Selection and Care of Trees and Shrubs. Ray Ridlen Oklahoma County OSU Extension Educator

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1 Selection and Care of Trees and Shrubs Ray Ridlen Oklahoma County OSU Extension Educator

2 Selection Utilitrees Trident Maple Texas Buckeye Rust resistant Hawthorns Rust resistant Crabapples

3 Think Diversity Callery Pears, Bradfords and others Will grow almost anywhere, unfortunately! Narrow crotch angles. Occluded bark Many trees can have narrow angles, need to be aware when purchasing. Train when young

4 Tree Selection Aesthetics physical characteristics Function how will it be used Mature size Choose good quality oklahomanproven.okstate.edu

5 Planting When? Best time Early fall container grown and pines Spring broadleaf evergreens ie. Hollies If planted in the growing season Susceptible to high transpiration rates Dessication Any time handled properly

6 Preparing the Hole Dig hole 2-3 X the diameter of root ball Plant tree at original grade. B&B not always easy to tell. Or 1-3 inches above grade. Poor drainage or heavy clay soils. If planted above grade taper the soil down to the soil line to avoid wicking Tree spade hole roughen the walls of the hole

7 Split Ball Technique Forces the root system to be positioned shallowly in the soil profile Better drainage and oxygen relations

8 Scoring the Rootball Helps interrupt circling roots. Nicked roots stimulates new root growth

9 Removal of Strings and Burlap Around 20% of trees are planted w/ strings left at the top of the ball. Ask if the homeowner planted the tree or if somebody else planted the tree. Use screwdriver to dig down to check for strings and burlap Burlap by itself can act as a tourniquet

10 Backfilling the Hole Replace the soil in the hole with the SAME SOIL that came out of the hole! Use a slow release fertilizer and mix with backfill soil Can be done dry or as a slurry Use a jet nozzle to beak up chunks of clay May need to fill planting hole with water several times to remove air pockets

11 Why the Same Soil That s the neighborhood it is going to have to live in. Root Muscle Soil physics and water movement

13 Mulching Create a weed and sod free zone 4-6 feet, avoids weed-eater disease Plan ahead glyphosate application Maintain with sethoxydim Spot treat broadleaf weeds with glyphosate Mulch 2-3 deep w/ a organic mulch Shredded leaves is my product of choice

16 Benefits of Mulching Moderates soil temperatures Conserves Moisture Retards weed emergence

19 Pruning Always prune back to a branch or trunk That is where the callous tissue is located Do not use pruning paints, slow healing and cannot be made water tight Excessive pruning can lead to sunscald Invest in good equipment

20 Pruning 1-2-3

21 Staking Trees Avoid if possible Stake for only one year Allow for sway Swaying stimulates caliper growth and develops strong root system Some trees single stake Protect from rubbing

23 Wrapping Trees Paper (kraft) wrap Based on tree variety Wrap from bottom to the 1 st branch From November until March Usually only the first 2 winters Plastic protective wraps to avoid weed-eater damage

24 Watering Basin around the tree Apply at least 1 inch of water a week Winter water especially broadleaf evergreens Top die-back Too much water and not enough both look the same Allow time for soil to re-oxygenate Turf irrigation systems are inadequate

25 Fertilizing Start with a soil test Phosphorus and Potassium should have been added at time of planting Broadcast from the drip-line on out Irrigate after application 6 # of Nitrogen per 1,000 sq.feet ½ in Spring and ½ in Fall (dormant sod)

26 Pruning Time Deciduous -Spring bloomers - after flowering -Summer bloomers - winter or very early spring

27 Pruning Time Evergreens Needle-leaf - pinch back ½ of candle Scale-leaf just before new growth in Spring Broadleaf evergreens just before flush of Spring growth Ground covers Mow off before spring growth

28 Winter Protection Water and soil moisture

29 Site Disturbance Grade changes Soil Compaction Raised beds under trees

Planting Landscape Trees Larry A. Sagers Extension Horticulture Specialist Utah State University Thanksgiving Point Office

Trees and Shrubs Provide Beauty Wind protection Shade Wildlife habitat Visual Screening Topics of the Day Buying Trees Digging Holes Planting Trees Planting Landscape Trees Larry A. Sagers Extension Horticulture