Advice on planting trees.

Deerherd · Apr 17, 2014

A couple of months ago I ordered 200 Norway Spruce 2-2 bare root trees from the State, that are supposed to be 18-24 inches tall. I am planning on planting them in three rows about 600 feet long.

Well I have to go pick them up tomorrow and they need to be planted fairly soon. Problem is the snow isn't all gone and it's 28 degrees this morning. The weather is supposed to be above freezing and sunny for the next 4-5 days so that should help but this AM the top couple inches of ground is pretty frozen.

I was planning on discing up an area 40 ft wide by 600 feet long, dragging it with a drag harrow and planting them, but winter doesn't want to leave. I am going to attempt to disc the ground this afternoon but I'm afraid I will just make a huge mess. I'll post some pictures later. I'm hoping exposing the ground to sun and wind will help dry it out.

I know I can toe the trees in for a little while but not sure how long that will work.

My other option would be to pot them up and plant them in the fall but that will be a little more work/expensive. Not sure I can locate 200 3 gal pots in short order either.

Anybody have any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Deerherd · Apr 17, 2014

The other option I could do is try and rake the trash first and then run my ditching plow to make the rows. That way there would be a lot less digging but a lot more filling after the trees are planted.

What I'm trying to do is not make it so rutted up so I can mow around the trees to keep the grass/weeds at bay.

oldballs · Apr 17, 2014

I did something similar with 200 assorted pine and cedar bare root stock from the Kansas Extension Service. I had already worked up an area that I called "The Tree Bed". This area was close to a water source and allowed me to cultivate the trees for a couple years. Then, as time went on, I selected the site for each tree and dug the holes for transplant. Of course, I had to dig up a root ball with each one for the transplant. But I was 45 in those days and did it all by hand.....with the help of our four kids. Cheers,
Mike

forgeblast · Apr 17, 2014

Forestry Suppliers, Inc., JIM-GEM? OST (Dibble) Bar
What I did was the fall before planting spray a row of roundup down so that I knew exactly where I wanted them. Then (i was planting them in a grid) measure off and do my other rows so that I had 15' spacing between. Then come spring I could see right where I wanted them. Bare root use the dibble bar, Stomp it in drop in the tree and then step on the dirt. Your done. You will need to control weeds around them, especially any invasives.

ace10 · Apr 17, 2014

Heel the trees in with mulch. Don't put all the bundles in one bunch, so you can remove them as you need them without disturbing the rest. Don't store them in direct sun.

The first time I planted bare root trees of that size, I too had poor ground conditions. Tried to trench them in and ended up with a huge mess. In my area, you'd have about six more weeks to get those trees in the ground. Up your way, it's probably more like eight. Do it right. You're going to be mowing between these trees for many, many years. You really don't want a mess.

BTW, I've switched over to using Norways exclusively on my wind break. I'm losing a lot of white pines to borers and bag worms. I've found that there are very few issues with the Spruce, even down here in a warm climate. I'm also using black pines in spots where I have to fill for dead trees.

My spacing is 12' X 15'. Which is probably tighter than I'd do, if I have a choice again. 15'X15' will allow for row maintenance for a good long while, during the early growth of the trees. Array the trees diagonally.

oldballs · Apr 17, 2014

The tree selection is important. After forty years many of the White, Scotch and Austrian pines died with the borer disease. The cedars do get the bag worms which I control with a large tank sprayer. Losing many of those pines was sad for me. Most were stately in maturity and have kept me busy sawing and disposing. But we do have some nice fall party bonfires out of them.

ruffdog · Apr 17, 2014

I would find a shady spot and put mulch on the roots but let the tops breathe. Keep them damp till you plant. I have planted thousands using a dibble bar with good success so 200 is a weekend job with no frost. We would normally get 4000 to 7000 of them a year, dig a trench in the garden, put them in the trench slightly spread out laying to one side, cover roots with dirt and water. We would pull 50 at a time, put in a pail that had 8" of water in it, go plant. Stick the dibble full depth in the ground, wiggle it to and fro to open the hole as needed, pull dibble out. Insert tree to the bottom of hole, then pull up to the correct depth. That helps get the roots pointing down. Stick dibble a couple inches behind tree and wiggle to help close dirt onto tree. Now, stick dibble a few inches behind that, (shallow, about 3-4" DP), and turn handles about 80 deg. What that does is give you a chunk of loose dirt to shove with your heal toward the tree to help close the hole.

ruffdog · Apr 17, 2014

Here is a dibble and a wind-row of trees.
-

Deerherd · Apr 17, 2014

Thanks for all the replies and it kind of eases my mind a little bit, it seems I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to get them planted. I'm going to order up a dibble bar today. I did try the rake, but that was a bad idea. Hooked up the disc and one end of the field was pretty wet but got it opened up so hopefully that will start drying things up. Thanks again for everyone's help!

Here's a before and after shot from each side of the field: