4-5 Year Potted Red Pine...1 qt pots? Root viability?

[TMR]

I have locally available 4-5 year old potted seedlings potted in about 1 qt pot. They were purchased by a local forester as seedlings for his person use and he potted some that he did not get planted and has kept watered for around four years...also a few WHite Pines and White Spruce.

A couple of questions...

1) the seedling look very healthy...is the 1 qt pots a problem for this old seedlings? Would success of planting be less?

2) With a potted seedling can you plant throughout the summer?

3) Should you loosen the roots in the pot "ball" as you put the seedling in the ground?

4) It looks like the owner trimmed the new growth on each year as the trees are appear to only have one growth year on each succeeding annual growth...ie; tall and thin...albeit with healthy appearing branches and current buds.

There are about 150 Red Pines/20 White Pines and 200 White Spruce. I would plan on planting throughout the summer into the fall.

Land I am planting has had Red Pine success.

Concerned about viability...Experience? Thoughts? Thanks...Tom R

 

[Texasmark]

The company where I worked put in a new building and parking lot. At the end of each row they had an earthen spot that was as long as 2 spaces end to end and as wide as 2 side by side.

They installed burlap wrapped oak trees that had trunks about 1' in diameter, with full canopy, and balled in about a 3' ball, one per spot.

They dug very large holes and buried the balls down to the original line where the top of the dirt had come while sitting in the nursery.....dirt completely covered the ball. A moat was left around the tree and it was braced very well with guy ropes. As I recall they left the ball intact. I usually open and loosen the soil, but cover the roots immediately to keep air off them.

They did not keep the moat full of water, rather every few days, after the dirt ceased to be damp, they would flood the moat and repeat the process based upon soil moisture.....damp, not wet.

Everyone of the trees survived and planting went on for most of the spring/summer so they were transplanted through the heat of the year.

Personally I have transplanted trees in more like quart plastic potting containers that had been sitting long enough for the roots to grow out of the container and into the ground. They survived after removing the pot before planting.

In my instance I used a slow release general purpose fertilizer and mixed it in the soil as I replaced it after transplanting. Have no idea as to what they did for the company trees but would certainly expect that they were fertilized, especially with Phosphorous (#2 main ingredient in fertilizer) to ensure a healthy root system.

HTH,

Mark

 

[MarkV]

I think you would be OK with those trees. They may be slow to start until they develop their root system though. I would be concerned about planting in summer heat unless you can keep them watered. There root system isn't going to be enough to depend totally on ground water.

MarkV

 

[TMR]

I would plan to water quite frequently (depending upon rainfall level)...also I would use a mixture of potting soil/peat moss and local dirt around the "ball". Not a large amount of the mixture...but just enough to help the roots make transition to new soil.

I would also plan to loosen the root ball quite a bit to make sure it can spread out after transplant.

I posted on Arborist site and had two comments...both said not worth the efforts as most will likely not survive. May be correct but seems like with the right effort they could do well????

Anyone actually experienced root ball issue in transplanting 3-5 year seedings from a container??

Thanks guys...I don't want to pass up these potted trees...but I also don't want to put in the huge work planting and watering for the summer and discover they are just too damaged having been in a smallish (1-2 qt) container for 4-5 years.

I would imagine the roots are wrapped around the container and need to be planted this season...if they have any chance.

Your thoughts...would you take on this project...say 250 trees?

BTW...depending on what additional I learn on the two sites I may try 10-20 and see what they look like.

Thanks...TMR

 

[Texasmark]

I like your plan about testing the water first. Only thing I can emphasize is that trees, unless Cypress, have roots that roam around in damp soil (unless there is a drought) so keep that in mind when watering.

I like your plan of potting soil, and that is probably what is in the ball. I like your idea to open the ball, but the burlap will rot and the roots come through it anyway, but still a good idea to open it. Main thing I have been taught/learned is minimum root disturbance for best results and keep away from the air as best you can.

Again, I was surprised, as many others were that those trees I mentioned survived, but they did and that was 20 years ago and they are still doing fine.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

I think you would be OK with those trees. They may be slow to start until they develop their root system though. I would be concerned about planting in summer heat unless you can keep them watered. There root system isn't going to be enough to depend totally on ground water.

MarkV

Very good point but that can be subjective to the size of the canopy, the prevailing relative humidity, and the intensity of the summer.

Mark