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Successful Tree Planting

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Successful Tree Planting MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE PLANTING METHODS continued DNR DISTRICT FORESTERS HAND PLANTING SLIT METHOD SUCCESSFUL TREE PLANTING Insert planting bar at an angle, Place seedling at correct depth. Push bar forward, firming the Fill remaining hole. Step on then push forward to an upright Vertically insert bar 2" from remainder of the hole. soil around seedling to firm. position. seedling. Pull bar back, firming soil at bottom of hole. WEDGE METHOD 1. BRUCE BLAIR 4. STEVE SWINCONOS 7. DUANE BEDFORD 8. GEORGE WARFORD 11. RANDY GOERNDT DAVE ASCHE DAVID BRIDGES RR5 Box 119AA-Ste 4 1918 Greene St. 500 E. Taylor Box 662 Box 46 Chariton, IA 50049 Adel, IA 50003 Creston, IA 50801 Elkader, IA 52043 Anamosa, IA 52205 (641) 774-8733 (515) 993-4133 (641) 782-6761 (563) 245-1891 (319) 462-2768 9. JEREMY COCHRAN 12. WAYNE FUHLBRUGGE 2. GARY BEYER 5. STAN TATE Box 189-712 S. Hwy 6 Box 232 Insert a sand Insert shovel at Lift out soil wedge. Place seedling against vertical GREG HEIDEBRINK 515 Townsend Ave. Oakland, IA 51560 Webster City, IA 50595 shovel vertically an angle to create side of hole, replace soil wedge, Box 4 Wapello, IA 52653 (712) 482-6245 (515) 832-3585 (319) 523-2216 into soil. a wedge of soil. then step on wedge to firm. Charles City, IA 50616 (641)228-6611 10. JOE SCHWARTZ 13. MARK VITOSH MAINTENANCE 6. RAY LEHN 1100A 12th St. SW 4265 Oak Hill Crest Rd., SE 3. ROBERT HIBBS Box 568 LeMars, IA 51031 Iowa City, IA 52246 No tree planting is complete until weed competition is controlled. 2501 S. Center St.-Ste I Fairfield, IA 52556 (712) 546-5161 (319) 351-8886 (641) 472-2370 HERBICIDES: Contact a DNR District Forester or the MECHANICAL: Till or hoe around each seedling. Mow- Marshalltown, IA 50158 (641) 752-3352 State Forest Nursery for herbicide recommendations; ing alone does not prevent competition from weeds, or request our Grass & Weed Control brochure. but may reduce rodent habitat. For more information, contact the STATE FOREST NURSERY at 800-865-2477 ForLand’s Sake MULCH: Controls weeds effectively but may contribute Maintenance is needed for the first 3 to 5 growing sea- or your District Forester. Iowa Department of Natural Resources to a rodent problem. A 3' diameter circle mulched to a depth sons. If seedling survival is less than 65%, consider State Forest Nursery of 6" requires 3-4 cubic feet of bark, chips or sawdust. replacing trees that have died. Illustrations and design by nita at nitaupchurchstudio.com Printed on Federal regulations prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, origin, sex or disability. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility as March 2002 For assistance with any phase of tree planting, contact your DNR District Forester. Recycled Paper described above, please write to: Director, IDNR, Wallace State Offfice Building, 900 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50319-0034. METHODS PLANNING Advance planning, proper species selection, site preparation, careful handling of tree seedlings, and a good Trees may be successfully planted by machine or by hand planting techniques. The choice weed control program will help assure a successful tree planting. A commitment to plant with care, depends on the number of trees to be planted, your site conditions, is an important first step that leads to successful establishment of tree and shrub seedlings. and the equipment or manpower available. PLANNING CARE OF SEEDLINGS PRIOR TO PLANTING PLANTING METHODS Before ordering your trees, take time to make a plan. If The planting season in Iowa is generally April 1st to MACHINE PLANTING necessary, consult a DNR District Forester (see the other mid-May. It is best to plant seedlings as soon as you Tractor-drawn planting machines are limited to areas that Before starting, get instructions from the planting ma- side for a Forester in your area). receive them. If this is not possible, they should be stored can be worked with farm equipment. Average planting chine owner or a DNR District Forester (see the other side • Select tree and shrub species that will do well on in a cooler at 35°F. If this is not possible, keep as cool as rates are 500-700 seedlings per hour. for a Forester in your area). your site and that will meet your objectives. possible, in a location that does not allow freezing and • Determine what spacing to use and the number thawing. Seedlings lose their vigor if stored for long periods. County Conservation Boards and Pheasants Forever Be sure that the machine opens an adequate planting of trees and shrubs needed. groups often have tree planting machines to loan or rent; trench and that it packs the trees firmly. If planting is done • Place your order early to insure that seedlings CARE OF SEEDLINGS DURING PLANTING some may provide other assistance by a contractor, be sure that the are available. as well. Tree planting con- operators are well trained • Keep seedlings roots • Consider the existing ground cover and the steps tractors are also available. and experienced. you need to take to insure that your trees will moist at all times. Trans- not succumb to weeds. You may need to elimi- port trees in a bucket with nate or reduce competing vegetation before your water covering the roots or keep roots under wet planting can succeed. Keep • Consider what you will need to do to prepare material. roots the site. • Do not leave bags of moist. • Decide if the site can be planted by machine or if trees in the sun! hand planting is needed. • Plant seedlings so that • Decide if you can do the work yourself, or if you the root collar is slightly HAND PLANTING need to hire a contractor. below ground line. Trees may not survive if their Trees should be hand planted: DUG-HOLE METHOD roots are exposed. • when the planting site is too steep, rocky, Using a shovel or auger, plant the tree in a hole deep brushy, severely gullied or small to be planted enough and large enough to hold the roots of the tree. SITE PREPARATION • Plant seedlings so that Correct by machine; Place the tree in the hole so that roots are not doubled or The objective of site preparation is to control compet- the main root is straight planting • when planting machines are not available; bent, fill in with loose dirt and pack to achieve good root- position. ing vegetation and to insure good soil to root contact down, not doubled or • when there are small areas of re-planting to do; to-soil contact. for the newly planted seedlings. An ideal site is well sharply bent. Seedlings • within woodland openings or following timber tilled and free of weeds. However the steepness of slope, planted with “U-shaped” harvest operations. rocks and other impediments, and the need to control roots grow poorly. It is Slightly depress soil erosion often limit the degree of site preparation better to trim extremely Average planting rates for hand planting are 300-500 long roots. surface soil for that can be considered practical. seedlings per day. water penetration. • Plant seedlings in an up- Iowa DNR If possible, completely eliminate vegetation in a strip 3-5' right position, with soil There are three general methods of hand planting: Pack soil, removing all air pockets. State Forest Nursery wide where the trees are to be planted. This can be done firmly packed about the Incorrect • the dug-hole method, 2404 S. Duff Aveune, Ames, Iowa 50010 by cultivation or with herbicides. If the site needs pro- root system and leaving planting • the slit method, and Use soil to help 1-800-865-2477 tection from erosion, do all work on the contour. no air pockets. position. • the wedge method. open the roots. http://www.state.ia.us/forestry METHODS PLANNING Advance planning, proper species selection, site preparation, careful handling of tree seedlings, and a good Trees may be successfully planted by machine or by hand planting techniques. The choice weed control program will help assure a successful tree planting. A commitment to plant with care, depends on the number of trees to be planted, your site conditions, is an important first step that leads to successful establishment of tree and shrub seedlings. and the equipment or manpower available. PLANNING CARE OF SEEDLINGS PRIOR TO PLANTING PLANTING METHODS Before ordering your trees, take time to make a plan. If The planting season in Iowa is generally April 1st to MACHINE PLANTING necessary, consult a DNR District Forester (see the other mid-May. It is best to plant seedlings as soon as you Tractor-drawn planting machines are limited to areas that Before starting, get instructions from the planting ma- side for a Forester in your area). receive them. If this is not possible, they should be stored can be worked with farm equipment. Average planting chine owner or a DNR District Forester (see the other side • Select tree and shrub species that will do well on in a cooler at 35°F. If this is not possible, keep as cool as rates are 500-700 seedlings per hour. for a Forester in your area). your site and that will meet your objectives. possible, in a location that does not allow freezing and • Determine what spacing to use and the number thawing. Seedlings lose their vigor if stored for long periods. County Conservation Boards and Pheasants Forever Be sure that the machine opens an adequate planting of trees and shrubs needed. groups often have tree planting machines to loan or rent; trench and that it packs the trees firmly.
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