end-of-the-season closeout offerings from local nurseries. There usually is a reason no one else purchased these leftover trees: a poor condition, a deformed shape, an ultra-common type, or a species not hardy to the area. Making that extra effort to purchase and plant high-quality, desirable trees for a location will benefit all involved immensely. Select the tree based on your criteria and use the plant usage guides in this book to recommend viable options for you.
Form and habit should be considered before making a decision for your property or garden. Architectural structure is important, especially during the winter months. Trees exhibiting an interesting shape or outline may still be appreciated when other plants are either dormant or dead. They may have weeping, arching, or sculpted branching. They may have dramatic or rounded canopies. They may be vase-shaped, pyramidal, or cascading. The appealing characteristic simply may be the massive trunk of the tree.
When selecting a tree to plant, habit is a wonderful characteristic to consider before making a decision. It is great to have all of the ornamental features, but a tree with appealing form and structure is appreciated throughout all four seasons; such a tree usually improves with age.
When properly selected, planted, and maintained, trees can add a needed dimension architecturally. Great properties and gardens have reputations for their tree plantings. But, comprehensive programs designed to care for existing trees and to plan properly for new plantings as they become necessary are vital.
Selective Pruning and Shade Seeding
VARYING AMOUNTS OF tree work are ongoing on practically every property, yet the removal and pruning of trees remains an emotional issue. Therefore, to avoid the inevitable backlash such emotions raise, the best time to do selective pruning or tree removal is in the winter or, for public grounds, during off-season.
Selective pruning, when care is taken not to ruin the shape of a tree or a shrub, will allow most trees to remain on-site and help to allow enough sunlight to filter through canopies for good turfgrass growth. Selective pruning also increases air circulation, thereby generally decreasing excess humidity and disease problems.
Selective thinning will allow some light through. A great rule of thumb is to remove no more than one-quarter of a tree’s foliage crown in a single pruning. Limbing-up of trees or raising the canopy of trees that branch to the ground has proven to be a very effective method of pruning without affecting the beauty of the surrounding landscape. In fact, it usually enhances views. This procedure prunes lower limbs back to the trunk, thus increasing airflow and decreasing shade.
Ultimately, however, one cannot prune enough to solve a serious shade issue. Some trees just need to be removed. In these cases, the problem is light quality, not light quantity. Most courses and properties that remove trees for the benefits of increased air circulation and sunlight will likely end up with some pretty great views, too. Removing trees alleviates the problems; the best way to avoid those problems is thoughtful planning. Watch where you plant your trees.
Morning light is critical for turfgrass. Avoid planting trees on the east and south sides of properties and in important turf locations like front- or backyards; planted there, trees will block the crucial morning sun so vital for optimum turfgrass growth. As increased sunlight helps turfgrass become hardier, healthier, and less prone to disease, the necessity for applications of fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizer will be reduced.
When planting turf in shaded areas, consider the needs of the grasses you choose. Fine-leaf fescues are considered the most shade tolerant of the cool-season grasses. They include creeping red fescue and chewings fescue. Turf-type tall fescue does well in moderate shade.
Fall seeding in shaded areas is preferred. The turf tends to be more successful as it enters the summer months due to better root systems and larger stored-food reserves.
Late fall fertilization of cool-season grasses is very beneficial in shaded environments. Late fall really is the only time of the year when grass beneath the trees can effectively utilize the nitrogen without tree competition for nutrients, light, and moisture. During spring and summer, trees with shallow fibrous root systems compete fiercely with turfgrass for moisture.
If all else fails, then the planting of shade-tolerant ground covers in heavily shaded areas is suggested. They look and work great.
Tree Cultural Practices
Planting
THERE ARE TWO ideal times to plant trees: fall is the best season; early spring is a good alternative time. However, planting the correct way can make the difference as to whether a plant survives its crucial first year. How the plant is packaged influences the condition of its roots; that, in turn, determines how to put the tree in the ground to thrive.
There are three types of plant packaging: bare-root, container-grown, and balled-and-burlapped (B&B).
Bare Root
Most mail-order catalogs ship purchased plants in bare-root form. These are harvested from fields with no soil attached to the roots. These plants are very perishable and should be both purchased and planted prior to spring budbreak. The advantage of bare-root plants is that they allow a thorough inspection of the root system prior to planting.
After taking possession of the plant, one must keep a bare-root plant damp, being careful not to allow its roots to dry out prior to planting. Even though it is in a dormant state, the plant is alive and requires water to survive. Keep it out of direct sunlight, too.
Prior to planting, carefully inspect and prune the roots. With pruners, remove all damaged and/ or turned-in roots. Keep your pruning blades sharp: clean cuts heal faster and decrease the chances of disease.
Dig a hole wide enough to allow roots to spread into their natural position. It must also be deep enough so the crown of the tree will be at or just above the soil line. Break up any soil clods to prevent air pockets and backfill half of the hole. Slowly water to settle the soil around the roots. Continue to backfill the hole, then water again to settle the remainder of the soil. At this point, many people use their feet to tamp the soil. All that really does is promote compaction; it should be avoided. Be sure to keep the soil around these plants moist as bare-root plants will initially require more frequent watering than those container-grown or balled-and-burlapped.
Container Grown
The most popular option for consumers is container-grown plants. These plants are grown above the ground in a pot, filled not with real soil but with an artificial medium, leading to much easier handling.
Regardless of the material, remove and discard the container prior to planting. Inspect the roots. Gently loosen (but do not remove) the whitish-colored roots from the surface of the soil ball. This allows expansion of the roots into the new soil site and is imperative for the tree’s survival.
Again using sharp pruners, cut out the woody, thick roots to prevent them girdling the trunk. The flow of water and food is greatly decreased throughout the plant if girdling occurs. If the plant is root bound, use a sharp knife to slice it from top to bottom in three to four spots, being careful to make the cuts two to three inches deep. In a healthy plant, new roots will sprout from these cuts.
Dig a hole two to three times wider than the width of the container; this allows emerging roots to expand horizontally into the loose soil. Allow the crown of the tree to be slightly above grade level. Set the plant, backfill halfway, then water to settle the soil. Finish backfilling and water again to settle the rest of the soil. Do not tamp the soil as it will promote compaction.
B&B
