08/30/2000 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Pluvioii; PAGE (top) Farmstead windbreak; (bottom left) A restful, soothing place among tbe trees; (top left) Enjoying tbe backyard Rim Pecs (top left) Cbipping sparrow nest (top right) Twine will be removed before planting; !a (bottom left) Field windbreak. r Planting a tree A properly planted and maintained tree will grow much faster and live much longer than one that is incorrectly planted. Trees can be planted almost any time of the year as long as the soil is not frozen. However, early fall is the optimum time to plant trees.The roots grow some during the first fall and winter and when spring arrives the tree is ready to grow. Your second choice for planting is late winter or early spring. Hot summer weather is hard on newly planted trees and planting in Pozen soil during the winter is difficult and tough on tree roots. Be sure to carefully follow the planting Instructions that come with your tree. if specific instructions are not available, follow these tips: M Dig a hole twice as wide as, and slightly shallower than, the root ball. Roughen the sides and bottom of the hole with a pick or shovel so that roots can penetrate the soil. • With a potted tree, gently remove the tree from the container. Lay the tree on its side with the container end near the planting hole. Hit the bottom and sides of the container until the root ball is loosened.With trees wrapped in plastic or burlap, remove the string or wire that holds the wrapping to the root crown. Remove the wrapping if it is plastic; burlap may be left in place. • Gently separate circling roots on the root ball. Shorten exceptionally long roots, and guide the shortened roots downward and outward. Root tips die quickly when exposed to light and air; so don't waste time. • Place the root ball in the hole. Leave the top of the root ball (where the roots end and the trunk begins) 1/2 to 1 inch above the surrounding soil, making sure not to cover it unless roots are exposed. As you add soil . to fill in around the tree, lightly tamp the soil to collapse air pockets, or add water to help settle the soil. • Form a temporary water basin around the base of the tree to encourage water penetration, and water thoroughly after planting. A tree with a dry root ball cannot absorb water; if the root ball is extremely dry, allow water to trickle into the soil by placing the hose at the trunk of the tree. • Mulch around the tree. Early maintenance For the first year or two, espe- cially after a week or so of especially hot or dry weather, watch your trees closely for signs of moisture stress. If you see leaf wilting or hard, caked soil, water the trees well and slowly enough so the water soaks in rather than runs off. This will encour- age deep root growth. Keep the area under the trees mulched and free of other plants. Until the trees are deeply rooted, grasses and other plants may take up moisture before the trees can get their share. On the farm WindbreakS'and tree plantings slow the wind and provide shelter anct food for wildlife Trees can shelterlivostock - and crops thej''rare used asbarriers•to slow;Winds that blow across large cropped .. fields and through fanxisteads: An established "windbreak slow"s.yvind omits downwind sidefor a distance of<10 times the height of the trees Farmstead and field windbreaks dnd tree plantings are key corfipnrrenfs of conserva -`tion system They a!so improve air quality by captUrmg; dust Planting a rrjix n tree species helps prevent total losses to disease ancf sever ;weather it also provide food riesting, areas, and cover far;a variety of wildlrfe Sy`J a. a E3''