Sanhedrin Nursery – Garden Blog

• Choose chrysanthemums in a variety of colors now. They are hardy perennials which will brighten your garden each fall.

• Plant cover crops in areas of the garden that have finished producing for the summer. Crimson clover and fava beans will grow over the winter and enrich the soil for next year.

• Apples, pears and other fruit trees can be planted in the fall from containers to get a head start on next spring.

• Plant snapdragons, pansies and violas for color this fall, winter and next spring.

• It’s time to divide overgrown perennials that bloomed in the spring or early summer. It’s also a good time to choose and plant some new varieties.

It’s the Perfect Time to Plant a Tree

A tree is a marvelous creation and it will greatly enhance your home and garden. It can provide colorful fall leaves, flowers, fruit or nuts and air conditioning in the summer time. Trees clean our air while giving us shade and beauty.

Fall is an excellent time to plant a tree, so here are some steps to follow for success.

1. Dig the hole two or three times as wide as the container or root ball of the tree, and the same depth as the rootball. Roughen the sides so the roots can penetrate the native soil.

2. Remove the container just before the tree is put into the hole. Lift the tree by the root ball instead of the trunk, and minimize the time the roots are exposed to the air. Roots circling the root ball should be cut vertically in five places around the outside. Cut off matted roots from the bottom of the root ball.

3. Set the root ball on undisturbed soil. Adjust the “best” side of the tree in the direction you want. Make sure the top surface of the root ball is even with, or slightly above, the ground level.

4. Fill in the hole around the root ball with the soil you dug out of the hole. Tamp down the soil as you fill it in until the hole is 2/3 full.

5. Water the tree to help settle the soil, then finish filling the hole but do not cover the top of the tree’s root ball. Don’t tamp this soil.

6. Use the remaining soil to make a berm around the edge of the planting hole. Fill this basin with water to thoroughly wet and settle the soil.

7. Remove any stake that came with the tree. Restake your tree only if the tree cannot support itself. Use two stakes and place them 12 inches away from the trunk on either side to support the tree against the wind. Make the ties loose enough so the tree can sway and bend in the wind.

If you are planting a tree in a lawn remove the grass at least two feet from the trunk of the tree. Grass roots will out compete a young tree for water and nutrients, stunting the tree’s growth.

Make sure the site you pick to plant the tree will accommodate the tree after it has matured. If planting close to your house, choose a smaller or slower-growing tree, unless, of course, you are trying to block out an undesirable view.

A tree planted in the fall will put on much more growth next summer than the same sized tree planted next spring. The soil will retain moisture better now and the roots can get established while the soil is still warm.

It’s fall, and time to plant a tree!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 15th, 2010 at 10:53 pm and is filed under Garden Article, Willits. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.