone?

As far as fun. I'm enlisting my son to help with all this planting. After all it's for him and his offspring that I'm doing all this as I'll likely be dead and dust before these trees are mature. It is fun to plant for the future though and leave something behind for others.

Forget the rooting hormone, that's something one uses on cuttings to help them start new roots, not on trees that already have roots.

The most important thing is to plant quickly so the roots don't have the slightest opportunity to even start to dry out. Dry roots are dead roots.

Holes - just large enough to accomodate the roots, no more. With the small trees, just cut a V- or T-shaped notch in the ground, slip the roots in the notch, and firm the soil back down, making sure the root collar is at ground level; professional foresters can plant 1,000 trees a day like that.

Eastern White Pine won't like boggy soil; put them on any drier spots on the site.

Resin

Thanks Resin for the planting tips. I'll be sure to plant the white pine on the dry end of the property. I appreciate the help. I have never planted this much at once and I don't want to lose any if I can help it.

Loon, we all applaud what you are doing in the face of what is either coming or there already, and to enlist the help of the younger generation is more than good stewardship, it is a bridge between you two that will never be broken as long as you both shall live. Good work, Ken

Thank you Ken. I can tell that you understand what all this is about.

What are the general thoughts on taking out the ash trees before the borer gets them? I've heard some folks are doing that but I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. Is there any chance that this borer would skip a county or just change directions or something? What is the latest information on the EAB?

Loon, I think the EAB is here to stay and will not be likely to skip any counties that have ash trees. But maybe there could be hope for a biological remedy in the form of introducing natural predators or parasites. And maybe, just maybe, that ash tree you take out now was the only one in North America that had natural resistance and could have been used in a breeding program! So I don't think I'd be taking out any ash trees just yet, unless they're leaning over your house. Don't plant any more right now, though.

If you want to "take something out" go find one of those idiots who are spreading the borers in their campfire wood. Those people should be shot on site, or at least force-fed a gallon of borers for lunch.

Guy S.