Clinton News-Record, 1978-04-13, Page 45•
How to grow a tree: a simple gui
Whether they're majesti-
cally tall and imposing, or
short, sprightly and
sassy—whether they pro-
duce sweetly -perfumed
flowers, or luscious -tasting
fruit—all trees have their
own personality, and can add
something special to the
landscape.
So, it s important to select
a tree carefully to make sure
it will create the picture you
have in mind. And, it's even
more important to make sure
you plant them correctly, or
you'll end up with no picture
at all, according to the new
Ortho book, "The World of
Trees...
If you're careless, you'll
probably have to bury your
tree before you get the
chance to plant it! Most trees
are watered every day, while
at the nursery, and they
should receive the same con-
sideration once you bring
them home.
When you're ready to
plant, prepare a hole at least
12 inches wider and 6 inches
deeper than the spread and
depth of your tree's root
system.
While digging, set aside the
top 6 inches of soil in one
pile, and most of the subsoil
in another: then place the last
few shovelfuls of soil into a
third pile which will later be
used for building a dike
around a watering basin.
The next step is to mix
"root zone" soil for your tree
by combining equal parts of
organic matter, like mois-
tened peat moss, with the top
soil you have saved. You
must also mix a "transition
soil," using one part organic
matter to four parts of sub-
soil.
Before adding any of the
mixtures. loosen the soil in
the bottom of the hole to
Planting a bare -root tree (from the Ortho book, "The World of Trees")
Planting hole should be at least 12 inches wider and 6
inches deeper than the spread and depth of the root system.
Subsoil
Topsoil
Keep roots
covered
—Soil for dike
Existing
soil
Root zone
soil
allow for root penetration
and better drainage—then,
line the hole with 4 to 6 inches
of "transition soil."
Next, using the "root
zone" soil, make a cone-
shaped mound directly on
top of the "transition soil."
and set the roots of your tree
over this mound.
Now that your tree is posi-
tioned in the planting hole.
make sure that it's placed at
Transition
soil
Existing
soil
the same depth at which it
originally grew. which will be
evident from the soil -stained
ring at the base of its trunk.
Then. work 2 or 3 shovel-
fuls of "root zone" soil under
and around the roots to elim-
inate air pockets in the plant-
ing hole.
. Before you add more soil.
you'll have to stake your tree
for support. Simply drive a
stake that's approximately 2
e
7 Do not prune
leader or
small twigs
Wire through
garden hose
(forming "figure 8")
2" x 2" stake
in direction of
prevailing wind
Add "root gone"
soil to form
'a cone
Line hole
with 4" - 6"
of "transition
zone" soil
Burlap or
tree wrap
paper
inches wide, 2 inches thick,
and about 6 to 8 feet long.
into the soil about 6 inches
away from the trunk. on the
side of the prevailing wind.
Then, fill the rest of the hole.
Build a watering basin with
the soil you've saved by'plac-
ing a dike 4 to 5 inches high in
a circle 2 to 3 feet away from
the tree trunk.
Finally, secure your tree to
the stake by threading a 12-
• Existing soil
gauge wire through a short
length of garden hose and
twisting the wire around the
trunk of the tree and the stake
already placed. in the form of
a figure 8.
Now that your tree is se-
curely planted. its a good
idea to prune it. according to
Ortho's "The World of
Trees" not only for beauty's
sake. hut to balance the top
of the young tree with' its re-
duced root system.
Page 21
Watering important in hanging basket care
Hanging baskets need as much
care as gardens and flower beds
during the summer. John
Hughes, horticultural specialist
with the Ontario ministry of
agriculture and food, says:
"Whether you are growing
tomatoes, cucumbers, petunias
or impatiens in your hanging
basket, the relatively small
volume of soil in which the plants
Shape -up
your
hedges
Hedges can be beautiful -
especially when they're thick and
green right to the ground as the
result of regular trimming.
Two of the most common hedge
plants, privet and yew, make
excellent hedges because they
can be renewed very easily, says
R.A. Fleming, a horticulturist
with the Ontario ministry of
agriculture and food.
"Privet hedges can be trimmed
baclf severely in late winter or
early spring, and within one
season they will return toa sleek,
trimmed condition. The yew is
one of the few evergreens that
will also withstand severe
pruning and recover easily," he
states.
Rejuvenating a privet hedge is
a drastic procedure. Hedge
plants should be cut hard back to
12 to 15 inches from the ground in
the spring before growth starts.
Side branches of the plants
should also be cut back
proportionately at this time.
Th,e horticulturist says that
new growth will soon appear,
producing a thicker, Vigorous and
more manageable hedge. Proper
watering and fertilization may
also help the development of new
growth.
are growing will require certain
precautions."
Watering is possibly the single
most important aspect of sum-
mer care. The baskets need to be
watered thoroughly and
frequently, since there is no
reserve of water in the subsoil, as
is found in gardens and flower
beds. If a product called hydrogel
has been added to the soil prior to
planting, the baskets will need
much less watering.
Many baskets have a slow-
release fertilizer incorporated in
the soil mix. Ask the retailer
from whom you buy the basket if
fertilizer has been added. If
necessary, it can be carefully
incorporated so that the roots are
not disturbed. Most slow-release
fertilizers will last for the
complete growing season.
Insects can also cause
problems in hanging baskets. If
insecticide treatment is required,
apply one, of the recommended
materials available at garden
supply centres. Read the label
carefully and follow the
manufacturer's instructions.
Keeping your hanging plants in
good condition helps to ensure
that they will provide summer -
long enjoyment on the balcony or
patio.
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