Frequently Asked Questions
Tree Ordering
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I purchase more than one type of tree variety from HELP's website?
Yes, you can purchase any combination of tree varieties and sizes from HELP’s website.
2. What is the minimum order size?
Orders must be for at least 50 trees, but you can mix and match varieties.
3. Can I order less than 50 trees of each variety?
Yes, the total order must be at least 50 trees, but you can order each variety in multiples of 10. For example, you could order 5 trees each of 10 varieties, as long as the total adds up to 50 or more.
4. How does HELP handle replacement trees?
At the time of purchase, we send you 5% more trees of each variety, free of charge, to cover any losses during establishment. If you need additional replacement trees, they are available at $1.50 per seedling. You’ll need to pay the regular shipping charges, unless you pick up the trees in Weyburn, in which case there is no shipping fee. Picking up in Weyburn also comes with extra incentives, including larger root balls and additional free trees.
If you're ordering replacement trees online, please indicate in the "Notes to Seller" section that the trees are for replanting, and we will adjust the pricing accordingly.
5. What if I don't have a credit card?
You can send a cheque payable to HELP International to:
HELP International
P.O. Box 181, Queen Street City Farm
Weyburn, SK S4H 2J9
6. How do I apply a discount coupon to my order?
After completing your order, enter your discount code in the "Add a Coupon" section before checking out. The discount will automatically be applied.
7. How can I pay for my order if I don't shop online?
If you prefer not to shop online, you can print out the order form and email it to [email protected] or fax it to (306) 848-0902. You can also call (306) 861-0814 to place your order by phone and pay with a credit card.
8. What types of payment does HELP accept?
We accept payment by credit card or cheque made out to HELP International.
9. Is there a deadline for placing orders?
There is no set deadline for orders. We process orders on a first-come, first-served basis.
10. What size are your tree seedlings?
Our regular seedlings are approximately 16 inches tall, while extra-large seedlings average 24 inches tall.
11. When do you ship tree seedlings?
We ship your seedlings during the planting season, based on your preferred timing.
12. What do your tree seedlings look like?
You can view photos of our seedlings in our online catalog and store.
13. How do I care for the trees between receiving them and planting them?
For container-root trees, remove the top of the package as soon as you receive it. If you need to store them for a few days, add a small amount of water (no more than 1 inch) to the bottom of the container to keep the roots moist.
14. How do I order 5 trees each of several species?
Trees must be ordered in multiples of 10. For example, you can order 10 trees of each species, but 5 trees of each variety is not possible.
15. Do you offer tree planting advice?
Yes, we offer advice based on years of experience. We recommend using plastic mulch film for the most cost-effective tree planting maintenance. After planting, you can use a tractor-pulled mulch applicator to lay the plastic, which eliminates weed control and irrigation needs, unless there is severe drought. We suggest planting the trees first and then applying mulch. You can rent mulch applicators in Saskatoon, or we offer a mulch machine rental in Weyburn for a voluntary maintenance fee.
If you're planting a shelterbelt on a 2-acre plot, we recommend the following arrangement for optimal wind protection and snow control:
16. Can I purchase mulch film and applicators from HELP?
Yes, we sell plastic mulch film and offer mulch applicator rentals in Weyburn for a voluntary maintenance fee of $20/day. We also ship mulch rolls and trees for a fee if you're unable to pick them up in Weyburn.
17. Do you offer any discounts?
Yes, we offer a 6% early bird discount for purchases made in November. Shipping is arranged based on your needs, and we charge a packing and shipping fee of 16 cents per seedling.
18. How to help a tree sapling where an animal has chewed the bark off in a ring around the trunk?
If an animal chews the bark all the way around the trunk, the tree cannot properly feed itself and the exposed wood will dry out, causing further damage. Unfortunately, the best solution is to cut the tree off below the chew mark while the tree is still dormant (in the next few days). This will encourage the tree to sprout new shoots from the base or ground, known as "stooling." Leave these shoots for 3–4 years to allow them to grow strong before pruning. After this period, remove all but the strongest shoot, and the tree will grow upright.
19. Hybrid Poplar Shelterbelt and Companion Planting with Spruce
20. Reasons to Consider Fall Shelterbelt Planting
Why plant shelterbelts in the fall?
While spring is the traditional planting time, fall planting offers several benefits:
21. What Trees Are Suitable for City Property Boundaries?
For urban lots, especially in residential areas, consider the following trees for city boundaries:
22. How to Control Deer Damage in Shelterbelts
Deer can be a significant threat to young trees, especially poplars. Here’s how to control damage:
23. How can I keep my trees if I am not ready to plant them?
If you are not ready to plant your trees, here’s how to care for them temporarily:
24. Should I use poplar trees to stop road dust from entering my yard?
Using poplars alone for dust control has some risks, especially with hybrid poplars:
25. How to replant trees through plastic mulch already laid
If you need to replace a dead seedling in an area with existing plastic mulch, here’s a simple method:
26. Using Old Growth Trees to Aid New Tree Plantings
Old, end-of-life poplars can be a valuable asset for new tree plantings in two main ways:
27. Tree Choices for New Campgrounds
When planting for new campgrounds, consider the following tree options:
28. Trees for Color in Town or Park Plantings
29. Deep Planting Protocol for Prairie Tree Seedlings
For optimal growth, seedlings on the prairies should be planted deep—with the entire root system and at least two inches of the lower stem buried underground. This applies to seedlings and not older saplings (4 feet or more). Deep planting helps protect the roots from drying out and promotes healthier growth.
1. Can I purchase more than one type of tree variety from HELP's website?
Yes, you can purchase any combination of tree varieties and sizes from HELP’s website.
2. What is the minimum order size?
Orders must be for at least 50 trees, but you can mix and match varieties.
3. Can I order less than 50 trees of each variety?
Yes, the total order must be at least 50 trees, but you can order each variety in multiples of 10. For example, you could order 5 trees each of 10 varieties, as long as the total adds up to 50 or more.
4. How does HELP handle replacement trees?
At the time of purchase, we send you 5% more trees of each variety, free of charge, to cover any losses during establishment. If you need additional replacement trees, they are available at $1.50 per seedling. You’ll need to pay the regular shipping charges, unless you pick up the trees in Weyburn, in which case there is no shipping fee. Picking up in Weyburn also comes with extra incentives, including larger root balls and additional free trees.
If you're ordering replacement trees online, please indicate in the "Notes to Seller" section that the trees are for replanting, and we will adjust the pricing accordingly.
5. What if I don't have a credit card?
You can send a cheque payable to HELP International to:
HELP International
P.O. Box 181, Queen Street City Farm
Weyburn, SK S4H 2J9
6. How do I apply a discount coupon to my order?
After completing your order, enter your discount code in the "Add a Coupon" section before checking out. The discount will automatically be applied.
7. How can I pay for my order if I don't shop online?
If you prefer not to shop online, you can print out the order form and email it to [email protected] or fax it to (306) 848-0902. You can also call (306) 861-0814 to place your order by phone and pay with a credit card.
8. What types of payment does HELP accept?
We accept payment by credit card or cheque made out to HELP International.
9. Is there a deadline for placing orders?
There is no set deadline for orders. We process orders on a first-come, first-served basis.
10. What size are your tree seedlings?
Our regular seedlings are approximately 16 inches tall, while extra-large seedlings average 24 inches tall.
11. When do you ship tree seedlings?
We ship your seedlings during the planting season, based on your preferred timing.
12. What do your tree seedlings look like?
You can view photos of our seedlings in our online catalog and store.
13. How do I care for the trees between receiving them and planting them?
For container-root trees, remove the top of the package as soon as you receive it. If you need to store them for a few days, add a small amount of water (no more than 1 inch) to the bottom of the container to keep the roots moist.
14. How do I order 5 trees each of several species?
Trees must be ordered in multiples of 10. For example, you can order 10 trees of each species, but 5 trees of each variety is not possible.
15. Do you offer tree planting advice?
Yes, we offer advice based on years of experience. We recommend using plastic mulch film for the most cost-effective tree planting maintenance. After planting, you can use a tractor-pulled mulch applicator to lay the plastic, which eliminates weed control and irrigation needs, unless there is severe drought. We suggest planting the trees first and then applying mulch. You can rent mulch applicators in Saskatoon, or we offer a mulch machine rental in Weyburn for a voluntary maintenance fee.
If you're planting a shelterbelt on a 2-acre plot, we recommend the following arrangement for optimal wind protection and snow control:
- Outside Rows: Alternating Golden Willow, Silverleaf Willow, and Pussy Willow (50 trees of each variety, spaced 2.5 meters apart)
- Middle Row: Walker Poplar (150 trees, spaced 2.5 meters apart)
- Inside Row: Okanese or Assiniboine Poplar (75 trees of each variety, spaced 2.5 meters apart)
16. Can I purchase mulch film and applicators from HELP?
Yes, we sell plastic mulch film and offer mulch applicator rentals in Weyburn for a voluntary maintenance fee of $20/day. We also ship mulch rolls and trees for a fee if you're unable to pick them up in Weyburn.
17. Do you offer any discounts?
Yes, we offer a 6% early bird discount for purchases made in November. Shipping is arranged based on your needs, and we charge a packing and shipping fee of 16 cents per seedling.
18. How to help a tree sapling where an animal has chewed the bark off in a ring around the trunk?
If an animal chews the bark all the way around the trunk, the tree cannot properly feed itself and the exposed wood will dry out, causing further damage. Unfortunately, the best solution is to cut the tree off below the chew mark while the tree is still dormant (in the next few days). This will encourage the tree to sprout new shoots from the base or ground, known as "stooling." Leave these shoots for 3–4 years to allow them to grow strong before pruning. After this period, remove all but the strongest shoot, and the tree will grow upright.
19. Hybrid Poplar Shelterbelt and Companion Planting with Spruce
- Can I plant two rows of trees this year and add lilacs next year when more are in stock?
Yes, you can plant the two inner rows this year and add lilacs next year. Lilacs, like most brush plants, are typically planted at 1-meter spacing, so you will need to plan accordingly. - We are adding a shelterbelt onto a pre-existing yard where the old shelterbelt is dying off. Is 50 feet enough to add 3 rows of trees (including lilacs) and still have space?
Yes, 50 feet is perfect for three rows of trees. I recommend spacing the rows about 4 meters (13–14 feet) apart. This gives you 28 feet for the tree rows, plus an additional 10 feet on the inside and outside of the rows for cultivation or grassing. You can use plastic mulch film and seed Creeping Red Fescue grass to reduce weed competition. Overall, you’ll need around 48 feet in total, leaving enough space for proper care and cultivation. - Should I still use the original tree recommendations for the shelterbelt (Golden Willow, Walker Poplar, Okanese Poplar) or consider new options?
While the original tree recommendations (Golden Willow, Silverleaf Willow, Pussy Willow, Walker Poplar, and Okanese Poplar) are still effective, newer varieties such as Prairie Sky Poplar and Tristis Poplar offer better snow and wind protection. Both varieties are fast-growing, bushy at the base, and more resistant to disease. Prairie Sky has a tear-drop shape, while Tristis is more rectangular. Both provide excellent protection for the ground. However, Okanese Poplar may still be desirable if you prefer the "bean pole" look for aesthetic purposes, as it can be pruned for a tall, narrow appearance. - What should I consider when planting a mix of tree varieties for disease resistance?
If you're concerned about disease, companion planting is an effective strategy. For example, planting two rows of Tristis Poplar alternating with White or Blue Spruce at 10-foot intervals has proven to work well. The fast-growing poplar provides shade, wind protection, and snow cover, especially for young spruce trees. Over time, as the spruce trees mature, they will eventually outgrow the poplars, which can be removed if needed.
20. Reasons to Consider Fall Shelterbelt Planting
Why plant shelterbelts in the fall?
While spring is the traditional planting time, fall planting offers several benefits:
- Time efficiency: Fall planting allows you to focus on shelterbelt maintenance and irrigation in the spring, especially if you're busy with other tasks.
- Drought conditions: If spring is prone to drought, fall planting gives trees the advantage of receiving the first moisture in spring, helping them establish stronger roots.
- Wet areas: If certain areas of your land are too wet for spring planting, fall planting can be a good solution as the soil tends to dry out in the fall.
21. What Trees Are Suitable for City Property Boundaries?
For urban lots, especially in residential areas, consider the following trees for city boundaries:
- Swedish Aspen: This columnar poplar has a contained root system, making it an excellent choice for city property boundaries.
- Evergreen Spruce: These trees can also be used for boundaries, but plant them about 1.5 meters in from the property line to prevent root conflicts with neighbors. Spruce trees grow slowly, but they offer dense coverage, which is great for privacy.
- Dogwood Shrubs: Planting low-growing shrubs like red ozier dogwood between spruce trees can create a solid hedge. Space the dogwood shrubs about 1 meter apart between the spruces. Once the spruce trees grow larger, you may need to remove or trim the dogwood.
22. How to Control Deer Damage in Shelterbelts
Deer can be a significant threat to young trees, especially poplars. Here’s how to control damage:
- Prevention: One of the best ways to deter deer is by having an outdoor dog. Deer are more likely to avoid areas with dogs.
- Damage from Deer: Deer typically damage poplars when the stem diameter is between half an inch and three-quarters of an inch. If the damage is significant, you may need to cut back the tree below the damaged area.
- Resprouting: If deer repeatedly damage the main leader, leave multiple shoots from the base (stooling) for 3–4 years. Once these shoots reach a diameter of around one inch, you can cut back all but the strongest leader.
23. How can I keep my trees if I am not ready to plant them?
If you are not ready to plant your trees, here’s how to care for them temporarily:
- Keep them in their original bundles until you’re ready to plant.
- Open the containers they arrived in.
- Store the bundles upright in a location with full sun.
- Maintain 1/4 to 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the container to keep the roots hydrated.
- The trees will remain in good condition for days or even weeks under these conditions with no ill effects.
24. Should I use poplar trees to stop road dust from entering my yard?
Using poplars alone for dust control has some risks, especially with hybrid poplars:
- Disease Risk: Hybrid poplars are susceptible to a disease affecting some varieties in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. This disease turns the bark a rust or copper color, and the trees die after 3-4 years. Currently, there is no known cure.
- Alternative Planting Strategy: For better disease resistance and improved windbreaks, consider alternating hybrid poplars (such as Okanese) with White Spruce. This combination provides shade and wind protection, with poplars helping spruce trees establish while protecting them from wind. Over time, as the poplars may die off, the spruce will mature and continue to protect the area.
- Wide Canopy Willows: If you’re planting a single row, large willow varieties with broad canopies are a good alternative. They grow quickly and provide effective dust control. Willows grow to 25-30 feet tall, creating a wide, dense canopy that blocks dust at lower levels (0–20 feet). Although poplars are taller, willows are better for stopping dust near the ground.
25. How to replant trees through plastic mulch already laid
If you need to replace a dead seedling in an area with existing plastic mulch, here’s a simple method:
- Create a hole: Use a one-inch diameter tent peg or crowbar and hammer it into the ground at the spot where the seedling died. This will create a hole large enough for the replacement tree's roots to drop in.
- Planting: Ensure that the root system, plus at least one inch of the stem, is buried under the soil.
- Add soil: Pour a cup of sifted soil into the hole, then compress the soil around the seedling by pressing down with your thumbs or using the head of a hammer. This will help secure the seedling and create a small water well for irrigation.
26. Using Old Growth Trees to Aid New Tree Plantings
Old, end-of-life poplars can be a valuable asset for new tree plantings in two main ways:
- Snow Catch: Old poplars help catch snow, ensuring moisture well into the summer for new trees planted within 10 meters of them.
- Shade and Wind Protection: The shade and wind protection from old poplars can be especially beneficial for young evergreens, such as spruce. Spruce thrive when planted in the shade and wind protection of older poplars. If planting spruce, place them on the north side of old poplars to protect them from harsh southern sun or on the south side for protection from northwest winds.
- Replacing Poplars with Fast-Growing Poplars: If you want to replace old poplars with a similar type of tree that doesn’t shed fuzz, consider planting Prairie Sky Poplar (10 ft spacing) or Okanese Poplar (8 ft spacing). These poplars are more compact, maintain their branches in high winds, and form a solid windbreak from the ground up. A new planting combination that’s gaining popularity is alternating Okanese Poplar and Spruce in the same row for a balanced shelterbelt that provides shade, windbreak, and snow cover.
27. Tree Choices for New Campgrounds
When planting for new campgrounds, consider the following tree options:
- Hybrid Poplars (Okanese and Prairie Sky): These are the fastest-growing, fuzzless poplars and are ideal for shelterbelts and campgrounds. They provide quick coverage and wind protection. Prairie Sky, in particular, forms a teardrop-shaped canopy, which makes it more resilient in high winds.
- Hill Poplar: A slower-growing poplar, but it’s a good choice if you prefer a clean lower trunk without needing much pruning. It’s perfect for areas where the visual aesthetics of a clean, lower trunk are important.
- Manitoba Maple: While not as fast-growing, Manitoba Maple provides good shade, has golden leaves in fall, and creates a strong canopy. It’s a good choice for long-lived trees in campgrounds and parks, but it requires a reliable water supply.
- Green Ash: Known for being drought-resistant, Green Ash grows about 1 foot per year and is ideal for dividing parking stalls or tight spaces in campgrounds. While not the best for shade, it’s a good option for areas where water is limited.
- Willows for Fast Growth: If you need fast-growing trees for the campground, willows (such as Silverleaf or Russian Olive) have broad canopies and grow quickly. These will provide coverage faster than poplars, but may not last as long as poplars or oaks.
28. Trees for Color in Town or Park Plantings
- Amur Maple: This tree is not fast-growing but provides stunning red color in the fall with small Canada Maple-like leaves.
- Silverleaf Willow and Russian Olive: Both trees have silver-colored leaves that create a striking visual effect in parks and town landscapes.
29. Deep Planting Protocol for Prairie Tree Seedlings
For optimal growth, seedlings on the prairies should be planted deep—with the entire root system and at least two inches of the lower stem buried underground. This applies to seedlings and not older saplings (4 feet or more). Deep planting helps protect the roots from drying out and promotes healthier growth.
Should a person use a weed whip for removing weeds and grass next to tree seedlings/saplings?
Please if you don't mind giving some urgent advice to both your summer staff and to all the new residents on the new campgrounds. The advice is: Do NOT use weed whips up against any tree that is younger than fifteen years old!!! Weed whips needlessly kill thousands of tree seedlings each year. When the weed whip hits even one side of the seedling it takes the bark off just like a mouse or rabbit or porcupine chewing around the baby tree trunk will do. Once the bark is harmed then the tree has to be cut back down to the ground to recover because it has no future if there is a horizontal strip of bark missing even for a quarter way around the bottom of the trunk of a seedling or sapling. Therefor do NOT use a weed whip near a tree seedling or tree sapling or any tree with a trunk diameters less than 12 inch diameter!
Please if you don't mind giving some urgent advice to both your summer staff and to all the new residents on the new campgrounds. The advice is: Do NOT use weed whips up against any tree that is younger than fifteen years old!!! Weed whips needlessly kill thousands of tree seedlings each year. When the weed whip hits even one side of the seedling it takes the bark off just like a mouse or rabbit or porcupine chewing around the baby tree trunk will do. Once the bark is harmed then the tree has to be cut back down to the ground to recover because it has no future if there is a horizontal strip of bark missing even for a quarter way around the bottom of the trunk of a seedling or sapling. Therefor do NOT use a weed whip near a tree seedling or tree sapling or any tree with a trunk diameters less than 12 inch diameter!
Tree Planting & Care:
How do I transplant seedlings from my garden or 'heeled in'?A: Uproot seedlings while still dormant (before budding). Store them in a plastic bag in a cold, dark place (like a shed or fridge) until planting.
Q: My shelterbelt trees (350 seedlings) are turning yellow with brown spots, possibly from overwatering or disease. What should I do?A:
Q: How can I store trees if I’m not ready to plant them right away?A:
Q: How do I use grass as a "living mulch"?A:
Q: What happens to plastic mulch over time? Do I need to remove it?A:
Q: How do I plant individual trees in grassland or cultivated soil (Eight-Step Method)?
Q) How can you create biodiversity?
A) If you want to create biodiversity you might consider alternating two or more species per row. Planting blue or white spruce then a hybrid poplar or green ash then another spruce for example in one row creates a kind of companion planting (in addition to biodiversity) where the faster growing hybrid poplar provides shade and wind protection that can result in the spruce growing faster than its normal slow 6 to 8 inches per year in the first five years. Alternating species in same row also is a good defence against disease that can more easily spread when same tree species is touching each other in a row.
Another option is to alternate in the same row something like green ash with two lilac and then another green ash etc. This creates nice bio-diversity for nesting birds (who like the lilac) but also creates a tree row that stops both ground winds, middle story and high story winds. This allows one row to efficiently do the job of three rows.You can plant as many alternating species in the same tree row as you wish. The more species the more biodiversity (and the more species of birds will be attracted).
Q) Can I plant new trees inside a restricted space while keeping the old shelterbelt that is near end of life?
It sounds like there is not any extra land space to create completely new tree lines inside or outside the existing treed area.
This is then a problem of how to decommission end of life trees and commission new ones in the identical same space due to space restrictions and where you want to continue benefiting from important protection from north-west or south-east wind and snow blows.
You want to benefit from the existing trees while they still have some life for the next few years while planting new ones.
OPTION A
What many folks would do which I would probably not do on my own property and would NOT necessarily advise you to do is:
1stly) bulldoze all existing trees and roots out completely and start again.
2ndly) money permitting, a person going for this option may construct at least one roll-out snow fencing to stop ground drifting snow the same way the tree line is doing now. Someone with lots of money might add a larger slat fence (perosity fence) to stop snow at medium levels ...meaning two rows of fencing to replicate the job of low and medium to high brush.
3rdly) install brand new tree rows using tractor pulled tree planter of other conventional means.
OPTION B
I like old things and even old trees a lot. If it were my property I might well do the following:
i) Plant manually tree by tree seedlings in between the existing tree rows....digging sod chunks out in 2 ft x 2 feet spaces. When the sod is spaded out like this, it should create a 2 x 2 ft space that is about three inches deep.
ii) Create a de-sodded space like this every eight to ten feet or whatever spacing you wish your new tree row to look like....but moving over a foot father or less when you encounter a root.
iii) Plant regular tree seedling in the bottom and middle of each 2 x 2 foot de-sodded space by removing a gallon size of soil in the bottom of each de-sodded space. Make sure the top of the soil you put around your tree in the gallon size hole is about a half to one inch 'deeper' than the bottom of your three inch deep de-sodded area.
iv) Place a square 2 ft by 2ft plastic mulch pad over each seedling. You can purchase a very strong 10 mill plastic pad from HELP at $3 each OR you can easily make your own with a strong black or dark green plastic garbage bag (it MUST be a dark color such as black or dark green and NEVER a clear plastic and NOT a reflective color of plastic such as white. To make your own you simply cut with a scissors a 'plus' sign two inches by two inches in the middle of the bag. Then place the plastic over each tree seedling that is planted in the bottom of each 2 ft by 2 ft de-sodded depression. Simply put the 'plus sign' over each seedling.
v) Cut the plastic to fit the hole or simply folk excess plastic underneath so it looks like a perfect 2 ft by 2 ft plastic fitting perfectly the 3 inch deep de-sodded hole.
vi) Then take a couple three inch wide pieces of the sod by two feet long you removed and place it up-side down over the edges of the plastic to hold the plastic down in the hole so the wind etc does not take the plastic up.
vii) Next take a fist size stone and place it on top of the plastic immediately agaist each tree seedling to hold the center of the plastic pad down that extra inch ...remember how the top of the tree soil was to be one inch 'lower' than the bottom of the three inch de-sodded square.
viii) That's IT! When you place that stone against each tree seedling this holds the middle of the plastic (with the plus sign) down one inch deeper than the rest of the plastic pad. This serves two very important functions: a) if the plus-sign hole in the plastic is deeper than the rest of the plastic, the moisture under the plastic cannot evaporate out this hole. 2ndly and as importantly, because the hole in the plastic is lower than the rest of the plastic, any rain that falls into the 2 ft x 2 ft de-sodded depression will all flow into the plus-sign tree hole thereby giving each tree about three times the amount of rainfall it would normally receive.
ix) In the above system of replacing your shelterbelt system....it is hundreds of hours of manual work over a couple off spring, summer and falls.....you can plant trees in such a system at any time of year so long as you are using container root tree seedlings. Seedlings would, in my opinion be very happy growing under the canopy of old growth trees because they would be given both shade and wind protection. Evergreens could be planted in the most highly shaded areas in the very interior rows. Willow could be planted between the two outside rows and Poplar or other species between the inside rows. Just stay away from shade intollerant trees or brush such as sea buckthorn that will will not survive being highly shaded.
x) In the above system, which one might call a 'labour of love' (things that take an immense amount of time and energy but that we do not count because its something we love to do),
one would then harvest out one tree at a time as it dies UNLESS one wants a laisez-faire system of old tree eventually falling down on their own to create a natural forest environment OR for those wishing a conventional clean shelterbelt floor, they would remove dead tree material as it falls OR purposefully chain saw one tree at a time out of the old shelterbelt as each old tree eventually dies.
I do believe that this covers the options I can think of.
I do not believe that planting saplings created in your own nursery space would give much extra advantage to seedlings planted directly with the minimum protection of mulch pads. This is because:
a) Moisture under old growth trees is most typically very optimal to begin with.
b) The environment under old growth trees in my opinion already creates the conditions for a tree nursery ...shade, moisture and wind protection.
Hope these suggestions give you food for thought in making your own unique plan of action.
Q) How do I plant a single tree seedling?
A) Cultivate the soil in a minimum 1 foot x 1 foot square space and 8 inches depth. Then plant the seedling in it. Don't be afraid to bury it deep and far up the stem. Deeper means the seedling will more readily reach subsurface moisture. Then place a minimum 2 ft x 2 ft plastic of any kind over the tree seedling. Make a + sign cut two inches x two inches in the middle of the plastic and pull the seedling through. The plastic should be a doubled large black or green garbage bag or any other dark coloured plastic. Bury the outside edges of the plastic under one inch or more of soil, using a spade to take out wedges of soil, inserting the plastic edges in the hold and putting the wedges of soil back to hold the plastic edges in the one to two inch deep paramenter depression. Place a stone next to the seedling to hold the plastic down near the tree hole so that any rain falling on the plastic goes down the tree hole. This plastic mulch stops evaporation, eliminates weed and grass competition and eliminates the need for cultivation. It's as close to maintenance free as you can get.
Q) What machinery do you need for a tree planting operation?
A) A simple tractor-pulled tree planter can plant up to 1,000 seedlings in an hour.
Q) Trees to Protect Towns from Dust and Farming Operations
Depends how much space you have to plant the trees on ie: five meter with would be sufficient to plant two rows of tree buffer.....14 meters would be sufficient to plant three rows of trees. Three rows is recommended as minimum for most shelterbelt or buffer purposes.
Remember that on medium to high snow winters the snow will trap within the trees and have a gradient of 15 meters into your town property from the tree line and as much as 15 meters gradient of snow on the outside of the property (into the farmer's field).
Traditionally folks would plant a brush row on the outside (such as lilac or carriganna) planted at one meter spacing. We carry lilac but not carrigana. We have modified this practice by planting one tree such as the drought resistant green ash at intervals of four meters in the same row as the lilac so you would have a Green Ash followed by three lilac and then another green ash. This not only provides nice aesthetics but also provides you with ground wind and mid story protection for the same price as only having solid lilac.
Row two could be a solid row of the fast growing tree possible ie: ;the Prairie Sky Poplar (3 m spacing) or the Okanese Poplar (2.5 m spacing). Both of these are male clones so have no seeds and therefor no fuzz. If watered 2 gallons per seedling every week to ten days it doesn't rain then, if planted in early June .....within 12 months you should find their size ranging from 3 to 7 feet by early june the following year. Both these varieties have branches that come off the main trunk radiating out at ground level so this affords the fastest stoppage of ground winds and snow in fact to stop ground winds, mid story and upper story winds .
Inside row could be solid white spruce (we have two year olds at the price of one year old seedlings). These are long lived, grow far slower than the poplar (four feet high by year five) but will eventually provide year round full protection in their maturity along with provide 'ever green' aesthetics for the town.
Space between tree rows should be 4 meters tree center line to tree center line.
Note: if the area is level or low lying you could also consider installing large willow (golden, silverleaf or laurel) on the field side or town side but always on an the outside or inside row so they can canopy into the open space. If planting these large willow ...space at 12 feet spacing between trees typically and remember that willows require more vigilant watering same as recommended above.
Reminders: Plant all tree seedlings extra deep ie: the full root plus two inches of the lower stem underground. Create a heel depression at base of each seedling to seal the root and to create a small water well to gather water from rains.
Q) Should I add manure to my trees' soil?
A) We do not recommend adding any additive to the soil hole where you plant your tree. This can interrupt the normal soil hydrology (water movement and osmosis) and can even dehydrate your tree. Plant the tree directly into whatever soil is already there, whether that be sandy, solid clay, or any other kind of soil.
Q) If we aren’t planting bare root trees for a month or so after we get them, what do you recommend for storage til that point?
A) When you receive the trees, keep them in a very cool dark place till the hour they are required for planting. If you wish you can even keep them in an old refrigerator at non freezing normal fridge temperature (2-5 degrees Celcius) till the time of planting. You should also open the boxes and bags the trees are in (one bag per box), add three or four cups of water to each bag and then re-close the bag and box.
Q) How Do I maintain my trees once received from the bus if I am not ready to plant them?
a) Remove the trees from the shipping containers
b) Keep the trees wrapped in the groups of five or ten or fifteen trees that they come in.
c) Place them in a plastic basin or similar container.
d) keep them outdoors unless the climate is sub-zero more than a couple of degrees ..in which case keep them in an UNHEATED shed till temps are above zero.
e) maintain NOT MORE than 1/4 inch of water at the bottom of the containers you are keeping the trees in.
f) the trees can start growing in this condition and continue to do so for days or even weeks with no harmful effects. If longer than a few weeks, then place half an inch of soil with the 1/4 inch of water at the bottom of the basin so the roots continue growing.
Q) How fast do the seedlings grow?
A) The rate of growth depends upon the size of seedling and also the variety of seedling.
Most species we have grow at a rate of about one foot per year if you use a low maintenance system such as plastic mulch and don't water the trees. If they are watered occasionally then most species can grow up to 1.5 feet per year.
The exception are the hybrid poplars and willow species that can grow up to one meter per year. The Okanese and Walker are our fastest growing poplar hybrids, at 1.0-1.2 m a year.
Of the evergreens, the blue spruce is the slowest growing at about 6 to 8 inches per year, the white spruce grows about 50% faster and the Scot's Pine grows about twice as fast as the blue spruce.
Q) How can I guard my trees against field chemicals? And are there fast growing trees that are tolerant of field chemical drift?
A) Here are some options to protect your trees from chemicals:
Carigana Buffer
Although growing at the same rate of most other species at about 1 foot per year depending upon location, the cariganna is by far the most resistant to field chemical drift. Carigana is very difficult to kill even when chemical is directly applied to try and kill it (by the non tree lovers!) There does not seem to be a lot of research online regarding trees that are resistant to field chemicals, but that information should be out there. Most trees are susceptible to careless spraying. Careful farmers never harm their field tree strips but one careless land user can do a lot of damage! We've done more than 400 commercial plantings and I am only aware of three that were destroyed by repeated exposure to careless use of field chemical on adjacent crops.
Grass Buffer Strip
-Planting a 2-3 meter margin of low maintenance common creeping red fescue between the tree line and the crops will act as a buffer. Common creeping red fescue (also great as a living mulch between plastic mulched tree rows) costs about $100 for a 50 lb bag which can be ordered from your local grain company. Even a two meter margin of grass is far better than the crop and cultivation being within a foot from the first tree row.
Q) What is your planting advice on bonemeal or root stimulator?
A) We never use soil amendments ourselves. In my experience, trees, unlike vegetables, perform better on degraded soils than high humus soils. Do an experiment if you like with half planted with any amendments suggested by professionals. Then you will know which system works best.
Q) Our lot is very wet and some of the soil is mixed with fill. We need hearty trees, will these work in your opinion?
A) Some trees that work well in wet sites are: Green Ash, Willow, and Poplar.
Q) What trees do well in sandy and gravelly soils?
A) It depends where the surface water table is.
If there is moisture within six inches of the surface then most shelterbelt trees adapt to a very wide range of soils from clay to sandy loam to even sand. Some places in the arid southwest Saskatchewan have evergreen like Scots pine doing very well in their sandy soils. Hybrid poplars with their long fibrous roots can do well. Tap rooted trees like green ash are the most drought resistant, and can do well. I would not rule out any trees. The best indicator of what grows well in your zone is what grows in well neighboring properties. See what is looking very happy and healthy and tall - this is the best way of telling what is likely to do well in your land. If the water table is very near the surface then evergreens like white and blue spruce can also do well in gravelly soils.
Q : We are trying to decide on a “bushy” windbreak outside row for the north side of our farmyard. We would like to establish this new outside row and then begin working our way south (rows are East/West), replacing and rejuvenating current old shelterbelt rows.Our current outside row is villosa lilac from 40 years ago and needs replacing. We do not like the self-seeding of the villosa lilac and would prefer not to use it again.We want something that will grow quickly and thrive on the north side of a poplar row (average moisture, not too wet or too dry) and thinking either caragana or shrub bush willow. I realize you do not have caragana for sale; but I cannot find much information on the shrub willow apart from your website for comparison. Is one better at stopping the wind in the winter than the other? Is the willow more susceptible to branches breaking off? Would the caragana have a harder time growing in partial shade?
A) Cariganna is very drought resistant once established. The only thing that kills it is standing water. If tended well by pruning cariganna back to six inches from the ground once every ten years the cariganna will form the thickest bluff and grow to greater height than shrub willow ie to 4.5 to five meters compared to 4 meters for the shrub willow.
You may considering ordering cariganna from Sask powers Shand Greenhouse. They provide them free if charge.
If your cariganna row is the outside row (and not between two existing rows) it should perform well and benefit from the moisture in the partial shade.That’s my suggestion. Cariganna is one our toughest and long lived brush species. In addition to cariganna, chokecherry can also make a significant five meter high shelterbelt that does not migrate so much. Cariganna, if it likes the environment can definately seed itself out and multiply but this is the exception. Chokecherry will also migrate a bit over the years but more near the base of the trees you plant.
Last thought: Folks often don't realize the asset potential of old established shelterbelts or even the asset value of a dying shelterbelt for shade for creating new shelterbelts. For example, evergreen such as spruce and pine are major challenges to start on the open prairie yet do extremely well when planted on the north side of existing shelterbelts or, for blue spruce especially, when planted in highly shaded conditions between existing rows. So north side would be ideal for planting white or blue spruce and pine. The shade and extra moisture from north side shade and protection from at least the south east winds would make them grow a lot more stress free.
Q) How often do I have to water my new tree seedlings?
A) It depends on the situation when you planted the tree seedlings. If they were planted in well tilled earth in early May and planted to an adequate depth of six to eight inches, then they typically do not need any watering to establish themselves. However, if you did provide water once every two weeks, or two weeks from the last rain, they will grow about 25% more in a year. If they are installed with a plastic mulch then they require no weeding, no cultivation and very little watering.
If you see top leaves of any tree seedlings yellowing prior to late August this is a sign of drought stress in which case you should definitely water your trees. In this case, you should give them about 5 litres each.
Q) Are my trees yellowing from too much water or not enough water?
A) Yellowing can be from drought or from flooding.
If you have the trees on constant watering or drip irrigation the yellowing if likely from too much water. If the trees are in standing water for more than one to three weeks at a time then the yellowing can be from being water logged.
If your trees are on normal non-swampy farmland and you water only once a month or less, then the yellowing leaves are probably caused by drought stress. The top leaves yellow first as the tree tries to preserve the leaves closest to its core/base. Poplar can tolerate lots of water, though not standing water for long periods of time.
Water each tree five to ten liters, this might be all they need to keep going till the next rain. If no rain comes then given them another 5 to 10 liters of water each in another ten days time. Also watch for pests. The most persistent is the spider mite, especially on poplars. If you see one branch of leaves drying at a time then look for the tiny four inch diameter web with a tiny spider you can hardly see in the center of each web. Canadian Tire sells insecticide with a spider picture on the front, or use liquid malathaine, an inexpensive pest control chemical for larger tree groves.
Q) How Deep Should I Plant My Trees ?
A) HELP does a lot of field forestry contract plantings. Our policy for the semi arid region of south Saskatchewan is to plant most tree varieties including poplars as deep as possible. I would plant them two inches or more above the 'top' of the root ball that has the attached soil.
95% of tree establishment failure is, in my experience, due to dehydration i.e.: inadequate moisture for the root. This is caused either by:
i) inadequate soil moisture at the time of planting (water immediately the same day of planting if possible if soil is not good and moist)
ii) inadequate soil sealing of the tree root due to inadequate tilling which is too shallow or too lumpy...leaving the root unsealed, and super aerated leading to dehydration.
iii) lack of soil moisture due to hot temperatures sometime after the day of planting.
Trees mostly only want water...they surprisingly require little else to establish and thrive.
Planting extra deep guards against all three of the above possibilities. By planting deep you are getting the roots down to the sub-soil moisture where the root zone is less dependent upon surface rain fall human irrigation to survive. By planting deep you have a far greater chance that the roots will be sealed by soil silt and not left exposed to air due to shallow planting or when planted in lumpier than fine sifty garden texture rototilled soil.
Q) How Close Can I Cultivate or Till to mature trees which form a shelterbelt line between us and our farmer neighbor? Will it damage the roots of the trees and cause the trees to die eventually? The cultivating done yesterday was done around 6 feet from the mature trees?
A) In my opinion, tilling six feet away from mature trees will not harm mature shelterbelt trees. In fact, many farmer fields traditionally had many rows of multi species trees planting right through the center of their fields i.e.: such as one row every 150 meters. In these types of plantings farmer plowed fields were immediately on each side of the multi species tree rows from three to six feet....maybe six feet when the trees were larger i.e.: the farmers often plowed as close as their machinery could get without the over hanging branches hitting the tractor. So six feet sounds like a safe distance in my opinion. For evergreen trees, do not go closer than six feet as they have the poorest shallow root system.
For freshly established young evergreens I also recommend staying back a couple feet from young evergreen trees as rototilling too close can disturb, aerate/dry out their roots easily.
Q) Tree Planting Advice for Acreage Considerations for Shelterbelt Design on Long Narrow Properties.
A) I wonder what you have for grass cover on the inside of row one i.e.: inside tree row. We typically plant CRF(fescue) two meters outside of the outside row and two meters inside of the inside row. You might already have fescue or other non competitive grass on the inside portion.
Its up to you if you wish to give the extra space i.e.: four meters of CRFescue on the outside of the outside row. One consideration you might wish to think about is ....your property is fairly long and narrow. The snow catch on a typical to heavy snowfall winter in your shelterbelt will typically make the snow banks drop up to ten meters prior to your outside row ....within the tree rows....and also up to fifteen meters (about fifty feet) inside yard side of the tree rows on each side. This can leave you very small actual living space....and..if your house and lane...if not in the center of the one hundred fifty feet you have in balance....then your lane and house and other buildings can have snow issues if too close to the trees.
A factor that can change all this is if your are surrounded by many other two acre acreages with trees or natural trees stands in strategic direction from your property ie: to the northwest and south east....as these trees on adjacent properties could greatly reduce the snow load that your trees would have to stop on your property. Just something to think about.
Q) Choosing Between Walker, Okanese and Assiniboine Poplars...some practical considerations.
A) On this first year that we are operating without access to government trees which we programmed for many years, we have produced only the most popular of the shelterbelt poplars and willow varieties for year one. By fall 2016 we expect to add lilac, Manitoba maple ....and by fall 2017 we hope to add white spruce, American Elm, and several more varieties of willow and poplar. We hope to get Scotts Pine trees going as well but not sure when...we are in the midst of opening up our new 160 acre tree farm so lots will roll out with each season.
Walker poplar is the only poplar specifically designed to stop ground winds and snow drifts. Depending upon your yard, the lane trees are usually used for aesthetics and as a secondary only snow catcher.
The walker is most traditionally utilized on the outside of one's property where the major snow stoppage is required.
The walker (has seeds and therefor a tiny bit of fuzz) is the only poplar designed to have branches that radiate from the trunk right against the ground....The walker, unlike all other poplars, is shaped like a Christmas tree....broadest against the ground with a narrow spike at the very top. Because it has branches against the ground, you cannot cultivate or mow against the trunk whereas you can cultivate or grass mow around the base of the Okanese (is a male clone hense no seeds and therefor zero fuzz....slighter evenly shaped and fastest growing equal to the walker with branches starting a couple feet off the ground and slightly more upward orienting than the Walker) or Assiniboine ( also a male clone with therefor no seeds and zero fuzz....more rectangular shaped all the way up with growth rate only a tiny bit slower than the Okanese and Walker, and with branches starting a foot or two up the trunk and again more upward oriented than the lower branches of the Walker).
Remember that if you are in the country and do not have shelterbelt trees farther back to catch the main snow drifting in...then your lane trees could catch snow 15 meters on each side of them on a bad winter....regardless lane trees are usually put back minimum 15 meters back from lane center if you have the space to do that. And again, the lane trees should only act as a secondary snow catch for residual snow that your outer property shelterbelt trees did not catch.
So Bill you need to choose based upon what you need the trees for and depending upon the aesthetics you want and how you plan to maintain them (ie: cultivation or plastic film mulch film and then inter row shallow rooted grassing/mowing).
Q: 2nd Year Maintenance to Remove Weeds and Grass on non-mulched Tree Lines.
A) i) I suggest you cultivate with double disc or rototiller up against the tree lines to uproot grasses and perennial weeds.
After cultivation as above noted, I suggest that you select one of the following options for more permanent weed and grass control:
ii) You can lay the standard 4 inch wide x 1,500 feet long plastic mulch film over the trees you planted last year using a mulch applicator pulled by a tractor. So the point is that you can apply plastic mulch now in most cases even if you missed the chance to do it when the trees were planted.
or
iii) You can continue to cultivate three or four times per year on each side of your tree lines for the next five or more years till the trees are well advancing after which you can plant some shallow rooted turf grass between the tree rows as a 'living mulch' . But this can only be done after the first five years of cultivating beside the tree rows.
or
iv) If you are set on chemical weed control, you can incorporate 3 times the normal rate of a tri-flurilate such as treflan into the top four inches of soil on the first three to six feet on each side of the tree lines...beginning about four or more inches back from the tree line. This effectively sterilizes the soil on each side of the tree line for a period of three to five years thereby not allowing grass and week competition.
Round Up can be used to kill grass without harming the trees so long as you apply onto the green grass and green weeds befor the leaves come onto the trees or by ensuring that no Round Up gets onto the tree leave. This can be done by applying Round Up using a quad pulled foam roller applicator.
Q : Drought Tollerant Trees
A) Level of rainfall per year, depth of the water table, and depth of sand till you hit clay are also factors that can influence tree potential.
One of the best indicators to know what will grow well is to look around your neighborhood and see what has grown well in the past....what are the most frequently occurring trees.
Otherwise, as a rule of thumb, green ash are the very most drought resistant of all prairie tree species.
We do not carry green ash at this time.
All three of our shelterbelt Poplar varieties (Assiniboine, Walker and Okanese) are well known for their drought tollerance due to their extensive root system. Just remember to plant these tree seedlings deep....I suggest eight inches deep or three inches deeper than the top of the five inch root plug of soil that they come with.
American Elm which has just become available at HELP since last week, is also considered very drought tollerant.
Evergreens are generally the least drought tollerant due to their very weak root systems however pine and spruce can sometimes do very well in sandy soils if the water table is sufficiently high. But in general evergreens are very drought intollerant though Scots Pine is somewhat more drought tollerant than spruce varieties.
Q) What are my options to Replace Trees in old shelterbelts of Dead Trees or Stumps?
A) If it was my land ...I might consider the following options to decide between:
i) Expanding my yard if space permitted by starting brand new rows outside the existing end of life tree rows so that I can carry out the most efficient tillage, possible plastic film mulching or post planting cultivations (whichever is your preferred method of tree maintenance)
ii) Decreasing yard size as an option if my existing trees are a perameter around a very large area. This means planting new rows inside of the existing rows.
iii) Planting new tree rows 'between' the old tree rows thereby leaving the existing cut down or dying trees in place for the moment and allow the stumps to deteriorate naturally or remove stumps are time permits while the new tree rows are establishing. This assumes you have sufficient space between the old tree rows for new tree rows.... A minimum of six feet width of fine tillage width is required for example for mechanized tree planting and especially for laying of the four foot plastic mulch film if you were using that method for tree installation.
Where ever possible I like to make use of Mother Nature to do natural decomposition processes and personally would try to avoid the extra brute work of stump removal if I could.
Q) Suggestion on Low Maintenance Mechanized or Manual Tree Planting for Smaller Plantings.
Our Okanese are quite small ...they have a five inch long root w soil plug about one inch in diameter. Its good to plant the bottom of the root about seven inches deep meaning the entire root ball plus two inches of stem will be underground. Our Okanese stems are quite small at 8 to 12 inches in length. If properly planted, have adequate moisture and you keep weed and grass competion two feet back from each tree, seedling, you can still expect them to grow a meter or more per year.
The best version is fine tilling 2.5 meter (eight feet) width for your tree line...it should be fine tilled to a depth of eight inches and so fine that when you walk on the soil you sink up to your ankles.
The easiest way to plant is with a tractor pulled tree planter that are available free of charge from many RMs in the region. If you cannot locate one let me know and I will tell you where one is in your region.
With a tree planter you can plant one tree every couple of seconds.
If planting by hand I suggest you:
i) pre-till as above noted.
ii) Then make a four inch deep hollow two feet by two feet
iii) then scoop out a gallon size of soil hole in the middle of this two foot square depression
iv) Stick the tree in this hole and back fill with the same soil the gallon size hole.
v) Stomp the soil around the tree so there is a one inch deeper depression around each tree at the bottom of the two by two foot square depression.
If you want to really help your trees be a plant and walk away system, next you would:
vi) cut a black garbage bag with a 2 inch x 2 inch plus sign cut in the very center. Place one two-ply garbage bag over each tree pulling the tree seedling out of the plus sign hole.
vii) Bury the outside one inch edge of the plastic with soil
viii) Place a fist size stone right against the seedling so that the plastic where the plus sign is ...is pushed down in the one inch depression around each tree.
ix) Now broadcast and harrow 50 lb/acre of low cost shallow rooted turf grass in the form of common creeping red fescue and pack it very well with your back tractor tire if you don't have another packing method.
x) Mow the weeds for the first year till the grass forms a solid sod. The fescue is far less of a fire hazard typically remaining shorter and green far into November unlike other grasses.
The above system ensures that during each one inch rain the tree will receive about five inches of water due to the two by two foot depression plus the one inch depression in the middle of that.
If you insist you do not wish to cultivate the tree zone befor planting then I suggest you skip step one but instead do step ii to x. This means that in step ii you will spade out the sod which will create a two foot by two foot hollow four inches deep.
We have planted two million trees on contract using both the mechanized system and also the manual system. Am not saying these are the only successful systems but you must either commit to constant cultivation around the trees for five year OR use a plastic or similar method to stop soil moisture evaporation and hold back weed and aggressive grass competition as I have described above.
Weeds and aggressive grasses need to be held back a minimum of twelve inches on every side of the tree at a bare minimum if trees are to survive establishment and grow at their rated potential.
Question : What are the Options I Have for Planting Trees Successfully ?
There are only three successful ways of planting trees on the southern prairie:
i) pre-cultivate the entire zone, plant the trees and then religiously cultivate three times per year for five years.
ii) pre-cultivate the entire zone, plant the trees and then machine lay the four foot wide plastic mulch film over the trees...make tiny holes to pull the trees out of the plastic and then plant a generous rate of Creeping Red Fescue (or other shallow rooted drought resistant turf grass) between the rows.
iii) If not pre-cultivating then spading out the sod four inches deep in a two foot by two foot square. Then planting one tree in the bottom of each digging out another gallon size hole at the bottom of the desodded area....plant the tree replacing the same soil from the gallon hole but with a one inch depression left in the one gallon soil removal area. Then cut a two inch x two inch plus sign in the middle of a black plastic garbage bag and lay over each planted tree pulling each tree out through the plus sign. Bury the outside one inch of the plastic with soil on the outside bottom of the two foot by two foot de-sodded depression. Lastly place a fist size stone against each tree seedling on top the plastic over the plus sign...holding that portion of the plastic down into the one inch depression you left in the middle of the one gallon hole you made to plant each tree. With this method there is little to zero weeding, no cultivation, and with each rainfall mother nature will give each tree about ten times more water than it would get if planted on the surface of the ground.
Question : What is the Logic Behind Deciding Distance Between Trees and between Tree Rows ?
For shelterbelt purposes, we have followed the federal government's Shelterbelt Center recommended distances for hybrid poplar or 2.5 meters (that is, eight feet) spacing between trees within a row. We strongly recommend not less than four meters between tree rows. The four meter rule is from our own experience of contract tree planting. The four meters between the most standard three to four shelterbelt rows provides space for the blowing snow to be stored. If the rows are too close then the snow makes a quick snow bank and then continues to blow inward to the next obstacle being your cars, house and other buildings.
On the other hand I like four meters more than I like five meters between tree rows because at four meters the trees create sufficient shade in the in-between row space to have an influence on reducing evaporation whereas in a five meter between row spacing I find the sun can typically get in and dry out the soil between tree rows so the trees can't do the same job at creating a micro-ecosystem/micro-climate for themselves within the tree zone.
Distance between White Spruce (similar for all evergreens) is government recommended at 3 meters (that is, ten feet) ...and again four meters between tree rows. Some folks plant at 2 meters or 2.5 meters with the idea that they have something nice to look at for the first ten years befor the trees get tall enough to otherwise appreciate. Then, at ten or fifteen years of age every second tree can be tree spaded out and used for spot landscaping or other purposes since, at that age, spruce are a very high value tree!
Question: What is the Logic Behind Tree Row Spacing?
The minimum number of rows for new shelterbelts (if you do not have forestation or tree belts in the near vacinity) is three rows of trees for minimum wind and drifting snow protection of your property.
The ideal row spacing for most trees (space between tree rows) is 4 meters. Its a sort of magic number. At four meters most trees (except for large willow varieties which require 5 meters) will tend not to interfere with each other (by branches touching each other that causes spontaneous pruning one the sides that are touching etc which you do not want).
Four meters is also the maximum distance in which the land in between will eventually remain moist year round due to the ecosphere created by the tree canopies. Farther than 4 meters apart and sometimes the landspace in the middle between tree rows can become drought prone.
The two four meters spacing = 8 meters that would be the space between three rows is also the area considered as the minimum space required for snow capture. On an average snow fall winter, the snow accumulation is a eight to 12 foot high bank within the tree rows and 15 meters of snow tapering inside the property from the tree lines and 15 meters tapering from the tree lines to the outside of the property. If you leave less than four meters of space between tree rows the snow can blow over the tree line and onward into the property to be stopped by buildings and vehicles etc.
Questions : Im located by morris manitoba and im looking for some trees 50 trees be fine with us what would total costs be?U do the planting? When could this be done? What would the best tree to grow big and fast in a heavy/ clayey soil?
- Planting Services
Am sorry but HELP does not provide planting services for less than 1,000 meters of tree lines when outside of Saskatchewan and not less than 500 meters of tree lines when in Saskatchewan.
- Of the list above HELP currently carries a number of willow varieties you can find on our website at www.help-shelterbelts.com. Of our willows I would highly recommend the Golden Willow as a fast growing tree that is quite hardy, fast growing. It grows to 25 to 40 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide in canopy typically.
- Shrub Tree Varieties for Clay Soils:
Chokecherry
Dogwood
Hawthorn
Carigana (does not tollerate standing water)
Lilac
Planting Services
Am sorry but HELP does not provide planting services for less than 1,000 meters of tree lines when outside of Saskatchewan and not less than 500 meters of tree lines when in Saskatchewan. We are open for fall shelterbelt planting tree orders now (which includes a full range of willow, several hybrid poplars, plus some Green Ash and Red Ozier Dogwood. Fall planting is recommended for the period October 1st through 21st (any time prior to ground freezing).
For Spring 2018 planting season we will be posting trees for sale on October 1st or earlier for on line purchase or downloadable tree order form. We will be carrying out press releases, and email notification at that time to all R.M.s and towns (and counties in other provinces) with printable order forms as well as web-site address for on-line purchases and a plentitude of shelterbelt planning and planting advice. The trees available for spring planting will include at a minimum:
Hybrid Poplars
All regular size seedlings will sell for $1.50 each plus shipping charge of 25 cents per seedling. No shipping charge for orders that are picked up by the customer at HELP's new Center for Tree Production, Research and Training 8 km west of Weyburn right on Highway 13.
Question : I have a farm near Choiceland, sk.. We are completely open to the north and would like to plant some trees to block the wind and add some privacy.. Without measuring i would guess we would need enough trees for about 500 meters. What would you recommend in this situation?
If you are wide open then folks typically put three to five rows. Acreages most typically put three rows. Most economy on three rows might
Majority of snow that enters most properties is blown in by drifting snow so having something to stop drifting snow is major.
If you want to maximize wind and snow stoppage I would consider the following:
Variety Spacing Qty Required for 500 Meters
Outside row: Shrub Willow one meter spacing 500
4 meter space
Middle Row: Walker Poplar 2.5 m spacing 200
5 meter space
Inside Row: Golden Willow 3 m spacing 166
Rational for outside row: Shrub Willow is fastest growing shrub and will stop ground winds very effectively. Some folks put two shrub willow then a fast growing hybrid poplar like Okanese and then two more shrub willow to create multi story wind protection on that outside row.
Rational for Middle Row: Walker poplar is only hybrid poplar with wide branches right against the ground so will be a second row barrier against ground winds and drifting snow. Walker is very fast growing equal to that of the fast growing Okanese poplar.
Rational for Inside Row: Golden Willow has a very wide canopy compared to Walker and Okanese poplar. Golden willow grows to be 25 to 30 ft tall and almost the same width of canopy so for mid story wind protection the golden willow does a great job do to its immense density of canopy.
If you were putting four rows you might consider placing white spruce (which is slow growing but 30% faster growing than blue spruce) on any row except not the outside row. The spruce takes far longer to grow compared to willows and poplars but is longer lived and once it does mature in 15 to 20 years creates a very superior wind break and privacy shield due to its high density.
Q: The Scott's Pine I planted last year: half of them are brown this spring. Does that mean they are dead or will they turn green this summer.
Response:
If they are 100 percent if needles brown then they are probably gone. If the main stalk is flexible then there's still hope. If it snaps off brittle/dry then for sure it is dead.
The open winters of the past few years have been really hard on spruce and pine seedlings . Some of the things that really help are I) deep planting is the full root plus two inches of lower stem under ground
Ii) create a small depression even one foot kick depression to seal the tree and create a water well at base of tree seedlings
Iii) cultivate your keep grass and weeds back two feet from each seedling or place mulch to achieve the same thing
If) water the pine and spruce in just before freeze up to insulate the root from freezing and to help prevent soil dehydration during high winds when there is no snow cover
V) possibly most important ensue snow cover over the entire young spruce or pine seedling. Do this by leaving standing grass etc a couple feet back from the seedlings or even take your snow blower and blow snow over the evergreen seedlings .
How do I transplant seedlings from my garden or 'heeled in'?A: Uproot seedlings while still dormant (before budding). Store them in a plastic bag in a cold, dark place (like a shed or fridge) until planting.
Q: My shelterbelt trees (350 seedlings) are turning yellow with brown spots, possibly from overwatering or disease. What should I do?A:
- Overwatering likely caused fungal issues. At 4 years old, they should not need regular irrigation.
- Spacing of 3 feet is too close; 8 feet is recommended. Tight spacing can lead to mildew or rust.
- Solution: Remove every second tree for better airflow and sunlight.
- If mildew is the issue, use baking soda in water for treatment. For rust, consult a professional for chemical treatments.
- Stop watering unless the trees show signs of drought stress (yellowing at the edges).
Q: How can I store trees if I’m not ready to plant them right away?A:
- Keep trees in pail with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of water.
- If not planting immediately, create a trench (6 inches deep, 4-5 inches wide) and place trees (still wrapped) in it, keeping soil about 1 inch below the plastic wrap.
- They’ll remain good until spring or early summer.
Q: How do I use grass as a "living mulch"?A:
- Use creeping red fescue between tree rows. It’s shallow-rooted, so it won’t compete with trees for moisture.
- Broadcast grass seed at 50 lb/acre and mow/weeds 2-3 times/year to maintain a healthy sod.
Q: What happens to plastic mulch over time? Do I need to remove it?A:
- No need to remove it. The plastic will eventually be buried under leaves, soil, and grass, and will break down over several decades.
Q: How do I plant individual trees in grassland or cultivated soil (Eight-Step Method)?
- Spade out a 2ft x 2ft area, 4 inches deep, ensuring the edges are straight.
- Dig a gallon-sized hole at the bottom of the area.
- Plant the tree with the root ball 1-2 inches below soil level, ensuring the root reaches the clay subsoil for moisture.
- Press soil firmly around the tree to create a 1-inch depression.
- Cut a 2-inch “+” hole in a black plastic garbage bag.
- Lay the plastic over the tree, pulling the tree through the cut.
- Bury the edges of the plastic with soil to hold it in place.
- Place a stone over the “+” sign to secure the plastic.
Q) How can you create biodiversity?
A) If you want to create biodiversity you might consider alternating two or more species per row. Planting blue or white spruce then a hybrid poplar or green ash then another spruce for example in one row creates a kind of companion planting (in addition to biodiversity) where the faster growing hybrid poplar provides shade and wind protection that can result in the spruce growing faster than its normal slow 6 to 8 inches per year in the first five years. Alternating species in same row also is a good defence against disease that can more easily spread when same tree species is touching each other in a row.
Another option is to alternate in the same row something like green ash with two lilac and then another green ash etc. This creates nice bio-diversity for nesting birds (who like the lilac) but also creates a tree row that stops both ground winds, middle story and high story winds. This allows one row to efficiently do the job of three rows.You can plant as many alternating species in the same tree row as you wish. The more species the more biodiversity (and the more species of birds will be attracted).
Q) Can I plant new trees inside a restricted space while keeping the old shelterbelt that is near end of life?
It sounds like there is not any extra land space to create completely new tree lines inside or outside the existing treed area.
This is then a problem of how to decommission end of life trees and commission new ones in the identical same space due to space restrictions and where you want to continue benefiting from important protection from north-west or south-east wind and snow blows.
You want to benefit from the existing trees while they still have some life for the next few years while planting new ones.
OPTION A
What many folks would do which I would probably not do on my own property and would NOT necessarily advise you to do is:
1stly) bulldoze all existing trees and roots out completely and start again.
2ndly) money permitting, a person going for this option may construct at least one roll-out snow fencing to stop ground drifting snow the same way the tree line is doing now. Someone with lots of money might add a larger slat fence (perosity fence) to stop snow at medium levels ...meaning two rows of fencing to replicate the job of low and medium to high brush.
3rdly) install brand new tree rows using tractor pulled tree planter of other conventional means.
OPTION B
I like old things and even old trees a lot. If it were my property I might well do the following:
i) Plant manually tree by tree seedlings in between the existing tree rows....digging sod chunks out in 2 ft x 2 feet spaces. When the sod is spaded out like this, it should create a 2 x 2 ft space that is about three inches deep.
ii) Create a de-sodded space like this every eight to ten feet or whatever spacing you wish your new tree row to look like....but moving over a foot father or less when you encounter a root.
iii) Plant regular tree seedling in the bottom and middle of each 2 x 2 foot de-sodded space by removing a gallon size of soil in the bottom of each de-sodded space. Make sure the top of the soil you put around your tree in the gallon size hole is about a half to one inch 'deeper' than the bottom of your three inch deep de-sodded area.
iv) Place a square 2 ft by 2ft plastic mulch pad over each seedling. You can purchase a very strong 10 mill plastic pad from HELP at $3 each OR you can easily make your own with a strong black or dark green plastic garbage bag (it MUST be a dark color such as black or dark green and NEVER a clear plastic and NOT a reflective color of plastic such as white. To make your own you simply cut with a scissors a 'plus' sign two inches by two inches in the middle of the bag. Then place the plastic over each tree seedling that is planted in the bottom of each 2 ft by 2 ft de-sodded depression. Simply put the 'plus sign' over each seedling.
v) Cut the plastic to fit the hole or simply folk excess plastic underneath so it looks like a perfect 2 ft by 2 ft plastic fitting perfectly the 3 inch deep de-sodded hole.
vi) Then take a couple three inch wide pieces of the sod by two feet long you removed and place it up-side down over the edges of the plastic to hold the plastic down in the hole so the wind etc does not take the plastic up.
vii) Next take a fist size stone and place it on top of the plastic immediately agaist each tree seedling to hold the center of the plastic pad down that extra inch ...remember how the top of the tree soil was to be one inch 'lower' than the bottom of the three inch de-sodded square.
viii) That's IT! When you place that stone against each tree seedling this holds the middle of the plastic (with the plus sign) down one inch deeper than the rest of the plastic pad. This serves two very important functions: a) if the plus-sign hole in the plastic is deeper than the rest of the plastic, the moisture under the plastic cannot evaporate out this hole. 2ndly and as importantly, because the hole in the plastic is lower than the rest of the plastic, any rain that falls into the 2 ft x 2 ft de-sodded depression will all flow into the plus-sign tree hole thereby giving each tree about three times the amount of rainfall it would normally receive.
ix) In the above system of replacing your shelterbelt system....it is hundreds of hours of manual work over a couple off spring, summer and falls.....you can plant trees in such a system at any time of year so long as you are using container root tree seedlings. Seedlings would, in my opinion be very happy growing under the canopy of old growth trees because they would be given both shade and wind protection. Evergreens could be planted in the most highly shaded areas in the very interior rows. Willow could be planted between the two outside rows and Poplar or other species between the inside rows. Just stay away from shade intollerant trees or brush such as sea buckthorn that will will not survive being highly shaded.
x) In the above system, which one might call a 'labour of love' (things that take an immense amount of time and energy but that we do not count because its something we love to do),
one would then harvest out one tree at a time as it dies UNLESS one wants a laisez-faire system of old tree eventually falling down on their own to create a natural forest environment OR for those wishing a conventional clean shelterbelt floor, they would remove dead tree material as it falls OR purposefully chain saw one tree at a time out of the old shelterbelt as each old tree eventually dies.
I do believe that this covers the options I can think of.
I do not believe that planting saplings created in your own nursery space would give much extra advantage to seedlings planted directly with the minimum protection of mulch pads. This is because:
a) Moisture under old growth trees is most typically very optimal to begin with.
b) The environment under old growth trees in my opinion already creates the conditions for a tree nursery ...shade, moisture and wind protection.
Hope these suggestions give you food for thought in making your own unique plan of action.
Q) How do I plant a single tree seedling?
A) Cultivate the soil in a minimum 1 foot x 1 foot square space and 8 inches depth. Then plant the seedling in it. Don't be afraid to bury it deep and far up the stem. Deeper means the seedling will more readily reach subsurface moisture. Then place a minimum 2 ft x 2 ft plastic of any kind over the tree seedling. Make a + sign cut two inches x two inches in the middle of the plastic and pull the seedling through. The plastic should be a doubled large black or green garbage bag or any other dark coloured plastic. Bury the outside edges of the plastic under one inch or more of soil, using a spade to take out wedges of soil, inserting the plastic edges in the hold and putting the wedges of soil back to hold the plastic edges in the one to two inch deep paramenter depression. Place a stone next to the seedling to hold the plastic down near the tree hole so that any rain falling on the plastic goes down the tree hole. This plastic mulch stops evaporation, eliminates weed and grass competition and eliminates the need for cultivation. It's as close to maintenance free as you can get.
Q) What machinery do you need for a tree planting operation?
A) A simple tractor-pulled tree planter can plant up to 1,000 seedlings in an hour.
Q) Trees to Protect Towns from Dust and Farming Operations
Depends how much space you have to plant the trees on ie: five meter with would be sufficient to plant two rows of tree buffer.....14 meters would be sufficient to plant three rows of trees. Three rows is recommended as minimum for most shelterbelt or buffer purposes.
Remember that on medium to high snow winters the snow will trap within the trees and have a gradient of 15 meters into your town property from the tree line and as much as 15 meters gradient of snow on the outside of the property (into the farmer's field).
Traditionally folks would plant a brush row on the outside (such as lilac or carriganna) planted at one meter spacing. We carry lilac but not carrigana. We have modified this practice by planting one tree such as the drought resistant green ash at intervals of four meters in the same row as the lilac so you would have a Green Ash followed by three lilac and then another green ash. This not only provides nice aesthetics but also provides you with ground wind and mid story protection for the same price as only having solid lilac.
Row two could be a solid row of the fast growing tree possible ie: ;the Prairie Sky Poplar (3 m spacing) or the Okanese Poplar (2.5 m spacing). Both of these are male clones so have no seeds and therefor no fuzz. If watered 2 gallons per seedling every week to ten days it doesn't rain then, if planted in early June .....within 12 months you should find their size ranging from 3 to 7 feet by early june the following year. Both these varieties have branches that come off the main trunk radiating out at ground level so this affords the fastest stoppage of ground winds and snow in fact to stop ground winds, mid story and upper story winds .
Inside row could be solid white spruce (we have two year olds at the price of one year old seedlings). These are long lived, grow far slower than the poplar (four feet high by year five) but will eventually provide year round full protection in their maturity along with provide 'ever green' aesthetics for the town.
Space between tree rows should be 4 meters tree center line to tree center line.
Note: if the area is level or low lying you could also consider installing large willow (golden, silverleaf or laurel) on the field side or town side but always on an the outside or inside row so they can canopy into the open space. If planting these large willow ...space at 12 feet spacing between trees typically and remember that willows require more vigilant watering same as recommended above.
Reminders: Plant all tree seedlings extra deep ie: the full root plus two inches of the lower stem underground. Create a heel depression at base of each seedling to seal the root and to create a small water well to gather water from rains.
Q) Should I add manure to my trees' soil?
A) We do not recommend adding any additive to the soil hole where you plant your tree. This can interrupt the normal soil hydrology (water movement and osmosis) and can even dehydrate your tree. Plant the tree directly into whatever soil is already there, whether that be sandy, solid clay, or any other kind of soil.
Q) If we aren’t planting bare root trees for a month or so after we get them, what do you recommend for storage til that point?
A) When you receive the trees, keep them in a very cool dark place till the hour they are required for planting. If you wish you can even keep them in an old refrigerator at non freezing normal fridge temperature (2-5 degrees Celcius) till the time of planting. You should also open the boxes and bags the trees are in (one bag per box), add three or four cups of water to each bag and then re-close the bag and box.
Q) How Do I maintain my trees once received from the bus if I am not ready to plant them?
a) Remove the trees from the shipping containers
b) Keep the trees wrapped in the groups of five or ten or fifteen trees that they come in.
c) Place them in a plastic basin or similar container.
d) keep them outdoors unless the climate is sub-zero more than a couple of degrees ..in which case keep them in an UNHEATED shed till temps are above zero.
e) maintain NOT MORE than 1/4 inch of water at the bottom of the containers you are keeping the trees in.
f) the trees can start growing in this condition and continue to do so for days or even weeks with no harmful effects. If longer than a few weeks, then place half an inch of soil with the 1/4 inch of water at the bottom of the basin so the roots continue growing.
Q) How fast do the seedlings grow?
A) The rate of growth depends upon the size of seedling and also the variety of seedling.
Most species we have grow at a rate of about one foot per year if you use a low maintenance system such as plastic mulch and don't water the trees. If they are watered occasionally then most species can grow up to 1.5 feet per year.
The exception are the hybrid poplars and willow species that can grow up to one meter per year. The Okanese and Walker are our fastest growing poplar hybrids, at 1.0-1.2 m a year.
Of the evergreens, the blue spruce is the slowest growing at about 6 to 8 inches per year, the white spruce grows about 50% faster and the Scot's Pine grows about twice as fast as the blue spruce.
Q) How can I guard my trees against field chemicals? And are there fast growing trees that are tolerant of field chemical drift?
A) Here are some options to protect your trees from chemicals:
Carigana Buffer
Although growing at the same rate of most other species at about 1 foot per year depending upon location, the cariganna is by far the most resistant to field chemical drift. Carigana is very difficult to kill even when chemical is directly applied to try and kill it (by the non tree lovers!) There does not seem to be a lot of research online regarding trees that are resistant to field chemicals, but that information should be out there. Most trees are susceptible to careless spraying. Careful farmers never harm their field tree strips but one careless land user can do a lot of damage! We've done more than 400 commercial plantings and I am only aware of three that were destroyed by repeated exposure to careless use of field chemical on adjacent crops.
Grass Buffer Strip
-Planting a 2-3 meter margin of low maintenance common creeping red fescue between the tree line and the crops will act as a buffer. Common creeping red fescue (also great as a living mulch between plastic mulched tree rows) costs about $100 for a 50 lb bag which can be ordered from your local grain company. Even a two meter margin of grass is far better than the crop and cultivation being within a foot from the first tree row.
Q) What is your planting advice on bonemeal or root stimulator?
A) We never use soil amendments ourselves. In my experience, trees, unlike vegetables, perform better on degraded soils than high humus soils. Do an experiment if you like with half planted with any amendments suggested by professionals. Then you will know which system works best.
Q) Our lot is very wet and some of the soil is mixed with fill. We need hearty trees, will these work in your opinion?
A) Some trees that work well in wet sites are: Green Ash, Willow, and Poplar.
Q) What trees do well in sandy and gravelly soils?
A) It depends where the surface water table is.
If there is moisture within six inches of the surface then most shelterbelt trees adapt to a very wide range of soils from clay to sandy loam to even sand. Some places in the arid southwest Saskatchewan have evergreen like Scots pine doing very well in their sandy soils. Hybrid poplars with their long fibrous roots can do well. Tap rooted trees like green ash are the most drought resistant, and can do well. I would not rule out any trees. The best indicator of what grows well in your zone is what grows in well neighboring properties. See what is looking very happy and healthy and tall - this is the best way of telling what is likely to do well in your land. If the water table is very near the surface then evergreens like white and blue spruce can also do well in gravelly soils.
Q : We are trying to decide on a “bushy” windbreak outside row for the north side of our farmyard. We would like to establish this new outside row and then begin working our way south (rows are East/West), replacing and rejuvenating current old shelterbelt rows.Our current outside row is villosa lilac from 40 years ago and needs replacing. We do not like the self-seeding of the villosa lilac and would prefer not to use it again.We want something that will grow quickly and thrive on the north side of a poplar row (average moisture, not too wet or too dry) and thinking either caragana or shrub bush willow. I realize you do not have caragana for sale; but I cannot find much information on the shrub willow apart from your website for comparison. Is one better at stopping the wind in the winter than the other? Is the willow more susceptible to branches breaking off? Would the caragana have a harder time growing in partial shade?
A) Cariganna is very drought resistant once established. The only thing that kills it is standing water. If tended well by pruning cariganna back to six inches from the ground once every ten years the cariganna will form the thickest bluff and grow to greater height than shrub willow ie to 4.5 to five meters compared to 4 meters for the shrub willow.
You may considering ordering cariganna from Sask powers Shand Greenhouse. They provide them free if charge.
If your cariganna row is the outside row (and not between two existing rows) it should perform well and benefit from the moisture in the partial shade.That’s my suggestion. Cariganna is one our toughest and long lived brush species. In addition to cariganna, chokecherry can also make a significant five meter high shelterbelt that does not migrate so much. Cariganna, if it likes the environment can definately seed itself out and multiply but this is the exception. Chokecherry will also migrate a bit over the years but more near the base of the trees you plant.
Last thought: Folks often don't realize the asset potential of old established shelterbelts or even the asset value of a dying shelterbelt for shade for creating new shelterbelts. For example, evergreen such as spruce and pine are major challenges to start on the open prairie yet do extremely well when planted on the north side of existing shelterbelts or, for blue spruce especially, when planted in highly shaded conditions between existing rows. So north side would be ideal for planting white or blue spruce and pine. The shade and extra moisture from north side shade and protection from at least the south east winds would make them grow a lot more stress free.
Q) How often do I have to water my new tree seedlings?
A) It depends on the situation when you planted the tree seedlings. If they were planted in well tilled earth in early May and planted to an adequate depth of six to eight inches, then they typically do not need any watering to establish themselves. However, if you did provide water once every two weeks, or two weeks from the last rain, they will grow about 25% more in a year. If they are installed with a plastic mulch then they require no weeding, no cultivation and very little watering.
If you see top leaves of any tree seedlings yellowing prior to late August this is a sign of drought stress in which case you should definitely water your trees. In this case, you should give them about 5 litres each.
Q) Are my trees yellowing from too much water or not enough water?
A) Yellowing can be from drought or from flooding.
If you have the trees on constant watering or drip irrigation the yellowing if likely from too much water. If the trees are in standing water for more than one to three weeks at a time then the yellowing can be from being water logged.
If your trees are on normal non-swampy farmland and you water only once a month or less, then the yellowing leaves are probably caused by drought stress. The top leaves yellow first as the tree tries to preserve the leaves closest to its core/base. Poplar can tolerate lots of water, though not standing water for long periods of time.
Water each tree five to ten liters, this might be all they need to keep going till the next rain. If no rain comes then given them another 5 to 10 liters of water each in another ten days time. Also watch for pests. The most persistent is the spider mite, especially on poplars. If you see one branch of leaves drying at a time then look for the tiny four inch diameter web with a tiny spider you can hardly see in the center of each web. Canadian Tire sells insecticide with a spider picture on the front, or use liquid malathaine, an inexpensive pest control chemical for larger tree groves.
Q) How Deep Should I Plant My Trees ?
A) HELP does a lot of field forestry contract plantings. Our policy for the semi arid region of south Saskatchewan is to plant most tree varieties including poplars as deep as possible. I would plant them two inches or more above the 'top' of the root ball that has the attached soil.
95% of tree establishment failure is, in my experience, due to dehydration i.e.: inadequate moisture for the root. This is caused either by:
i) inadequate soil moisture at the time of planting (water immediately the same day of planting if possible if soil is not good and moist)
ii) inadequate soil sealing of the tree root due to inadequate tilling which is too shallow or too lumpy...leaving the root unsealed, and super aerated leading to dehydration.
iii) lack of soil moisture due to hot temperatures sometime after the day of planting.
Trees mostly only want water...they surprisingly require little else to establish and thrive.
Planting extra deep guards against all three of the above possibilities. By planting deep you are getting the roots down to the sub-soil moisture where the root zone is less dependent upon surface rain fall human irrigation to survive. By planting deep you have a far greater chance that the roots will be sealed by soil silt and not left exposed to air due to shallow planting or when planted in lumpier than fine sifty garden texture rototilled soil.
Q) How Close Can I Cultivate or Till to mature trees which form a shelterbelt line between us and our farmer neighbor? Will it damage the roots of the trees and cause the trees to die eventually? The cultivating done yesterday was done around 6 feet from the mature trees?
A) In my opinion, tilling six feet away from mature trees will not harm mature shelterbelt trees. In fact, many farmer fields traditionally had many rows of multi species trees planting right through the center of their fields i.e.: such as one row every 150 meters. In these types of plantings farmer plowed fields were immediately on each side of the multi species tree rows from three to six feet....maybe six feet when the trees were larger i.e.: the farmers often plowed as close as their machinery could get without the over hanging branches hitting the tractor. So six feet sounds like a safe distance in my opinion. For evergreen trees, do not go closer than six feet as they have the poorest shallow root system.
For freshly established young evergreens I also recommend staying back a couple feet from young evergreen trees as rototilling too close can disturb, aerate/dry out their roots easily.
Q) Tree Planting Advice for Acreage Considerations for Shelterbelt Design on Long Narrow Properties.
A) I wonder what you have for grass cover on the inside of row one i.e.: inside tree row. We typically plant CRF(fescue) two meters outside of the outside row and two meters inside of the inside row. You might already have fescue or other non competitive grass on the inside portion.
Its up to you if you wish to give the extra space i.e.: four meters of CRFescue on the outside of the outside row. One consideration you might wish to think about is ....your property is fairly long and narrow. The snow catch on a typical to heavy snowfall winter in your shelterbelt will typically make the snow banks drop up to ten meters prior to your outside row ....within the tree rows....and also up to fifteen meters (about fifty feet) inside yard side of the tree rows on each side. This can leave you very small actual living space....and..if your house and lane...if not in the center of the one hundred fifty feet you have in balance....then your lane and house and other buildings can have snow issues if too close to the trees.
A factor that can change all this is if your are surrounded by many other two acre acreages with trees or natural trees stands in strategic direction from your property ie: to the northwest and south east....as these trees on adjacent properties could greatly reduce the snow load that your trees would have to stop on your property. Just something to think about.
Q) Choosing Between Walker, Okanese and Assiniboine Poplars...some practical considerations.
A) On this first year that we are operating without access to government trees which we programmed for many years, we have produced only the most popular of the shelterbelt poplars and willow varieties for year one. By fall 2016 we expect to add lilac, Manitoba maple ....and by fall 2017 we hope to add white spruce, American Elm, and several more varieties of willow and poplar. We hope to get Scotts Pine trees going as well but not sure when...we are in the midst of opening up our new 160 acre tree farm so lots will roll out with each season.
Walker poplar is the only poplar specifically designed to stop ground winds and snow drifts. Depending upon your yard, the lane trees are usually used for aesthetics and as a secondary only snow catcher.
The walker is most traditionally utilized on the outside of one's property where the major snow stoppage is required.
The walker (has seeds and therefor a tiny bit of fuzz) is the only poplar designed to have branches that radiate from the trunk right against the ground....The walker, unlike all other poplars, is shaped like a Christmas tree....broadest against the ground with a narrow spike at the very top. Because it has branches against the ground, you cannot cultivate or mow against the trunk whereas you can cultivate or grass mow around the base of the Okanese (is a male clone hense no seeds and therefor zero fuzz....slighter evenly shaped and fastest growing equal to the walker with branches starting a couple feet off the ground and slightly more upward orienting than the Walker) or Assiniboine ( also a male clone with therefor no seeds and zero fuzz....more rectangular shaped all the way up with growth rate only a tiny bit slower than the Okanese and Walker, and with branches starting a foot or two up the trunk and again more upward oriented than the lower branches of the Walker).
Remember that if you are in the country and do not have shelterbelt trees farther back to catch the main snow drifting in...then your lane trees could catch snow 15 meters on each side of them on a bad winter....regardless lane trees are usually put back minimum 15 meters back from lane center if you have the space to do that. And again, the lane trees should only act as a secondary snow catch for residual snow that your outer property shelterbelt trees did not catch.
So Bill you need to choose based upon what you need the trees for and depending upon the aesthetics you want and how you plan to maintain them (ie: cultivation or plastic film mulch film and then inter row shallow rooted grassing/mowing).
Q: 2nd Year Maintenance to Remove Weeds and Grass on non-mulched Tree Lines.
A) i) I suggest you cultivate with double disc or rototiller up against the tree lines to uproot grasses and perennial weeds.
After cultivation as above noted, I suggest that you select one of the following options for more permanent weed and grass control:
ii) You can lay the standard 4 inch wide x 1,500 feet long plastic mulch film over the trees you planted last year using a mulch applicator pulled by a tractor. So the point is that you can apply plastic mulch now in most cases even if you missed the chance to do it when the trees were planted.
or
iii) You can continue to cultivate three or four times per year on each side of your tree lines for the next five or more years till the trees are well advancing after which you can plant some shallow rooted turf grass between the tree rows as a 'living mulch' . But this can only be done after the first five years of cultivating beside the tree rows.
or
iv) If you are set on chemical weed control, you can incorporate 3 times the normal rate of a tri-flurilate such as treflan into the top four inches of soil on the first three to six feet on each side of the tree lines...beginning about four or more inches back from the tree line. This effectively sterilizes the soil on each side of the tree line for a period of three to five years thereby not allowing grass and week competition.
Round Up can be used to kill grass without harming the trees so long as you apply onto the green grass and green weeds befor the leaves come onto the trees or by ensuring that no Round Up gets onto the tree leave. This can be done by applying Round Up using a quad pulled foam roller applicator.
Q : Drought Tollerant Trees
A) Level of rainfall per year, depth of the water table, and depth of sand till you hit clay are also factors that can influence tree potential.
One of the best indicators to know what will grow well is to look around your neighborhood and see what has grown well in the past....what are the most frequently occurring trees.
Otherwise, as a rule of thumb, green ash are the very most drought resistant of all prairie tree species.
We do not carry green ash at this time.
All three of our shelterbelt Poplar varieties (Assiniboine, Walker and Okanese) are well known for their drought tollerance due to their extensive root system. Just remember to plant these tree seedlings deep....I suggest eight inches deep or three inches deeper than the top of the five inch root plug of soil that they come with.
American Elm which has just become available at HELP since last week, is also considered very drought tollerant.
Evergreens are generally the least drought tollerant due to their very weak root systems however pine and spruce can sometimes do very well in sandy soils if the water table is sufficiently high. But in general evergreens are very drought intollerant though Scots Pine is somewhat more drought tollerant than spruce varieties.
Q) What are my options to Replace Trees in old shelterbelts of Dead Trees or Stumps?
A) If it was my land ...I might consider the following options to decide between:
i) Expanding my yard if space permitted by starting brand new rows outside the existing end of life tree rows so that I can carry out the most efficient tillage, possible plastic film mulching or post planting cultivations (whichever is your preferred method of tree maintenance)
ii) Decreasing yard size as an option if my existing trees are a perameter around a very large area. This means planting new rows inside of the existing rows.
iii) Planting new tree rows 'between' the old tree rows thereby leaving the existing cut down or dying trees in place for the moment and allow the stumps to deteriorate naturally or remove stumps are time permits while the new tree rows are establishing. This assumes you have sufficient space between the old tree rows for new tree rows.... A minimum of six feet width of fine tillage width is required for example for mechanized tree planting and especially for laying of the four foot plastic mulch film if you were using that method for tree installation.
Where ever possible I like to make use of Mother Nature to do natural decomposition processes and personally would try to avoid the extra brute work of stump removal if I could.
Q) Suggestion on Low Maintenance Mechanized or Manual Tree Planting for Smaller Plantings.
Our Okanese are quite small ...they have a five inch long root w soil plug about one inch in diameter. Its good to plant the bottom of the root about seven inches deep meaning the entire root ball plus two inches of stem will be underground. Our Okanese stems are quite small at 8 to 12 inches in length. If properly planted, have adequate moisture and you keep weed and grass competion two feet back from each tree, seedling, you can still expect them to grow a meter or more per year.
The best version is fine tilling 2.5 meter (eight feet) width for your tree line...it should be fine tilled to a depth of eight inches and so fine that when you walk on the soil you sink up to your ankles.
The easiest way to plant is with a tractor pulled tree planter that are available free of charge from many RMs in the region. If you cannot locate one let me know and I will tell you where one is in your region.
With a tree planter you can plant one tree every couple of seconds.
If planting by hand I suggest you:
i) pre-till as above noted.
ii) Then make a four inch deep hollow two feet by two feet
iii) then scoop out a gallon size of soil hole in the middle of this two foot square depression
iv) Stick the tree in this hole and back fill with the same soil the gallon size hole.
v) Stomp the soil around the tree so there is a one inch deeper depression around each tree at the bottom of the two by two foot square depression.
If you want to really help your trees be a plant and walk away system, next you would:
vi) cut a black garbage bag with a 2 inch x 2 inch plus sign cut in the very center. Place one two-ply garbage bag over each tree pulling the tree seedling out of the plus sign hole.
vii) Bury the outside one inch edge of the plastic with soil
viii) Place a fist size stone right against the seedling so that the plastic where the plus sign is ...is pushed down in the one inch depression around each tree.
ix) Now broadcast and harrow 50 lb/acre of low cost shallow rooted turf grass in the form of common creeping red fescue and pack it very well with your back tractor tire if you don't have another packing method.
x) Mow the weeds for the first year till the grass forms a solid sod. The fescue is far less of a fire hazard typically remaining shorter and green far into November unlike other grasses.
The above system ensures that during each one inch rain the tree will receive about five inches of water due to the two by two foot depression plus the one inch depression in the middle of that.
If you insist you do not wish to cultivate the tree zone befor planting then I suggest you skip step one but instead do step ii to x. This means that in step ii you will spade out the sod which will create a two foot by two foot hollow four inches deep.
We have planted two million trees on contract using both the mechanized system and also the manual system. Am not saying these are the only successful systems but you must either commit to constant cultivation around the trees for five year OR use a plastic or similar method to stop soil moisture evaporation and hold back weed and aggressive grass competition as I have described above.
Weeds and aggressive grasses need to be held back a minimum of twelve inches on every side of the tree at a bare minimum if trees are to survive establishment and grow at their rated potential.
Question : What are the Options I Have for Planting Trees Successfully ?
There are only three successful ways of planting trees on the southern prairie:
i) pre-cultivate the entire zone, plant the trees and then religiously cultivate three times per year for five years.
ii) pre-cultivate the entire zone, plant the trees and then machine lay the four foot wide plastic mulch film over the trees...make tiny holes to pull the trees out of the plastic and then plant a generous rate of Creeping Red Fescue (or other shallow rooted drought resistant turf grass) between the rows.
iii) If not pre-cultivating then spading out the sod four inches deep in a two foot by two foot square. Then planting one tree in the bottom of each digging out another gallon size hole at the bottom of the desodded area....plant the tree replacing the same soil from the gallon hole but with a one inch depression left in the one gallon soil removal area. Then cut a two inch x two inch plus sign in the middle of a black plastic garbage bag and lay over each planted tree pulling each tree out through the plus sign. Bury the outside one inch of the plastic with soil on the outside bottom of the two foot by two foot de-sodded depression. Lastly place a fist size stone against each tree seedling on top the plastic over the plus sign...holding that portion of the plastic down into the one inch depression you left in the middle of the one gallon hole you made to plant each tree. With this method there is little to zero weeding, no cultivation, and with each rainfall mother nature will give each tree about ten times more water than it would get if planted on the surface of the ground.
Question : What is the Logic Behind Deciding Distance Between Trees and between Tree Rows ?
For shelterbelt purposes, we have followed the federal government's Shelterbelt Center recommended distances for hybrid poplar or 2.5 meters (that is, eight feet) spacing between trees within a row. We strongly recommend not less than four meters between tree rows. The four meter rule is from our own experience of contract tree planting. The four meters between the most standard three to four shelterbelt rows provides space for the blowing snow to be stored. If the rows are too close then the snow makes a quick snow bank and then continues to blow inward to the next obstacle being your cars, house and other buildings.
On the other hand I like four meters more than I like five meters between tree rows because at four meters the trees create sufficient shade in the in-between row space to have an influence on reducing evaporation whereas in a five meter between row spacing I find the sun can typically get in and dry out the soil between tree rows so the trees can't do the same job at creating a micro-ecosystem/micro-climate for themselves within the tree zone.
Distance between White Spruce (similar for all evergreens) is government recommended at 3 meters (that is, ten feet) ...and again four meters between tree rows. Some folks plant at 2 meters or 2.5 meters with the idea that they have something nice to look at for the first ten years befor the trees get tall enough to otherwise appreciate. Then, at ten or fifteen years of age every second tree can be tree spaded out and used for spot landscaping or other purposes since, at that age, spruce are a very high value tree!
Question: What is the Logic Behind Tree Row Spacing?
The minimum number of rows for new shelterbelts (if you do not have forestation or tree belts in the near vacinity) is three rows of trees for minimum wind and drifting snow protection of your property.
The ideal row spacing for most trees (space between tree rows) is 4 meters. Its a sort of magic number. At four meters most trees (except for large willow varieties which require 5 meters) will tend not to interfere with each other (by branches touching each other that causes spontaneous pruning one the sides that are touching etc which you do not want).
Four meters is also the maximum distance in which the land in between will eventually remain moist year round due to the ecosphere created by the tree canopies. Farther than 4 meters apart and sometimes the landspace in the middle between tree rows can become drought prone.
The two four meters spacing = 8 meters that would be the space between three rows is also the area considered as the minimum space required for snow capture. On an average snow fall winter, the snow accumulation is a eight to 12 foot high bank within the tree rows and 15 meters of snow tapering inside the property from the tree lines and 15 meters tapering from the tree lines to the outside of the property. If you leave less than four meters of space between tree rows the snow can blow over the tree line and onward into the property to be stopped by buildings and vehicles etc.
Questions : Im located by morris manitoba and im looking for some trees 50 trees be fine with us what would total costs be?U do the planting? When could this be done? What would the best tree to grow big and fast in a heavy/ clayey soil?
- Planting Services
Am sorry but HELP does not provide planting services for less than 1,000 meters of tree lines when outside of Saskatchewan and not less than 500 meters of tree lines when in Saskatchewan.
- Of the list above HELP currently carries a number of willow varieties you can find on our website at www.help-shelterbelts.com. Of our willows I would highly recommend the Golden Willow as a fast growing tree that is quite hardy, fast growing. It grows to 25 to 40 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide in canopy typically.
- Shrub Tree Varieties for Clay Soils:
Chokecherry
Dogwood
Hawthorn
Carigana (does not tollerate standing water)
Lilac
Planting Services
Am sorry but HELP does not provide planting services for less than 1,000 meters of tree lines when outside of Saskatchewan and not less than 500 meters of tree lines when in Saskatchewan. We are open for fall shelterbelt planting tree orders now (which includes a full range of willow, several hybrid poplars, plus some Green Ash and Red Ozier Dogwood. Fall planting is recommended for the period October 1st through 21st (any time prior to ground freezing).
For Spring 2018 planting season we will be posting trees for sale on October 1st or earlier for on line purchase or downloadable tree order form. We will be carrying out press releases, and email notification at that time to all R.M.s and towns (and counties in other provinces) with printable order forms as well as web-site address for on-line purchases and a plentitude of shelterbelt planning and planting advice. The trees available for spring planting will include at a minimum:
Hybrid Poplars
- Walker Poplar (fast growing)
- Okanese Poplar (fast growing)
- Assiniboine Poplar (medium growing rate)
- Hill Poplar (medium growing rate)
- Golden Willow
- White Willow
- Silverleaf Willow
- Laurel Leaf Willow
- Pussie Willow
- Green Ash
- Manitoba Maple
- Blue Spruce
- White Spruce
- Scot's Pine
- Velosa Lilac
- Cluster Shrub Willow
- Red Ozier Dogwood
All regular size seedlings will sell for $1.50 each plus shipping charge of 25 cents per seedling. No shipping charge for orders that are picked up by the customer at HELP's new Center for Tree Production, Research and Training 8 km west of Weyburn right on Highway 13.
Question : I have a farm near Choiceland, sk.. We are completely open to the north and would like to plant some trees to block the wind and add some privacy.. Without measuring i would guess we would need enough trees for about 500 meters. What would you recommend in this situation?
If you are wide open then folks typically put three to five rows. Acreages most typically put three rows. Most economy on three rows might
Majority of snow that enters most properties is blown in by drifting snow so having something to stop drifting snow is major.
If you want to maximize wind and snow stoppage I would consider the following:
Variety Spacing Qty Required for 500 Meters
Outside row: Shrub Willow one meter spacing 500
4 meter space
Middle Row: Walker Poplar 2.5 m spacing 200
5 meter space
Inside Row: Golden Willow 3 m spacing 166
Rational for outside row: Shrub Willow is fastest growing shrub and will stop ground winds very effectively. Some folks put two shrub willow then a fast growing hybrid poplar like Okanese and then two more shrub willow to create multi story wind protection on that outside row.
Rational for Middle Row: Walker poplar is only hybrid poplar with wide branches right against the ground so will be a second row barrier against ground winds and drifting snow. Walker is very fast growing equal to that of the fast growing Okanese poplar.
Rational for Inside Row: Golden Willow has a very wide canopy compared to Walker and Okanese poplar. Golden willow grows to be 25 to 30 ft tall and almost the same width of canopy so for mid story wind protection the golden willow does a great job do to its immense density of canopy.
If you were putting four rows you might consider placing white spruce (which is slow growing but 30% faster growing than blue spruce) on any row except not the outside row. The spruce takes far longer to grow compared to willows and poplars but is longer lived and once it does mature in 15 to 20 years creates a very superior wind break and privacy shield due to its high density.
Q: The Scott's Pine I planted last year: half of them are brown this spring. Does that mean they are dead or will they turn green this summer.
Response:
If they are 100 percent if needles brown then they are probably gone. If the main stalk is flexible then there's still hope. If it snaps off brittle/dry then for sure it is dead.
The open winters of the past few years have been really hard on spruce and pine seedlings . Some of the things that really help are I) deep planting is the full root plus two inches of lower stem under ground
Ii) create a small depression even one foot kick depression to seal the tree and create a water well at base of tree seedlings
Iii) cultivate your keep grass and weeds back two feet from each seedling or place mulch to achieve the same thing
If) water the pine and spruce in just before freeze up to insulate the root from freezing and to help prevent soil dehydration during high winds when there is no snow cover
V) possibly most important ensue snow cover over the entire young spruce or pine seedling. Do this by leaving standing grass etc a couple feet back from the seedlings or even take your snow blower and blow snow over the evergreen seedlings .
Recommendations for: Land Prep, Tree Planting, and Mulching/Maintenance and Drip Irrigation .
Land Prep
Fine till six inches deep....you should be able to sink up to your ankles if the texture is proper. Ensure all existing grasses and especially alfalfa is GONE from the site permanently befor tree planting.
Plant Deep
Plant the full five inch root PLUS two inches of stem underground unless you have abundance of moisture.
After Planting
Karate Chop heal the soil with a three cup heal print near the base of each tree ( I do it as fast as I can walk the line). This seals the tree ...the tree stem should break off instead of pull out of ground if you have healed it well ...the heal print makes a three cup water well for rain collection when it rains.
Plastic Mulch Option
Plastic mulch is for laying on top of the trees ....and making a screw driver tiny hole in the plastic AT THE BASE of each tree seedling. Then stick your forefinger in the tiny hole and pull the tree out ...massaging and bending the stem as it comes out so the stem does not break. Plastic mulching is not recommended except by a very experienced person(s).
Grassing Option
Instead of plastic mulching one recommendation is to broadcast shallow rooted turf grass in the form of common creeping red fescue (can order from any Elevator Agent or buy from Dyck Seeds, Elie Manitoba for $100 for 50 lb bag). Plant the entire area between tree rows by broadcasting the seed at 50 lb per acre and harrow twice and pack. Mow the weeds till the grass forms a perfect sod. This grass is least fire hazard, remaining green into November and is least competitive with the trees.
If you use the above grassing option you must still rototill around the tree seedlings for the first five years befor allowing the fescue to grow up to the base of the trees.
Tree Watering
Laying a hose on top of the tree line ...on top of the plastic mulch if you are laying plastic mulch ....can be very useful. A half inch line running on top of your tree line can be very helpful. Some folks drill a 1/16 inch hole in the bottom of the poly pipe at each tree. Do not water every day but perhaps only for a couple hours once per week to ten days when it has not rained...giving each tree two to three gallons of water each watering.
Soaker hoses in my opinion is a big waste of water because on drought years, 90% of the water is not getting to the trees but percolating into the soil far from the tree seedlings. So unless you have lots of water to waste, water using a method that target flows the water exactly to each tree rather than soaking the entire area along the tree line.
Land Prep
Fine till six inches deep....you should be able to sink up to your ankles if the texture is proper. Ensure all existing grasses and especially alfalfa is GONE from the site permanently befor tree planting.
Plant Deep
Plant the full five inch root PLUS two inches of stem underground unless you have abundance of moisture.
After Planting
Karate Chop heal the soil with a three cup heal print near the base of each tree ( I do it as fast as I can walk the line). This seals the tree ...the tree stem should break off instead of pull out of ground if you have healed it well ...the heal print makes a three cup water well for rain collection when it rains.
Plastic Mulch Option
Plastic mulch is for laying on top of the trees ....and making a screw driver tiny hole in the plastic AT THE BASE of each tree seedling. Then stick your forefinger in the tiny hole and pull the tree out ...massaging and bending the stem as it comes out so the stem does not break. Plastic mulching is not recommended except by a very experienced person(s).
Grassing Option
Instead of plastic mulching one recommendation is to broadcast shallow rooted turf grass in the form of common creeping red fescue (can order from any Elevator Agent or buy from Dyck Seeds, Elie Manitoba for $100 for 50 lb bag). Plant the entire area between tree rows by broadcasting the seed at 50 lb per acre and harrow twice and pack. Mow the weeds till the grass forms a perfect sod. This grass is least fire hazard, remaining green into November and is least competitive with the trees.
If you use the above grassing option you must still rototill around the tree seedlings for the first five years befor allowing the fescue to grow up to the base of the trees.
Tree Watering
Laying a hose on top of the tree line ...on top of the plastic mulch if you are laying plastic mulch ....can be very useful. A half inch line running on top of your tree line can be very helpful. Some folks drill a 1/16 inch hole in the bottom of the poly pipe at each tree. Do not water every day but perhaps only for a couple hours once per week to ten days when it has not rained...giving each tree two to three gallons of water each watering.
Soaker hoses in my opinion is a big waste of water because on drought years, 90% of the water is not getting to the trees but percolating into the soil far from the tree seedlings. So unless you have lots of water to waste, water using a method that target flows the water exactly to each tree rather than soaking the entire area along the tree line.
Subject: CR Fescue Seeding Protocols
Question: Question about creeping red fescue for the trees. Can this just be seeded in the tree line or does it have to be used with the plastic down first and soil over the plastic, then seed.
1) CR Fescue cannot be planted alone up against the tree lines. We tried this in experiment and it slows down tree growth rate to a snail pace.
2) Therefor, if installing CR Fescue you must use it in combination with plastic mulch on the trees OR with rototilling around the trees ie: 2 ft minimum and then CR Fescue outside the tillage zone.
3) Order of Plastic Mulching and Grass Broadcasting
I strongly suggest things in this order:
i) tree planting
ii) plastic mulching
iii) grass seed broadcasting
iv) harrowing
v) packing with quad, tractor tires or other heavy packing system (you cannot over pack)
CR Fescue likes to be planted almost on the surface (maximum 1/4 inch depth) and then really packed!. I have planted the fescue first and then plastic mulched but I believe this is a loss of seed. Because when you broadcast AFTER the plastic mulching...the grass seed that ends up on top of the plastic tends to blow off and onto the inter-row area where you want it instead of dying under the plastic mulch.
Question: Question about creeping red fescue for the trees. Can this just be seeded in the tree line or does it have to be used with the plastic down first and soil over the plastic, then seed.
1) CR Fescue cannot be planted alone up against the tree lines. We tried this in experiment and it slows down tree growth rate to a snail pace.
2) Therefor, if installing CR Fescue you must use it in combination with plastic mulch on the trees OR with rototilling around the trees ie: 2 ft minimum and then CR Fescue outside the tillage zone.
3) Order of Plastic Mulching and Grass Broadcasting
I strongly suggest things in this order:
i) tree planting
ii) plastic mulching
iii) grass seed broadcasting
iv) harrowing
v) packing with quad, tractor tires or other heavy packing system (you cannot over pack)
CR Fescue likes to be planted almost on the surface (maximum 1/4 inch depth) and then really packed!. I have planted the fescue first and then plastic mulched but I believe this is a loss of seed. Because when you broadcast AFTER the plastic mulching...the grass seed that ends up on top of the plastic tends to blow off and onto the inter-row area where you want it instead of dying under the plastic mulch.
Subject: How to lay plastic mulch effectively (in more detail)
Some quick suggestions on how to operate the mulch machine and using the dollar store 10 inch (penny a piece....100 for a dollar) toothpicks.
After planting the trees:
I) heel every tree...I can do this as fast as I can walk...one good 45 degree angle heel kick toward the tree but from two inches away from each seedling. This creates a one liter water well at the base of each seedling and AS IMPORTANTLY seals each seedling. After an effective heel kick you if you pull on a seedling it should break off rather than pull out of the ground ...if it is planted deep enough (the full root plus two inches of the lower stem under ground) and is heel kicked effectively.
ii) put the toothpicks right beside (less than half or quarter inch away from each seedling) each seedling. Drive it into the ground all except 3 to 4 inches ONLY sticking out of the ground...dull side up if you like.
iii) set the mulch machine..the two turnbuckles with the back discs 2.5 inch deeper than the front discs. This will create a pronounced ridge of earth over the edges of the plastic (no plants will grow on this mound) and your plastic will never blow. At the same time this setting creates a small canal on each of the outsides of the mounds and plastic so that with each rain, water will travel to one of the other 'canals' created near the tree line. In addition, with the mounds, any rainfall falling on the plastic will remain on the plastic and with proper procedures followed, will find a tree hole.
iv) Now lay the mulch over the trees with the front discs NOT more than one inch in the ground and in worst case just grazing the top of the ground...the worse the soil the more you want the front discs out of the ground so you don't loose control of the machine. When you look back at the plastic you should see twenty inch width of plastic showing. If you see more you are going too shallow and you should let down the cylinder a hair. If you see less than 20 inch width of plastic you are going too deep.
v) Rounding corners: If you planted trees around a corner remember that the mulch machine follows like a semi! So when planting use 30 meters of tree row to make a very slow gentle long corner....one that the mulch machine can follow. When mulching, slow the tractor down to a crawl when rounding the corner. Ride the outside of the tree line going into the corner and for sharper corners, driver over the trees with the tractor in order to keep the trees in the middle of the plastic. (I have never seen the tractor kill a tree by driving on them...it rarely harms them in any way)
vi) Notice that the tooth picks are protruding from the plastic at the location of each and every tree seedling.
vii) Pull out the toothpick, poke your forefinger through the toothpick hole, swirl your forefinger beneath the plastic and pull the seedling out through the hole with total accuracy keeping a small hole for the seedling where weeds will have a hard time growing/finding the hole.
viii) Next...another final important step! Laying of Stones! Remember the one liter heel print you made by each tree seedling? Now law a four to five pound stone at each tree seedling pulling the plastic down into your heel print ie: into the one liter water well. Poke your forefinger or a screw driver hole (keep it small!) through the plastic under the stone at the bottom of the water well. Notice that in many cases the water well will now hold ten liters of water because the stone is pulling the plastic down like a funnel from a long distance away...so each tree seedling will get at least double or triple the water from each rain ....and will facilitate drip irrigation or other tank watering as well. The heavier three mil plastic allows humans to walk on the plastic...to push down soft chunks of clay that the tree planter has unearthed (if everyone forgot to stomp them down or drive a quad tire over next to tree line befor laying plastic to squash down if the planter brought up too much clay lumps). The 3 mil plastic, in allowing humans to walk on the plastics ....also allows you, after a rain, to see where water is pooling on the plastic at which time you can gently landscape the earth under the plastic by pressing your foot on the soil from each water pool down to a tree funnel hole. If you do this once, the soil underneath is forever landscaped so water will no longer pool on top the plastic mulch but will evacuate to a tree hole.
Subject: Fertilizer
Question: We planted some prairie sky poplars, green ash, and red dogwoods in the fall of 2018. They grew nicely last year for their first year in the ground. We were thinking about fertilizing this year - just wondering if you think we need to? We have a drip line to all the trees so we were thinking about adding fertilizer into the water line. We are wanting to get some good growth in height this year.
We are quite organic type naturalists at HELP! I.e.: we use a lassie-faire approach.
In my experience water is the principal requirement but even with water make sure, in my opinion not to give more than a couple gallons a week when it doesn't rain and then nothing in between...copying mother nature...a drench and then nothing for a week. This allows the roots to stess a bit and grow and develop as a result.
If you decide to fertilize make sure to select a fertillizer that focuses equally on root development. Otherwise you can end up with prolific top growth due to fertilizer and perhaps too constant watering making the tree basically dependent upon you because with fertilizer and too frequent watering the roots can be immature and not in keeping with prolific top growth...so you can see my bias is to not fertilize. The greatest forests in the world grow in the most deprived environments. Veggies like soils with high organics while trees prefer in my opinion, far more deprived soils ie: sandy or solid clay soils and sometime perform worst on high humus soils in my experience on the prairies.
Some quick suggestions on how to operate the mulch machine and using the dollar store 10 inch (penny a piece....100 for a dollar) toothpicks.
After planting the trees:
I) heel every tree...I can do this as fast as I can walk...one good 45 degree angle heel kick toward the tree but from two inches away from each seedling. This creates a one liter water well at the base of each seedling and AS IMPORTANTLY seals each seedling. After an effective heel kick you if you pull on a seedling it should break off rather than pull out of the ground ...if it is planted deep enough (the full root plus two inches of the lower stem under ground) and is heel kicked effectively.
ii) put the toothpicks right beside (less than half or quarter inch away from each seedling) each seedling. Drive it into the ground all except 3 to 4 inches ONLY sticking out of the ground...dull side up if you like.
iii) set the mulch machine..the two turnbuckles with the back discs 2.5 inch deeper than the front discs. This will create a pronounced ridge of earth over the edges of the plastic (no plants will grow on this mound) and your plastic will never blow. At the same time this setting creates a small canal on each of the outsides of the mounds and plastic so that with each rain, water will travel to one of the other 'canals' created near the tree line. In addition, with the mounds, any rainfall falling on the plastic will remain on the plastic and with proper procedures followed, will find a tree hole.
iv) Now lay the mulch over the trees with the front discs NOT more than one inch in the ground and in worst case just grazing the top of the ground...the worse the soil the more you want the front discs out of the ground so you don't loose control of the machine. When you look back at the plastic you should see twenty inch width of plastic showing. If you see more you are going too shallow and you should let down the cylinder a hair. If you see less than 20 inch width of plastic you are going too deep.
v) Rounding corners: If you planted trees around a corner remember that the mulch machine follows like a semi! So when planting use 30 meters of tree row to make a very slow gentle long corner....one that the mulch machine can follow. When mulching, slow the tractor down to a crawl when rounding the corner. Ride the outside of the tree line going into the corner and for sharper corners, driver over the trees with the tractor in order to keep the trees in the middle of the plastic. (I have never seen the tractor kill a tree by driving on them...it rarely harms them in any way)
vi) Notice that the tooth picks are protruding from the plastic at the location of each and every tree seedling.
vii) Pull out the toothpick, poke your forefinger through the toothpick hole, swirl your forefinger beneath the plastic and pull the seedling out through the hole with total accuracy keeping a small hole for the seedling where weeds will have a hard time growing/finding the hole.
viii) Next...another final important step! Laying of Stones! Remember the one liter heel print you made by each tree seedling? Now law a four to five pound stone at each tree seedling pulling the plastic down into your heel print ie: into the one liter water well. Poke your forefinger or a screw driver hole (keep it small!) through the plastic under the stone at the bottom of the water well. Notice that in many cases the water well will now hold ten liters of water because the stone is pulling the plastic down like a funnel from a long distance away...so each tree seedling will get at least double or triple the water from each rain ....and will facilitate drip irrigation or other tank watering as well. The heavier three mil plastic allows humans to walk on the plastic...to push down soft chunks of clay that the tree planter has unearthed (if everyone forgot to stomp them down or drive a quad tire over next to tree line befor laying plastic to squash down if the planter brought up too much clay lumps). The 3 mil plastic, in allowing humans to walk on the plastics ....also allows you, after a rain, to see where water is pooling on the plastic at which time you can gently landscape the earth under the plastic by pressing your foot on the soil from each water pool down to a tree funnel hole. If you do this once, the soil underneath is forever landscaped so water will no longer pool on top the plastic mulch but will evacuate to a tree hole.
Subject: Fertilizer
Question: We planted some prairie sky poplars, green ash, and red dogwoods in the fall of 2018. They grew nicely last year for their first year in the ground. We were thinking about fertilizing this year - just wondering if you think we need to? We have a drip line to all the trees so we were thinking about adding fertilizer into the water line. We are wanting to get some good growth in height this year.
We are quite organic type naturalists at HELP! I.e.: we use a lassie-faire approach.
In my experience water is the principal requirement but even with water make sure, in my opinion not to give more than a couple gallons a week when it doesn't rain and then nothing in between...copying mother nature...a drench and then nothing for a week. This allows the roots to stess a bit and grow and develop as a result.
If you decide to fertilize make sure to select a fertillizer that focuses equally on root development. Otherwise you can end up with prolific top growth due to fertilizer and perhaps too constant watering making the tree basically dependent upon you because with fertilizer and too frequent watering the roots can be immature and not in keeping with prolific top growth...so you can see my bias is to not fertilize. The greatest forests in the world grow in the most deprived environments. Veggies like soils with high organics while trees prefer in my opinion, far more deprived soils ie: sandy or solid clay soils and sometime perform worst on high humus soils in my experience on the prairies.
Subject: Valley Top Planting
i) Do not plant willows as they are inappropriate for anywhere but a plain or valley.
ii) I do recommend fast growing poplar such as Walker Poplar and Okanese Poplar.
If you are not planting brush such as the drought resistant cariganna to stop ground winds and drifting snow on the outside row, I highly recommend you plant walker poplar on the outside row or on both rows if your principal aim is wind and snow stopping. The walker is the only hybrid poplar that has branches that come off the main trunk just above the ground level so is very wide at the base against the ground so perfect for stopping ground winds and drifting snow (80% of snow that stops in most properties drifts in rather than falling from the sky). The Okanese is a more upright slighter frame walker and clean on the bottom couple of feet of trunk unlike the Walker. Both the Okanese and Walker are the fastest growing of the hybrid poplars and can reach over a meter per year in growth if they have adequate moisture. For valley top planting I recommend two things:
iii) The most hardy tree for droughted landscapes is the green ash. However it is slow growing at one foot per year or up to 1.5 feet per year if it has occasional irrigation.
a) Pre-till very deep i.e.: eight inches depth and fine tilled like a garden
b) Plant the trees deep: Plant the poplar the full length of the five inch root plus two inches of the stem underground. This helps the roots reach and enter the clay sub-soils to access more semi permanent moisture.
c) Stomp the trees: Hit your heal on the ground sideways and down beside each tree after it is planted...to create a two inch deep mark. This guarentees the tree soil is packed and leaves a small cavity for rainfall to gather at base of each tree.
d) Soaker hose: For valley top plantings I would definately invest in laying a soaker hose on the tree lines but do NOT water every day. I would put the soaker hose on for a few hours if it has not rained for about ten days during the mid May to end August period. Constant watering can make the roots lazy and reliant on long term irrigation.
Question : Can I lay plastic irrigation pipe along my tree row before machine laying plastic mulch film.
You can definately plant the trees, then lay the hose one inch away from each tree in the tree line. But in my opinion the hose should be small like 1/2 inch or less....or be flat. A larger hose can hold up the plastic like a stone would do for example. If the plastic is held up then when any deer walks on it they can pepper the plastic full of foot holes rendering the plastic fairly useless. So its important the pipe allows the plastic mulch to lay as flat against the ground as possible. So not to waste water many folks use a solid hose and then drill a 1/16 inch hole in the pipe just at each tree...because on a dry year the space in between the trees can drink up a lot of water without it actually going to the trees.
BTW, the reason you keep the hose an inch away from the trees is that the trees, especially when small will not push the hose away as the trunk grows. Instead the tree trunk will grow around the hose, which is held down by the plastic. Your trees can be grow twisted/deformed/crooked to get around the pipe as a result.
i) Do not plant willows as they are inappropriate for anywhere but a plain or valley.
ii) I do recommend fast growing poplar such as Walker Poplar and Okanese Poplar.
If you are not planting brush such as the drought resistant cariganna to stop ground winds and drifting snow on the outside row, I highly recommend you plant walker poplar on the outside row or on both rows if your principal aim is wind and snow stopping. The walker is the only hybrid poplar that has branches that come off the main trunk just above the ground level so is very wide at the base against the ground so perfect for stopping ground winds and drifting snow (80% of snow that stops in most properties drifts in rather than falling from the sky). The Okanese is a more upright slighter frame walker and clean on the bottom couple of feet of trunk unlike the Walker. Both the Okanese and Walker are the fastest growing of the hybrid poplars and can reach over a meter per year in growth if they have adequate moisture. For valley top planting I recommend two things:
iii) The most hardy tree for droughted landscapes is the green ash. However it is slow growing at one foot per year or up to 1.5 feet per year if it has occasional irrigation.
a) Pre-till very deep i.e.: eight inches depth and fine tilled like a garden
b) Plant the trees deep: Plant the poplar the full length of the five inch root plus two inches of the stem underground. This helps the roots reach and enter the clay sub-soils to access more semi permanent moisture.
c) Stomp the trees: Hit your heal on the ground sideways and down beside each tree after it is planted...to create a two inch deep mark. This guarentees the tree soil is packed and leaves a small cavity for rainfall to gather at base of each tree.
d) Soaker hose: For valley top plantings I would definately invest in laying a soaker hose on the tree lines but do NOT water every day. I would put the soaker hose on for a few hours if it has not rained for about ten days during the mid May to end August period. Constant watering can make the roots lazy and reliant on long term irrigation.
Question : Can I lay plastic irrigation pipe along my tree row before machine laying plastic mulch film.
You can definately plant the trees, then lay the hose one inch away from each tree in the tree line. But in my opinion the hose should be small like 1/2 inch or less....or be flat. A larger hose can hold up the plastic like a stone would do for example. If the plastic is held up then when any deer walks on it they can pepper the plastic full of foot holes rendering the plastic fairly useless. So its important the pipe allows the plastic mulch to lay as flat against the ground as possible. So not to waste water many folks use a solid hose and then drill a 1/16 inch hole in the pipe just at each tree...because on a dry year the space in between the trees can drink up a lot of water without it actually going to the trees.
BTW, the reason you keep the hose an inch away from the trees is that the trees, especially when small will not push the hose away as the trunk grows. Instead the tree trunk will grow around the hose, which is held down by the plastic. Your trees can be grow twisted/deformed/crooked to get around the pipe as a result.
Subject: Shelterbelt Design for Walking and Ski Trails
To suggest options I am going to make some assumptions. You can correct me where I am wrong!
Questions:
i) Is there already a treed area or is this an open plain?
ii) If an open area is there a desire to stop snow for the purpose of creating a snow pack for cross country skiing
OR
iii) Will the trees be used mostly to
a) provide wind protection to the walkers and cross country skiers
and
b) to keep larger amounts of snow back away from the trail area.
and
c) that the only snow that you require on top of the trail is the snow
that falls from the sky and not snow that drifts in.
iv) how much land do you control on each side of the existing trail ie: 50 meters or more on each side?
v) Which direction does your trail travel...mostly east to west or mostly north to south?
For now, I will assume that the purpose is for iii 'a' and 'b' above and that you have 50 or so meters of open land that you control on each side of the trail.
Typical property shelterbelts require minimum three rows of trees on the perameter of the property with rows 4 meters apart. This means the space between the three tree rows is 8 meters. In your case, your 'property' can be defined as the trail and some meters of land directly adjacent.
Shelterbelt rows are typically planted minimum 4 meters apart for the purpose of providing sufficient space between tree rows to store the trapped snow. Otherwise the snow will create a quick bank and then blow over and into your property ie: onto the trail.
The snow dome created by shelterbelts will start 15 meters outside the tree rows then crescendo to a maximum height within the tree rows and then taper off for 15 meters into your property i.e.: toward your trail.
This means that your nearest tree row to your trail should be minimum 15 meters back from the trail...preferably 18 to 20 meters back (unless there are other treed areas in the immediate vacinity around you).
Remember that 80% of the prevailing winds and snow comes from the Northwest and the other 20% of prevailing winds and snow comes from the opposite direction ie: from the south east. So if your budget is limited then you should concentrate most of your protection from North west winds ie: you should plant more rows on the north and west side of your trail and fewer if necessary on the south and east side of the trail.
For a three row shelterbelt the most cost efficient design is as follows:
Outside Tree Row: Assiniboine Poplar (A.P.) - Cluster Shrub Willow (CSW)
Outside frequency: A.P. - CSW - CSW- A.P. - CSW - CSW - A.P.
Middle Tree Row: Golden Willow - Golden Willow - Golden Willow (3 m spacing)
Inside Tree Row: White Spruce - White Spruce - White Spruce (3 m spacings)
Rational for Above:
You want the shrub willow on the outside row as shrubs are what stop ground winds and ground drifting snow (80% of snow enters property through ground drifting and not by falling in from the sky). By adding an upright poplar like Assiniboine after every two cluster shrub willow you are getting high wind protection in the same row that is stopping your ground winds at no extra cost. Other brush such as carigana or lilac take up to three to four times longer to establish ie: two to three meter high outside row hedge compared to the willow.
Golden Willow for Middle Row
Golden Willow needs some moisture as do cluster shrub willow but HELP's willows are produced with exceptionally long roots (five inches of root with soil plus another two to six inches of additional root). If you plant the willows as deep as the roots are long ...plus put two inches of the bottom portion of the willow stem under the ground surface this helps the willows be more drought resistant by getting their roots deeper into the subsoil clays so the willows are not so reliant on surface irrigation and rainfall on their year of establishment. (But you must fine till and deep till your land to ten inches depth for perfect tree establishment)
White Spruce for Inside Row
We at HELP chose to provide the white spruce as the evergreen of choice for 2017 because it is more indigenous to the southern prairies and though slow growing, does grow about 30% faster than the blue spruce. The spruce provides your long term trail protection strategy. Though far slower growing than the willows that can easily grow a meter a year if moisture is present, the spruce will eventually add that third row for year round protection from the elements.
The above design provides you with by far the quickest shelterbelt protection and long term protection.
To suggest options I am going to make some assumptions. You can correct me where I am wrong!
Questions:
i) Is there already a treed area or is this an open plain?
ii) If an open area is there a desire to stop snow for the purpose of creating a snow pack for cross country skiing
OR
iii) Will the trees be used mostly to
a) provide wind protection to the walkers and cross country skiers
and
b) to keep larger amounts of snow back away from the trail area.
and
c) that the only snow that you require on top of the trail is the snow
that falls from the sky and not snow that drifts in.
iv) how much land do you control on each side of the existing trail ie: 50 meters or more on each side?
v) Which direction does your trail travel...mostly east to west or mostly north to south?
For now, I will assume that the purpose is for iii 'a' and 'b' above and that you have 50 or so meters of open land that you control on each side of the trail.
Typical property shelterbelts require minimum three rows of trees on the perameter of the property with rows 4 meters apart. This means the space between the three tree rows is 8 meters. In your case, your 'property' can be defined as the trail and some meters of land directly adjacent.
Shelterbelt rows are typically planted minimum 4 meters apart for the purpose of providing sufficient space between tree rows to store the trapped snow. Otherwise the snow will create a quick bank and then blow over and into your property ie: onto the trail.
The snow dome created by shelterbelts will start 15 meters outside the tree rows then crescendo to a maximum height within the tree rows and then taper off for 15 meters into your property i.e.: toward your trail.
This means that your nearest tree row to your trail should be minimum 15 meters back from the trail...preferably 18 to 20 meters back (unless there are other treed areas in the immediate vacinity around you).
Remember that 80% of the prevailing winds and snow comes from the Northwest and the other 20% of prevailing winds and snow comes from the opposite direction ie: from the south east. So if your budget is limited then you should concentrate most of your protection from North west winds ie: you should plant more rows on the north and west side of your trail and fewer if necessary on the south and east side of the trail.
For a three row shelterbelt the most cost efficient design is as follows:
Outside Tree Row: Assiniboine Poplar (A.P.) - Cluster Shrub Willow (CSW)
Outside frequency: A.P. - CSW - CSW- A.P. - CSW - CSW - A.P.
Middle Tree Row: Golden Willow - Golden Willow - Golden Willow (3 m spacing)
Inside Tree Row: White Spruce - White Spruce - White Spruce (3 m spacings)
Rational for Above:
You want the shrub willow on the outside row as shrubs are what stop ground winds and ground drifting snow (80% of snow enters property through ground drifting and not by falling in from the sky). By adding an upright poplar like Assiniboine after every two cluster shrub willow you are getting high wind protection in the same row that is stopping your ground winds at no extra cost. Other brush such as carigana or lilac take up to three to four times longer to establish ie: two to three meter high outside row hedge compared to the willow.
Golden Willow for Middle Row
Golden Willow needs some moisture as do cluster shrub willow but HELP's willows are produced with exceptionally long roots (five inches of root with soil plus another two to six inches of additional root). If you plant the willows as deep as the roots are long ...plus put two inches of the bottom portion of the willow stem under the ground surface this helps the willows be more drought resistant by getting their roots deeper into the subsoil clays so the willows are not so reliant on surface irrigation and rainfall on their year of establishment. (But you must fine till and deep till your land to ten inches depth for perfect tree establishment)
White Spruce for Inside Row
We at HELP chose to provide the white spruce as the evergreen of choice for 2017 because it is more indigenous to the southern prairies and though slow growing, does grow about 30% faster than the blue spruce. The spruce provides your long term trail protection strategy. Though far slower growing than the willows that can easily grow a meter a year if moisture is present, the spruce will eventually add that third row for year round protection from the elements.
The above design provides you with by far the quickest shelterbelt protection and long term protection.
Subject: Bio-diverse Shelterbelts For Limited Space
Question: I am a home owner in rural southwest Saskatchewan - in the village of Val Marie - and am wondering if I will be able to order plantings for the coming Spring? Because we are quite exposed to the elements, I hope to plant a hedge around the front (south), and possibly the west, sides of our property. From my knowledge of these things, Carigana would likely be the one that most fits our needs. We are looking for something that provides some wind shelter for wildlife also, particularly the birds that winter here. As well as something that is a fast grower. - R.H. from Val Marie, SK.
HELP Response: You qualify to order trees from us if the trees are being planted for shelterbelt reasons, or bio-diversity or a range of other environmental improvement reasons. Trees planted for strictly ornamental purposes don't qualify. In your case you qualify so you can go ahead and order trees from us. If your space limits the number of rows you can plant, you might consider planting both woody species (trees with trunks) interspersed with brush like Cariganna or lilac in between. For example, if I had very limited space and wanted to outline my property on the south and west side (especially if I wanted to stop south east winds which can bring lots of snow and cold winds in), I would put two rows 2 meters apart. On the outside I might put hybrid poplars three meters apart with three Carigana in between. Then on the inside row I might put hybrid poplar and blue spruce in the same row at eight foot spacing.
HELP Response: You qualify to order trees from us if the trees are being planted for shelterbelt reasons, or bio-diversity or a range of other environmental improvement reasons. Trees planted for strictly ornamental purposes don't qualify. In your case you qualify so you can go ahead and order trees from us. If your space limits the number of rows you can plant, you might consider planting both woody species (trees with trunks) interspersed with brush like Cariganna or lilac in between. For example, if I had very limited space and wanted to outline my property on the south and west side (especially if I wanted to stop south east winds which can bring lots of snow and cold winds in), I would put two rows 2 meters apart. On the outside I might put hybrid poplars three meters apart with three Carigana in between. Then on the inside row I might put hybrid poplar and blue spruce in the same row at eight foot spacing.
- If you only want to sacrifice room for a single row then I'd put poplar and Cariganna in the same row as I explained above.
- If you want bird habitat then you might want to put lilac which robins like to nest in or hawthorn that many small birds like to nest in as the thorns keep predators including predator birds away.
- If you wanted you could also plant four or five lilac or hawthorn by themselves for the birds ...or you could plant lilac or hawthorn in place of the Cariganna.
Subject: Shade Tolerance Rating for Lilac
Question: Is lilac too shade to plant in a north outside row of my shelterbelt and interspersed with green ash in the same row alternating two lilac and a green ash and then two lilac again? - R.F. from SK.
HELP Response: Though some websites suggest lilac may be shade intolerance, the PFRA Shelterbelt Program suggests lilac as a viable option for the outside row of shelterbelts (including north side) and do not mention lilac as having shade intolerance. Some websites do suggest there may be less flowers if the lilac is in a more shaded area. My suggestion is that if there is any issue of shade intolerance the lilac will be better off on the outside row (even north side) than in the middle of rows of shelterbelt plantings. I would not be concerned with placing lilacs on the north side outside row. If you were concerned, just make sure you leave four to five meters (instead of 2.5 to 3 meters) between the lilac row and the second Okanese row so that the higher south summer sun can reach the lilac row. Interspersing one green ash for every two to three lilacs is something I recommend in the interests of disease control, bio-diversity and for stopping multi story wind and snow. Sea Buckthorn on the other hand is very shade intolerant and can die out quickly if planted in the middle rows of a shelterbelt surrounded by rows of larger tree species. Sea Buckthorn does best planted in full sun. In a shelterbelt planting the Sea Buckthorn does best as the outside row and especially well planted as the outside south facing row. In this ideal setting Sea Buchthorn does what its famous for which is profusely suckering and spreading and creating a lot of berries and habitat for game birds.
HELP Response: Though some websites suggest lilac may be shade intolerance, the PFRA Shelterbelt Program suggests lilac as a viable option for the outside row of shelterbelts (including north side) and do not mention lilac as having shade intolerance. Some websites do suggest there may be less flowers if the lilac is in a more shaded area. My suggestion is that if there is any issue of shade intolerance the lilac will be better off on the outside row (even north side) than in the middle of rows of shelterbelt plantings. I would not be concerned with placing lilacs on the north side outside row. If you were concerned, just make sure you leave four to five meters (instead of 2.5 to 3 meters) between the lilac row and the second Okanese row so that the higher south summer sun can reach the lilac row. Interspersing one green ash for every two to three lilacs is something I recommend in the interests of disease control, bio-diversity and for stopping multi story wind and snow. Sea Buckthorn on the other hand is very shade intolerant and can die out quickly if planted in the middle rows of a shelterbelt surrounded by rows of larger tree species. Sea Buckthorn does best planted in full sun. In a shelterbelt planting the Sea Buckthorn does best as the outside row and especially well planted as the outside south facing row. In this ideal setting Sea Buchthorn does what its famous for which is profusely suckering and spreading and creating a lot of berries and habitat for game birds.
Subject: Poplars
Question: Loosing Leaves ; Dying Limbs
We planted 2 rows of walker poplars in approximately 2003 on our farm. Last summer and again this spring, there is yellowing of leaves and then loss of leaves that seems to be spreading within the tree row. I have not applied any chemical yet however was going to spray Malathion on affected trees and ones beside yellowing trees.
HELP CEO Suggestions:
The most persistent new pest that is affecting particularly poplars in the region the last four years has been spider mite. You recognize them by their small four to five inch diameter web with one single spider you can hardly see in the middle of each small web. They work their way slowly one limb at a time. You see the leaves dry up on a part of each stem at a time till the entire stem dies. Then the spider mite moves onto another stem. So you usually have lots of time to deal with the problem on larger trees before all the limbs die.
We spray with liquid malathaine. It costs $90 per gallon but you use only half a tablespoon per two gallons of water to make a very potent application.So one gallon lasts a lifetime of treating tree lines!
In a minority of instances a few people have bore beetles on their poplars....characterized by wood pecker looking holes with a beetle in each hole. These can also be sprayed to get rid of using malathaine as the least expensive pesticide that is somewhat safer to use.
Safety: Always stand upwind when you are spraying and begin in the downwind side of your tree grove so you don't have to walk through the sprayed trees while spraying. Preferably wear rain gear that is impervious to liquid or washable kitchen gloves, long sleaved shirt and long trousers that should be washed even if you are only in fairly close proximity with the spray or spray drift. Wash and Shower after applying spray even if you have not had noticable contact with this or any pesticide spray...to be safe.
Q) How Can I Transplant Three Year Old Poplars
A) Three year old creates very extended root systems for a poplar....am guessing at least one meter in two to three directions. They will tend to have two to four 'feeders' near the surface going to different mostly lateral directions compared to tap root trees that go more straight down like a green ash for example.
If you want to try to transplant I suggest:
i) wait till the tree is 100% dormant in i.e.: around October 15 to be absolutely safe. Do NOT try to transplant a poplar when in full green leaf!
ii) dig up as many of the lateral roots as possible ....take up as much of the root system as possible. If the last foot or so of root breaks off I would not worry.
iii) Fine till the soil area you wish to transplant to 6 inch depth mellow like a garden so you sink up to your ankles when walking in it.
iv) Dig hole to put the tree in and trench in the direction of the main lateral 'feeder' roots.
v) Place the tree roots in at least as deep as you took them out of.
vi) Replace the same soil that came out back in and pack very well leaving a slight depression on top to attract extra water during rainfalls.
vii) Water generously as the ice crystals also help to insulate the root from the cold if there is inadequate snow cover to achieve the same.
viii) If there is no snow cover, and you wish to be extra helpful to your transplanted trees or any newly planted trees or tree seedlings, blow about six inches of snow over the base of the trees you planted or transplanted.
We planted 2 rows of walker poplars in approximately 2003 on our farm. Last summer and again this spring, there is yellowing of leaves and then loss of leaves that seems to be spreading within the tree row. I have not applied any chemical yet however was going to spray Malathion on affected trees and ones beside yellowing trees.
HELP CEO Suggestions:
The most persistent new pest that is affecting particularly poplars in the region the last four years has been spider mite. You recognize them by their small four to five inch diameter web with one single spider you can hardly see in the middle of each small web. They work their way slowly one limb at a time. You see the leaves dry up on a part of each stem at a time till the entire stem dies. Then the spider mite moves onto another stem. So you usually have lots of time to deal with the problem on larger trees before all the limbs die.
We spray with liquid malathaine. It costs $90 per gallon but you use only half a tablespoon per two gallons of water to make a very potent application.So one gallon lasts a lifetime of treating tree lines!
In a minority of instances a few people have bore beetles on their poplars....characterized by wood pecker looking holes with a beetle in each hole. These can also be sprayed to get rid of using malathaine as the least expensive pesticide that is somewhat safer to use.
Safety: Always stand upwind when you are spraying and begin in the downwind side of your tree grove so you don't have to walk through the sprayed trees while spraying. Preferably wear rain gear that is impervious to liquid or washable kitchen gloves, long sleaved shirt and long trousers that should be washed even if you are only in fairly close proximity with the spray or spray drift. Wash and Shower after applying spray even if you have not had noticable contact with this or any pesticide spray...to be safe.
Q) How Can I Transplant Three Year Old Poplars
A) Three year old creates very extended root systems for a poplar....am guessing at least one meter in two to three directions. They will tend to have two to four 'feeders' near the surface going to different mostly lateral directions compared to tap root trees that go more straight down like a green ash for example.
If you want to try to transplant I suggest:
i) wait till the tree is 100% dormant in i.e.: around October 15 to be absolutely safe. Do NOT try to transplant a poplar when in full green leaf!
ii) dig up as many of the lateral roots as possible ....take up as much of the root system as possible. If the last foot or so of root breaks off I would not worry.
iii) Fine till the soil area you wish to transplant to 6 inch depth mellow like a garden so you sink up to your ankles when walking in it.
iv) Dig hole to put the tree in and trench in the direction of the main lateral 'feeder' roots.
v) Place the tree roots in at least as deep as you took them out of.
vi) Replace the same soil that came out back in and pack very well leaving a slight depression on top to attract extra water during rainfalls.
vii) Water generously as the ice crystals also help to insulate the root from the cold if there is inadequate snow cover to achieve the same.
viii) If there is no snow cover, and you wish to be extra helpful to your transplanted trees or any newly planted trees or tree seedlings, blow about six inches of snow over the base of the trees you planted or transplanted.
How to Disguise a six foot fence with trees
Depends if you are in a city or farm environment to some extent.
Carigana, lilac and chokecherry would fill in eventually to form a solid thicket and two meters of more in height after about six to ten years. Lilac maxes out at about three meters of height whereas carigana and chokecherry can grow to be four to five meters in height eventually. Carigana and lilac can be cut back to the ground and quickly regrow if they get too high or broken by snow pack in a bad winter. Though the standard spacing if one meter when planting most brush species, you might wish to plant at 1.5 to 2 foot spacing to promote the thicket to form more quickly...if you did not wish to wait six to ten year to hide the six foot fence.
Apart from brush plants/trees, of the larger woody species trees, walker poplar is your fastest growing solution that would hide the fence faster than waiting several years for a brush thicket to form from lilac, carigana or chokecherry. Walker poplar is a hybrid poplar that grows fast and that has the unique trait of branches that radiate out from the tree right against the ground. It is a unique poplar by shape...it is shaped like an evergreen ...wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. This tree, that will grow from a seedling at about 1 meter per year...especially after the first year of planting could be your fastest solution. This is NOT a brush plant however. Walker poplars should be planted no closer than 2.5 meters ie: 8 feet apart.
Your third option is planting a more regular hybrid poplar tree like Okanese or Assinaboine poplar at 3 meter spacing and planting two brush plants like chokecherry, lilac or cariganna in between at one meter spacing all in the same row. This will give you the benefit of the very fast growing poplar while the brush plants have time to grow up in between the poplar. This third option is the newest innovation that has been taking place in shelterbelts ie.: the mixing of many combinations of species within a row.
The above options are based upon a single tree row for visual result only.
Fourth option would be a two to three row option where you could plant a row of poplar a meter or more back from the fence (depending upon how much land space you have)...if you have lots of land space then you might wish to be two to three meters back from the fence for your tree row(s). Tree rows should be 2.5 to 4 meter spacing between tree rows.
Trees planted too closely to a fence line can cause a snow pack over the fence in some winter dynamics that can pull the barbed wire off of a barbed wire fence for example.
Carigana, lilac and chokecherry would fill in eventually to form a solid thicket and two meters of more in height after about six to ten years. Lilac maxes out at about three meters of height whereas carigana and chokecherry can grow to be four to five meters in height eventually. Carigana and lilac can be cut back to the ground and quickly regrow if they get too high or broken by snow pack in a bad winter. Though the standard spacing if one meter when planting most brush species, you might wish to plant at 1.5 to 2 foot spacing to promote the thicket to form more quickly...if you did not wish to wait six to ten year to hide the six foot fence.
Apart from brush plants/trees, of the larger woody species trees, walker poplar is your fastest growing solution that would hide the fence faster than waiting several years for a brush thicket to form from lilac, carigana or chokecherry. Walker poplar is a hybrid poplar that grows fast and that has the unique trait of branches that radiate out from the tree right against the ground. It is a unique poplar by shape...it is shaped like an evergreen ...wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. This tree, that will grow from a seedling at about 1 meter per year...especially after the first year of planting could be your fastest solution. This is NOT a brush plant however. Walker poplars should be planted no closer than 2.5 meters ie: 8 feet apart.
Your third option is planting a more regular hybrid poplar tree like Okanese or Assinaboine poplar at 3 meter spacing and planting two brush plants like chokecherry, lilac or cariganna in between at one meter spacing all in the same row. This will give you the benefit of the very fast growing poplar while the brush plants have time to grow up in between the poplar. This third option is the newest innovation that has been taking place in shelterbelts ie.: the mixing of many combinations of species within a row.
The above options are based upon a single tree row for visual result only.
Fourth option would be a two to three row option where you could plant a row of poplar a meter or more back from the fence (depending upon how much land space you have)...if you have lots of land space then you might wish to be two to three meters back from the fence for your tree row(s). Tree rows should be 2.5 to 4 meter spacing between tree rows.
Trees planted too closely to a fence line can cause a snow pack over the fence in some winter dynamics that can pull the barbed wire off of a barbed wire fence for example.
Subject: Tree Fertilizers
Question: Do we need to apply any type of fertilizer when we plant our trees?
HELP Response: We really do not recommend fertilizing trees in general and certainly not during planting. Tree needs are far different from vegetables for example. Whereas vegetables love high humus soils, trees do not establish well in high humus soils. Some of the best forests in the world are on very degraded soils. City folks are the worst at 'spoiling' trees by too much water and by fertilizing them. The result is the tree develops good top above ground growth but poorly developed roots because it did not need to develop roots because it was given all the water and nutrient it needed by its owner. Bottom line is fertilizing (and over watering) inhibits root development which makes for a tree that will be vulnerable to many problems later and can even become drought stressed easier and become more vulnerable in wind storms to name two issues that can arise. There are very few situations in my opinion in which a tree should ever be given fertilizer unless perhaps near its end of natural life to get a few more years of life when its root and other circulation systems are failing.
HELP Response: We really do not recommend fertilizing trees in general and certainly not during planting. Tree needs are far different from vegetables for example. Whereas vegetables love high humus soils, trees do not establish well in high humus soils. Some of the best forests in the world are on very degraded soils. City folks are the worst at 'spoiling' trees by too much water and by fertilizing them. The result is the tree develops good top above ground growth but poorly developed roots because it did not need to develop roots because it was given all the water and nutrient it needed by its owner. Bottom line is fertilizing (and over watering) inhibits root development which makes for a tree that will be vulnerable to many problems later and can even become drought stressed easier and become more vulnerable in wind storms to name two issues that can arise. There are very few situations in my opinion in which a tree should ever be given fertilizer unless perhaps near its end of natural life to get a few more years of life when its root and other circulation systems are failing.
Subject: Tree Pest Problem
Q) Poplar tree pest problem.
The most common thing affecting poplars the last three of four years is the introduction of the spider mite to the prairies from the U.S. ...possibly due to our slight modification in climate. The spider mite affects many tree species in the spring but early rains (?) or natural phenomena make them often discontinue on most species without human intervention. But they persist on the poplar....drying up one branch at a time...during which time tree owners usually have time to notice the problem and spray seedlings....if they have a few hundred or less with anything with a spider on the label from Canadian Tire. For larger issues of spider mite ...and larger trees the most economical treatment is considered to be liquid malathione (spelling?).
One recognizes the spider mite by a four inch by four inch tiny web with one single spider you can hardly see in the middle of each web. They suck the sap out of each leaf one at a time and if not treated ...when all the leaves on a particular branch has leaves thus dried up then that branch dies. When it does this to all branches then the entire tree finally can die. But this takes quite some time ....even an entire season or two on larger trees so the owner has lots of time to react but the sooner the better.
We have not tried organic solutions which there may be many such as sprinking wood ash and other non toxic household products on seedlings which may inhibit the insect but quick eradication may be best done by commerical chemical treatment.
In a minority of cases of poplar problems....there is also a bore beetle active in a few properties. This can be noticed by looking for horizontal bore holes through the bark...almost looking like woodpecker marks/holes ...and a beetle inside. Again there are Canadian Tire products showing beetles on that some folks tell me was effective.
This is all I have to opinionate on the matter. All the best at diagnosing and treating the problem and please let me know the outcome.
Q) Practical solution in protecting tree seedlings against large rabbit and/or deer populations
A) Willows and poplars can rarely be killed by rabbits and most often come back from the root if chewed off. But if chewed off to the ground level the trees can come back as a stool of three or four trunks instead of one.
The only remedy I found that is effective is...I put empty toilet tissue rolls around the bottom of trees at the only site out of more than 400 we did that had intense rabbit populations (Sask Power station at Coronach) and another time at our City Farm Property. If the rabbits or deer chew the tree all the way to the bottom four inches...but if the bottom four inches of the main stalk is preserved by the empty tissue roll then the main trunk (Leader) will come back and a stool of three to four trunks will not form. Furthermore, the leader will come back more than one meter in the next year because it has a big root by then and little to feed on top. So by the end of the 2nd year there will be little indication that the main stem was ever chewed off. This was our own research and innovation. We collect thousands of empty toilet tissue rolls for this purpose. Other folks could cut short 9 to twelve inches of weeping tile that can be cut off later when the tree trunk grows to the size of the weeping tile.
Q) What is the Origin of the problem with Trees with exploding trunk at the base near ground level.
A) I’d say that it’s cytospora canker. It’s a widespread disease that gets introduced to the tree by any kind of mechanical damage to the bark.
Whereas it’s not exactly contagious, spores will be produced that spread in the wind, rain splashes, blowing trash, etc. These can be introduced to surrounding trees at any wound sites.
Once the disease occurs, then all kinds of other wood decay fungus can get in there as well.
The prescription is to remove the affected trees, unfortunately. Especially sad in Sean’s case where it’s obvious the stand has been so well cared for.
The alternative is to water and fertilize and keep the trees as healthy as possible in hopes that eventually they will fight it off and grow out of it-Bruce Hesselink : Environment // Shand Greenhouse
Q) Evergreens with Red Needles Caused by Winter Wind Burn.
Young evergreens took a terrible beating this winter especially those that did not receive any snow cover. They basically got very bed wind burn is how I assess it. Even two and three year old plantings which had almost no snow this winter have that red winter burn....survival chances are worse if the soil moisture was very low going into winter. Evergreens more than other trees can be assisted going into the winter by a good watering just before freeze up at the end of October. This does not stop wind burning but can give better chance of recovery in the spring.
Subject: Post Hole Plantings
Post hole plantings are not the easiest to establish trees and often fails. But if you do post hole plantings I suggest you follow the following suggestions:
1) Do not dig hole more than 13 or 14 inches deep...otherwise you can disturb the deeper soil and dry out the post hole soil as you want solid clay liner just under your planting layer.
2) Make sure the soil that you are planting the tree into is in fact the soil that came from the top soil horizon...ie: from the first top 12 inches from the post hole ...deeper soils usually have salts etc that can be detrimental to tree establishment and survival.
3) Plant your seedlings deep....about six to eight inches deep or two to three inches above the top of the root.
4)Leave a depression one to two inches below the top of the post hole so that the tree collects extra rain water. Bevel the top of the hole six to twelve inches back in each direction so that the tree gets three times or more the rainfall moisture as anything in the area.
5) If you can, install a minimum two foot by two foot plastic film made from grain bag plastic or from a doubled extra large colored ...not clear....garbage bag with a plus sign cut in the middle 2 inches by 2 inches to put over each tree seedlings. Burry the outside edges of the plastic. Place a small stone in the center of the plastic to hold it down next to the tree. This will ensure the grass dies under the plastic and greatly reduces moisture evaporation.
6)Pack the soil around each tree seedling very well....leaving soil loose will result in soil aeration and dehydration.
7) Water the holes extremely well....fill them up with water after the trees are planted to make sure the tree has sufficient water...Be careful if the holes were dug deep though as excess water can bring the salts up...this is why you want a shallow post hole to begin with ....then you can water at will without bringing up the salts.
8) Do NOT add soil additives. Do not add peat moss or other aerating material or it can cause dehydration of your tree seedlings in the post hole. Plant into the same soil that is in the top eight to ten inches of the post hole.
9) Make sure soil remains very moist for the first week to ten days of establishment during June plantings. If top leaves are yellowing this is a sign of drought stress and please water at that time if you see those signs befor September.
1) Do not dig hole more than 13 or 14 inches deep...otherwise you can disturb the deeper soil and dry out the post hole soil as you want solid clay liner just under your planting layer.
2) Make sure the soil that you are planting the tree into is in fact the soil that came from the top soil horizon...ie: from the first top 12 inches from the post hole ...deeper soils usually have salts etc that can be detrimental to tree establishment and survival.
3) Plant your seedlings deep....about six to eight inches deep or two to three inches above the top of the root.
4)Leave a depression one to two inches below the top of the post hole so that the tree collects extra rain water. Bevel the top of the hole six to twelve inches back in each direction so that the tree gets three times or more the rainfall moisture as anything in the area.
5) If you can, install a minimum two foot by two foot plastic film made from grain bag plastic or from a doubled extra large colored ...not clear....garbage bag with a plus sign cut in the middle 2 inches by 2 inches to put over each tree seedlings. Burry the outside edges of the plastic. Place a small stone in the center of the plastic to hold it down next to the tree. This will ensure the grass dies under the plastic and greatly reduces moisture evaporation.
6)Pack the soil around each tree seedling very well....leaving soil loose will result in soil aeration and dehydration.
7) Water the holes extremely well....fill them up with water after the trees are planted to make sure the tree has sufficient water...Be careful if the holes were dug deep though as excess water can bring the salts up...this is why you want a shallow post hole to begin with ....then you can water at will without bringing up the salts.
8) Do NOT add soil additives. Do not add peat moss or other aerating material or it can cause dehydration of your tree seedlings in the post hole. Plant into the same soil that is in the top eight to ten inches of the post hole.
9) Make sure soil remains very moist for the first week to ten days of establishment during June plantings. If top leaves are yellowing this is a sign of drought stress and please water at that time if you see those signs befor September.
Subject : Hardiness and Longevity of Hybrid Poplar and Willow.
All these varieties are considered hardy. Silver leaf willow is considered by some to require slightly more maintenance for some reason.
Poplars are being affected by spider mites the past number of years but any spray with a spider on it in Canadian Tire takes care of them quickly ...or for a larger amount of trees, liquid Malathion ....one teaspoon of active ingredient mixed with two gallons of water is a very effective spray for spider mites. If you see leaves drying on a single branch at a time and you see a tiny four inch diameter web with a very tiny spider in the middle of each web this is spider mite.
Longevity
Though the government rated the hybrid poplars at 15 to 45 years, I am seeing most in my lieftime living past 50 years and still going strong. Ones that live less might well be weakened by things such as field chemical or severe flooding for several months ...things like that. The willows are considered a bit longer lived than the hybrid poplar at 60 to 70 years.
Poplars are being affected by spider mites the past number of years but any spray with a spider on it in Canadian Tire takes care of them quickly ...or for a larger amount of trees, liquid Malathion ....one teaspoon of active ingredient mixed with two gallons of water is a very effective spray for spider mites. If you see leaves drying on a single branch at a time and you see a tiny four inch diameter web with a very tiny spider in the middle of each web this is spider mite.
Longevity
Though the government rated the hybrid poplars at 15 to 45 years, I am seeing most in my lieftime living past 50 years and still going strong. Ones that live less might well be weakened by things such as field chemical or severe flooding for several months ...things like that. The willows are considered a bit longer lived than the hybrid poplar at 60 to 70 years.
Subject : Trees to reverse alkalinity and salinity.
For alkaline/salinity areas green ash (which we do not carry at this time) are the most saline tollerant of woody species trees. The best brush for salinity/alkalinity are hawthorn, dogwood and to some extent rose.
If on the other hand you can get hybrid poplar or willow such as we have established just off the saline zone these are real high water users and will serve to lower the surface water table. This in turn will allow the rain to leach the minerals and salts back down in the soil profile where they originated from making your soil surface salt free overtime.
Subject : How to Reverse Soil Salinity By careful design of trees and grasses.
I am guessing that the perennial flooding of your land has caused the underground salts to come to the surface. You would notice this to be true if you see whitish coloration on the top of the soil. Other indicators are the presence of foxtail and possibly very healthy coshia weed. These are all indicators of salinity i.e.: saline soil and the accompanying alkaline tendency of the soil.
If the above is true then some of the remedies are:
Plant alfalfa over the general area of the salinity. Alfalfa has long roots and will work to lower the underground water table so the rain can leach the salts back down to their place in the deeper strata. Other grasses and trees will perform the same function or in unison with the alfalfa. However make sure you keep the alfalfa back at least five meters from the tree line as alfalfa can rob moisture from trees on a dry year.
HELP has been the leader in Canada in testing tree species that have the best chance to establish in saline soils. The trees and shrubs that we found do establish best in saline soils at least in Saskatchewan include: Green Ash, Arnold Hawthorn, and Red Ozier Dogwood. Maple establish quite well but grow very slowly in saline soils. Even though shrub willow, and silverleaf willow might establish with only 30% of the trees surviving...the ones that do survive will have a very big positive impact at reversing the soil salinity. One surviving willow will do more to reverse salinity than ten other of the trees I have mentioned. We at HELP have reversed severe and spreading soil salinity to no noticable signs of salinity in as little as seven years using the above strategies. I would suggest that once the trees are planted to plant a shallow root grass such as creeping red fescue between the tree rows and STOP all cultivation. Cultivation is what causing the spread of soil salinity.
The very first rule of thumb to stop and reverse soil salinity is to STOP Cultivation for several years and instead place the land under permanent cover of alfalfa, and/or grasses and/or trees and especially high water use trees.
If on the other hand you can get hybrid poplar or willow such as we have established just off the saline zone these are real high water users and will serve to lower the surface water table. This in turn will allow the rain to leach the minerals and salts back down in the soil profile where they originated from making your soil surface salt free overtime.
Subject : How to Reverse Soil Salinity By careful design of trees and grasses.
I am guessing that the perennial flooding of your land has caused the underground salts to come to the surface. You would notice this to be true if you see whitish coloration on the top of the soil. Other indicators are the presence of foxtail and possibly very healthy coshia weed. These are all indicators of salinity i.e.: saline soil and the accompanying alkaline tendency of the soil.
If the above is true then some of the remedies are:
Plant alfalfa over the general area of the salinity. Alfalfa has long roots and will work to lower the underground water table so the rain can leach the salts back down to their place in the deeper strata. Other grasses and trees will perform the same function or in unison with the alfalfa. However make sure you keep the alfalfa back at least five meters from the tree line as alfalfa can rob moisture from trees on a dry year.
HELP has been the leader in Canada in testing tree species that have the best chance to establish in saline soils. The trees and shrubs that we found do establish best in saline soils at least in Saskatchewan include: Green Ash, Arnold Hawthorn, and Red Ozier Dogwood. Maple establish quite well but grow very slowly in saline soils. Even though shrub willow, and silverleaf willow might establish with only 30% of the trees surviving...the ones that do survive will have a very big positive impact at reversing the soil salinity. One surviving willow will do more to reverse salinity than ten other of the trees I have mentioned. We at HELP have reversed severe and spreading soil salinity to no noticable signs of salinity in as little as seven years using the above strategies. I would suggest that once the trees are planted to plant a shallow root grass such as creeping red fescue between the tree rows and STOP all cultivation. Cultivation is what causing the spread of soil salinity.
The very first rule of thumb to stop and reverse soil salinity is to STOP Cultivation for several years and instead place the land under permanent cover of alfalfa, and/or grasses and/or trees and especially high water use trees.
Subject : Town Parks: Best Options To Plant or Replace Trees.
Options:
1) If the old growth trees are in rows and are near the end of their life cycle, you could deep fine till a strip between the existing tree rows....and then plant the poplars and willow to seven inch depth (this ensures well sealed roots and access to sub-soil moisture which is almost the only thing that trees want) with a tractor pulled tree planter that most RMs have for free use if you don't own one. This method can put in one tree per three seconds at the standard eight foot spacing...if for shelterbelts.
In the above method you would then have the option to lay 48 inch wide plastic mulch film over the trees and pull the trees out through the holes that are cut as the machine lays the plastic mulch. This is the lowest maintenance method of tree care because you will not have to cultivate nor weed and rarely water the trees as the plastic mulch inhibits evaporation of water, and keeps weeds and grass away from the new seedlings.
2) If you are spot planting between existing trees I suggest you spade up and or deep rototill to six inch depth a one square meter patch per tree seedling. Then spade a hole for the seedling of one gallon size. Place a seedling in the hole (do NOT add any nursery soils ...simply backfill with same soil or clay that came out so that hydralic/water moisture movement through the soil is normal). Bury the the entire five inch plug plus two inches up the stem of the poplar or willow seedling. Leave a four inch deep depression in a 12 inch diameter around the tree. Then leave a two inch depression for an area just over four foot square around the tree....about fourteen inches on each side of the seedling.
Then place a two foot x two foot mulch pad over each seedling ...pulling the seedling out of a 2 inch by two inch plus sign cut i the very center of the plastic pad. (You can make this pad from a double heavy duty black garbage bag OR best is a two foot x two foot piece of plastic from a recycled grain bag ....the long white sausage looking things in the fields that are free for the asking once empty) ....Alternately you can purchase for $3.00 each these super thick 10 mil grain bag tree mulch pads from HELP.
Once placed over each tree, then bury the four edges of the plastic pad that you have laid in the two inch depression with an inch of soil....just cover the outer one inch or so. Then next to the seedling place a fist sized field stone. The stone will push the plastic down next to the tree into the deeper tree depression.
When it rains on the four foot square plastic pad depression around the tree, the water does not run off but will remain in the depression and in fact be pulled down into the tree hole aided by the stone that is holding the plastic down in the middle next to the tree seedling.
I would give the same advice for evergreen planting. The combination depression planting and using a home made or purchased mulch pad....really gives any type of tree seedling a terrific help and makes post planting maintenance almost a plant and walk-a-way system.
Please also go if you like to our website HELP INTERNATIONAL SHELTERBELT CENTRE and click on three sub-pages for great information:
1) Technical Tree Information
2) Frequently asked Questions
and 3) Shelterbelt Design Suggestions
1) If the old growth trees are in rows and are near the end of their life cycle, you could deep fine till a strip between the existing tree rows....and then plant the poplars and willow to seven inch depth (this ensures well sealed roots and access to sub-soil moisture which is almost the only thing that trees want) with a tractor pulled tree planter that most RMs have for free use if you don't own one. This method can put in one tree per three seconds at the standard eight foot spacing...if for shelterbelts.
In the above method you would then have the option to lay 48 inch wide plastic mulch film over the trees and pull the trees out through the holes that are cut as the machine lays the plastic mulch. This is the lowest maintenance method of tree care because you will not have to cultivate nor weed and rarely water the trees as the plastic mulch inhibits evaporation of water, and keeps weeds and grass away from the new seedlings.
2) If you are spot planting between existing trees I suggest you spade up and or deep rototill to six inch depth a one square meter patch per tree seedling. Then spade a hole for the seedling of one gallon size. Place a seedling in the hole (do NOT add any nursery soils ...simply backfill with same soil or clay that came out so that hydralic/water moisture movement through the soil is normal). Bury the the entire five inch plug plus two inches up the stem of the poplar or willow seedling. Leave a four inch deep depression in a 12 inch diameter around the tree. Then leave a two inch depression for an area just over four foot square around the tree....about fourteen inches on each side of the seedling.
Then place a two foot x two foot mulch pad over each seedling ...pulling the seedling out of a 2 inch by two inch plus sign cut i the very center of the plastic pad. (You can make this pad from a double heavy duty black garbage bag OR best is a two foot x two foot piece of plastic from a recycled grain bag ....the long white sausage looking things in the fields that are free for the asking once empty) ....Alternately you can purchase for $3.00 each these super thick 10 mil grain bag tree mulch pads from HELP.
Once placed over each tree, then bury the four edges of the plastic pad that you have laid in the two inch depression with an inch of soil....just cover the outer one inch or so. Then next to the seedling place a fist sized field stone. The stone will push the plastic down next to the tree into the deeper tree depression.
When it rains on the four foot square plastic pad depression around the tree, the water does not run off but will remain in the depression and in fact be pulled down into the tree hole aided by the stone that is holding the plastic down in the middle next to the tree seedling.
I would give the same advice for evergreen planting. The combination depression planting and using a home made or purchased mulch pad....really gives any type of tree seedling a terrific help and makes post planting maintenance almost a plant and walk-a-way system.
Please also go if you like to our website HELP INTERNATIONAL SHELTERBELT CENTRE and click on three sub-pages for great information:
1) Technical Tree Information
2) Frequently asked Questions
and 3) Shelterbelt Design Suggestions
Subject : Suggestions of Why Trees Don't Establish and How to Get Trees.
There are only a few reasons why tree will not establish:
i) poor condition (bare root trees stored too long till they are dried out or moldy prior to planting)
ii) severe soil conditions: low lying land with bad salinity problems (white capped soil). In this case you may want to plant high water use trees like willow and poplar a few feet or meters outside the saline zone. These high water use trees serve to lower the surface water table after which the rain leaches the salt back down where it came from.
iii) weed competition
If the trees were planted without plastic mulching OR regular cultivation OR chemical application to control weeds
To get Best Results:
i) Container root trees are considered more durable to transport and easier to live store till planting.
(once received, open the tree shipping box or pail, ensure the trees are upright, leave the lid open, place in open sun, maintain half inch of water on the bottom of the container. Container root trees (which is all that HELP produces) can be kept for days or even weeks in this condition. They can establish as easily while dormant or when in full leaf.
ii) Land Preparation
Land should be fill tilled to a depth of six inches...fine tilled like a garden. You should sink up to your ankles when walking on it.
iii) Water
If the land is too dry for planting then you can easily pre-water the intended tree rows a day prior to planting by driving over the intended tree rows with a 500 gallon water tank with the water open full bore.
iv) After planting, the only zero maintenance maintenance is by laying four foot wide black plastic mulch film over the trees with a mulch applicator machine ...and pull the trees out through holes in the plastic.
v) If you do not lay plastic mulch film then you must commit to regular cultivation close to the tree rows (but remembering that evergreens, because they have poor root systems, sometimes die because of root aeration and/or dehydration from cultivating too near to the tree.
vi) Other less organic folks sometimes sterilize the top zone of the soil by applying triple rate of a triflurilate(spelling?) like Avidex on a four foot swath on the tree line prior to tree planting to give three years of weed free tree establishment.
If you want to order from HELP ....or you can advise your Conservation District to order for you....one can purchase trees and plastic mulch on line at HELP INTERNATIONAL SHELTERBELT CENTRE. We ran the federal government's Shelterbelt Center and now we have moved the Shelterbelt Program to our new 160 acre tree farm at Weyburn , SK.
i) poor condition (bare root trees stored too long till they are dried out or moldy prior to planting)
ii) severe soil conditions: low lying land with bad salinity problems (white capped soil). In this case you may want to plant high water use trees like willow and poplar a few feet or meters outside the saline zone. These high water use trees serve to lower the surface water table after which the rain leaches the salt back down where it came from.
iii) weed competition
If the trees were planted without plastic mulching OR regular cultivation OR chemical application to control weeds
To get Best Results:
i) Container root trees are considered more durable to transport and easier to live store till planting.
(once received, open the tree shipping box or pail, ensure the trees are upright, leave the lid open, place in open sun, maintain half inch of water on the bottom of the container. Container root trees (which is all that HELP produces) can be kept for days or even weeks in this condition. They can establish as easily while dormant or when in full leaf.
ii) Land Preparation
Land should be fill tilled to a depth of six inches...fine tilled like a garden. You should sink up to your ankles when walking on it.
iii) Water
If the land is too dry for planting then you can easily pre-water the intended tree rows a day prior to planting by driving over the intended tree rows with a 500 gallon water tank with the water open full bore.
iv) After planting, the only zero maintenance maintenance is by laying four foot wide black plastic mulch film over the trees with a mulch applicator machine ...and pull the trees out through holes in the plastic.
v) If you do not lay plastic mulch film then you must commit to regular cultivation close to the tree rows (but remembering that evergreens, because they have poor root systems, sometimes die because of root aeration and/or dehydration from cultivating too near to the tree.
vi) Other less organic folks sometimes sterilize the top zone of the soil by applying triple rate of a triflurilate(spelling?) like Avidex on a four foot swath on the tree line prior to tree planting to give three years of weed free tree establishment.
If you want to order from HELP ....or you can advise your Conservation District to order for you....one can purchase trees and plastic mulch on line at HELP INTERNATIONAL SHELTERBELT CENTRE. We ran the federal government's Shelterbelt Center and now we have moved the Shelterbelt Program to our new 160 acre tree farm at Weyburn , SK.
Subject : Tree and Brush Planting near Sewer Mounds and Pump-outs.
The practice of planting trees and especially high water use trees at some meters distance from the outside perimeter of mounds and pump-outs is based upon the appreciation of traditional wisdom that plants bio-remediate toilet wastes and phosphate based soap residues in the most environmentally friendly way. The idea is to enhance the chance of waste water and nutrient uptake by grasses, forbs, brush and trees so that the chance of downward percolation of water, nutrients and bacteria is minimized.
Planting of these plants to assist in nutrient and water uptake using official recommended installation norms is considered by HELP to be a leading edge best environmentally friendly practice. Because official recommendations vary from one province or state or country to another, HELP can only provide its general opinion and suggest that you consult your local authorities for the local standard. However....you can find good general advice below:
There is lots of good advice on the internet regarding establishment of grasses and herbaceous plants on your sewer mound and regarding the establishment of trees outside the perimeter of your sewer mound. Below are guidelines set out by University of Minnesota. I find that many of the states in the USA have standards that may be superior to those in some of our provinces in Canada. Note the area I have highlighted in yellow below. I suggest you might go on line and google 'Planting Trees Sewer Mounds' for many more references.
Despite all that is said below I would offer additional advice. Sewer mounds and sewer pump outs can, depending upon the local soils, often create soil salinity around the mounds and sewer pump outs and especially down slope from sewer mounds and pump outs. Planting high water use trees such as poplars and willows significantly back from the mounds and pump-outs as per government recommendations such as the advice below, can use up an immense amount of water (and metabolize an immense amount of nutrients) thereby lowering the surface water level and keeping salinity at bay and reversing soil salinity in areas adjacent to the actual tree planting.
Maples are a far smaller water user than poplar and willow but any woody tree will assist to some degree though some might suggest that ten or twenty willow or hybrid poplar can take up as much water as 50 to 100 maple.
Evergreens such as pine and spruce have far shallower and far less extensive root system than deciduous woody species trees. Therefor these coniferous trees should be able to be safely planted closer to the mound than would be permissible for willow, poplar and maple for example. It should be noted however that if salinity is already a problem and salinity reversal is your objective then you would not wish to plant spruce or pine as these species are not saline tolerant.
If you have profound salinity already in evidence by prolific amount of white top soil then the trees that are most tolerant for establishing directly into saline soils at the proper recommended distance for deciduous woody species are Green Ash, Russian Olive as well as the semi-brush Arnold Hawthorn or the brush Red Ozier Dogwood. Chokecherry sometimes also does well on some types of saline sites. All these have been tested with very positive results on several types of saline sites in southern Saskatchewan by HELP International.
Semi brush and brush plants as per recommendation can be planted closer to sewer mounds and pump-outs than the larger wood species such as poplar, willow and maple which should be planted at the greater distance such as that recommended below if you lived in Minnesota. Hope this gives you some guidance. Guidelines for planting on and near septic mounds (University of Minnesota)It is very important that the integrity of the mound be kept intact and that soil does not wash away. A permanent vegetation cover is required to minimize topsoil loss. Open sites are more susceptible to frost, heaving and erosion. Plants trap snow which acts as a mulch and prevents erosion.
The following native prairie plants grow well on dry soils and would be good choices for a mound septic system:
Figure 5. Pasqueflower is a native wildflower that tolerates dry soil conditions.
Wildflowers
prairie onion (Allium stellatum)
pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)
butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
heath aster (Aster ericodes)
bigleaf aster (Aster macrophyllus)*
Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)*
prairie clover (Dalea spp.)
pale purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)
rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)*
prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
oxeye (Helianthus helianthoides)
rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)
wild bergamot (Monarda fi stulosa)
penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens)
violets (Viola spp.)*
Grasses
sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
June grass (Koeleria macrantha)
*shade tolerant
These plants are propagated by seed or plants. A combination of both will make a faster cover. Use a mulch of clean straw or a cover crop of annual ryegrass or oats to prevent erosion while the plants become established.
Low maintenance lawn grasses, such as fine fescues, can make a dense cover and only need to be mowed once or twice a year. Mow in October and late June to reduce weeds. Fescues are traditional lawn grasses that tolerate dry soils and shady sites. A mixture of fine-textured fescues, such as creeping red, hard and sheep's fescues (Festuca rubrum, Festuca longifolia, Festuca ovina), in equal proportions can be seeded at the rate of 3.5 pounds per 1000 square feet. Traditional lawn grasses, such as common Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, can be planted on a mound and regularly mowed. Mowing will increase evaporation from the mound and aid in rodent control.
Perennial flowers, such as daylilies and peonies, can be grown; however, extra care must be taken to mulch or plant close together so soil will not be exposed and erode. Low maintenance plants that do not need tending and care (remember minimal traffic on the mound) are best. Enjoy from afar, and do not walk on the mound.
Proper selection and placement of plants best suited to the site means that those plants will be healthier, more attractive, and have fewer pest problems.
Planting of these plants to assist in nutrient and water uptake using official recommended installation norms is considered by HELP to be a leading edge best environmentally friendly practice. Because official recommendations vary from one province or state or country to another, HELP can only provide its general opinion and suggest that you consult your local authorities for the local standard. However....you can find good general advice below:
There is lots of good advice on the internet regarding establishment of grasses and herbaceous plants on your sewer mound and regarding the establishment of trees outside the perimeter of your sewer mound. Below are guidelines set out by University of Minnesota. I find that many of the states in the USA have standards that may be superior to those in some of our provinces in Canada. Note the area I have highlighted in yellow below. I suggest you might go on line and google 'Planting Trees Sewer Mounds' for many more references.
Despite all that is said below I would offer additional advice. Sewer mounds and sewer pump outs can, depending upon the local soils, often create soil salinity around the mounds and sewer pump outs and especially down slope from sewer mounds and pump outs. Planting high water use trees such as poplars and willows significantly back from the mounds and pump-outs as per government recommendations such as the advice below, can use up an immense amount of water (and metabolize an immense amount of nutrients) thereby lowering the surface water level and keeping salinity at bay and reversing soil salinity in areas adjacent to the actual tree planting.
Maples are a far smaller water user than poplar and willow but any woody tree will assist to some degree though some might suggest that ten or twenty willow or hybrid poplar can take up as much water as 50 to 100 maple.
Evergreens such as pine and spruce have far shallower and far less extensive root system than deciduous woody species trees. Therefor these coniferous trees should be able to be safely planted closer to the mound than would be permissible for willow, poplar and maple for example. It should be noted however that if salinity is already a problem and salinity reversal is your objective then you would not wish to plant spruce or pine as these species are not saline tolerant.
If you have profound salinity already in evidence by prolific amount of white top soil then the trees that are most tolerant for establishing directly into saline soils at the proper recommended distance for deciduous woody species are Green Ash, Russian Olive as well as the semi-brush Arnold Hawthorn or the brush Red Ozier Dogwood. Chokecherry sometimes also does well on some types of saline sites. All these have been tested with very positive results on several types of saline sites in southern Saskatchewan by HELP International.
Semi brush and brush plants as per recommendation can be planted closer to sewer mounds and pump-outs than the larger wood species such as poplar, willow and maple which should be planted at the greater distance such as that recommended below if you lived in Minnesota. Hope this gives you some guidance. Guidelines for planting on and near septic mounds (University of Minnesota)It is very important that the integrity of the mound be kept intact and that soil does not wash away. A permanent vegetation cover is required to minimize topsoil loss. Open sites are more susceptible to frost, heaving and erosion. Plants trap snow which acts as a mulch and prevents erosion.
- Topsoil on the mound should be a minimum of 6 inches and a maximum of 16 inches.
- Do not till when planting.
- Establish a cover as soon as possible to limit erosion.
- Always wear gloves when working over septic systems to minimize your contact with soil.
- Use plants that do not like water or wet soils near the septic system. This will prevent their root systems from interfering with the septic system. The larger the plant, the more extensive (not necessarily deeper) the root system.
- Do not place trees and shrubs ON the mound; they may be planted at the foot or on side slopes. Frame the mound with trees and shrubs at a distance, but use only herbaceous (non-woody) plants on the mound itself. Trees should be planted a minimum of 20 feet from the edge of the mound. Trees known for seeking water reservoirs, such as poplar, maple, willow and elm, should be planted at least 50 feet from the mound. Shrubs should not be planted on top of the mound.
- Avoid irrigation and fertilization on a mound; in fact, never plan to irrigate this area. Use plants that can withstand dry conditions. Plants listed on the back page tolerate and thrive on natural rainfall in Minnesota.
- Minimize traffic on the mound, both human and animal, to avoid soil compaction. Do not exercise pets or stake pets on septic mounds. Never drive a car or other vehicle across the mound or mow when the soil is wet. Compacted soil can lead to soil erosion and impedes the flow of air around the system. In winter, activity on a mound can cause frost to penetrate resulting in freezing problems.
- Do not plant edible plants, such as vegetables and herbs on a mound or drainfield.
- Annually inspect the mound for animal damage such as burrowing and tunneling. Control animals at the first sign of tunneling or burrowing before damage is extensive.
- Root barriers (geotextiles impregnated with a long-lasting herbicide that kills plant roots) have been used around mounds. Installation is expensive and can be avoided with proper plant selection.
The following native prairie plants grow well on dry soils and would be good choices for a mound septic system:
Figure 5. Pasqueflower is a native wildflower that tolerates dry soil conditions.
Wildflowers
prairie onion (Allium stellatum)
pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)
butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
heath aster (Aster ericodes)
bigleaf aster (Aster macrophyllus)*
Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)*
prairie clover (Dalea spp.)
pale purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)
rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)*
prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
oxeye (Helianthus helianthoides)
rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)
wild bergamot (Monarda fi stulosa)
penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens)
violets (Viola spp.)*
Grasses
sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
June grass (Koeleria macrantha)
*shade tolerant
These plants are propagated by seed or plants. A combination of both will make a faster cover. Use a mulch of clean straw or a cover crop of annual ryegrass or oats to prevent erosion while the plants become established.
Low maintenance lawn grasses, such as fine fescues, can make a dense cover and only need to be mowed once or twice a year. Mow in October and late June to reduce weeds. Fescues are traditional lawn grasses that tolerate dry soils and shady sites. A mixture of fine-textured fescues, such as creeping red, hard and sheep's fescues (Festuca rubrum, Festuca longifolia, Festuca ovina), in equal proportions can be seeded at the rate of 3.5 pounds per 1000 square feet. Traditional lawn grasses, such as common Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, can be planted on a mound and regularly mowed. Mowing will increase evaporation from the mound and aid in rodent control.
Perennial flowers, such as daylilies and peonies, can be grown; however, extra care must be taken to mulch or plant close together so soil will not be exposed and erode. Low maintenance plants that do not need tending and care (remember minimal traffic on the mound) are best. Enjoy from afar, and do not walk on the mound.
Proper selection and placement of plants best suited to the site means that those plants will be healthier, more attractive, and have fewer pest problems.
Subject : Effluent Irrigation.
Its great to see your interest in effluent irrigation. The best examples in North America is the State of Wisconsin where, by law for several decades already, all effluent treatment must be land based...meaning effluent remediation using trees and forests.
They show how trees eliminate 100% of nutrients so that in some cases the water can be released back into the river system after traversing through intensive forested area.
HELP recommends willow as the tree of choice so long as the trees are given access to water regularly as the willow is not so drought hardy. Golden willow is very fast growing and turns into a very large tree with high water needs. Golden willow lifespan can outlast hybrid poplars by 20 to 30 years. Acute willow, though a smaller willow, is hardy, multi stalked and a good water consumer as a large multi stalked brush/tree.
Fast growing hybrid poplar like Okanese can be a good choice.
Some might consider under planting the hybrid poplar with blue or white spruce ....and consider having rotating effluent flooded or other means of effluent irrigated areas. Once the lot is mature, the valuable blue spruce can be harvested out or the area can be re-commissioned for other community advantages.
If I recall my extensive work on numbers, I believe my recommendations is one acre of forested area for maximum of thirteen homes. This means that one acre of forested area to handle the municipal waste water from thirteen community homes.
If you use willows you might consider rows up to five meters apart...and if hybrid poplar or hybrid poplar alternating with spruce in the same rows ...I suggest these rows should be four meters apart.
The lowest possible maintenance tree lines are tree planted on well tilled soil, then four foot plastic mulch film installed over the trees...pulling the trees out of holes made in the plastic...and then shallow rooted turf forming grass such as common creeping red fescue planted as living mulch between the tree rows. In this system the only maintenance required would be mowing twice per year.
(HELP provides these type of installation services but municipalities and landowners can also adequately carry out these projects on their own if they have experienced personel).
Regulation requires you install a simple pizometer ever two acres or so to monitor ground water levels to ensure that effluent waters are evaporating and being taken up by trees and not percolating down and causing rise in the water table.
They show how trees eliminate 100% of nutrients so that in some cases the water can be released back into the river system after traversing through intensive forested area.
HELP recommends willow as the tree of choice so long as the trees are given access to water regularly as the willow is not so drought hardy. Golden willow is very fast growing and turns into a very large tree with high water needs. Golden willow lifespan can outlast hybrid poplars by 20 to 30 years. Acute willow, though a smaller willow, is hardy, multi stalked and a good water consumer as a large multi stalked brush/tree.
Fast growing hybrid poplar like Okanese can be a good choice.
Some might consider under planting the hybrid poplar with blue or white spruce ....and consider having rotating effluent flooded or other means of effluent irrigated areas. Once the lot is mature, the valuable blue spruce can be harvested out or the area can be re-commissioned for other community advantages.
If I recall my extensive work on numbers, I believe my recommendations is one acre of forested area for maximum of thirteen homes. This means that one acre of forested area to handle the municipal waste water from thirteen community homes.
If you use willows you might consider rows up to five meters apart...and if hybrid poplar or hybrid poplar alternating with spruce in the same rows ...I suggest these rows should be four meters apart.
The lowest possible maintenance tree lines are tree planted on well tilled soil, then four foot plastic mulch film installed over the trees...pulling the trees out of holes made in the plastic...and then shallow rooted turf forming grass such as common creeping red fescue planted as living mulch between the tree rows. In this system the only maintenance required would be mowing twice per year.
(HELP provides these type of installation services but municipalities and landowners can also adequately carry out these projects on their own if they have experienced personel).
Regulation requires you install a simple pizometer ever two acres or so to monitor ground water levels to ensure that effluent waters are evaporating and being taken up by trees and not percolating down and causing rise in the water table.
Subject : Planting trees on Stream Banks.
Pussy Willow ends up being smaller in stature than the golden or silver. Pussy Willow likes the most moist conditions compared to other willows. Golden also very fast growing needs the next moist conditions. Silver Leaf Willow is slow growing though gets to be the biggest and is more drought tollerant.
Along a creek...if the water is for example 10 feet down the creek bank from where you are planting then the creek bank will actually be very drought prone...but if the water is within a foot or so of where the trees will be planted then the trees will have access to more moisture. If the stream bank is north facing then the stream bank will have much; more moisture...if the stream bank is south facing it will be far more drought prone. Hope this helps!
Along a creek...if the water is for example 10 feet down the creek bank from where you are planting then the creek bank will actually be very drought prone...but if the water is within a foot or so of where the trees will be planted then the trees will have access to more moisture. If the stream bank is north facing then the stream bank will have much; more moisture...if the stream bank is south facing it will be far more drought prone. Hope this helps!
Subject : Best Shelterbelt Design When One Does Not Utilize Brush Plants.
We have 300,000 trees remaining...that cover most shelterbelt needs.
We have the three poplars and the three willow we have on our website...plus blue spruce.
We do not have shrub trees in our system this year as we focused on the fast growing poplars and willows which can do the same job as brush if planted properly.
Many folks using our trees use the following scenario...including many contract plantings we are doing in Saskatchewan and Alberta this spring.
Outside Row: The fast growing Golden Willow or Alternating with the slower growing but more drought resistant Silver Leaf Willow in the same row. Willows do nee some moisture for good establishment but as the tree line matures the tree shelterblelt creates its own shade/moisture system. Willow are typically put on the outside row because:
i) they are multiple stemmed and act to stop ground winds and drifting snow.
ii) they can be as broad/wide as they are tall so if on the outside row their growth will be unrestricted from the outside....compared to if they were between two other rows of trees.
iii) these willows get far wider than poplar trees and therefor actually afford far more bottom and medium height wind protection than poplars...(except for the walker poplar with branches right along the ground ...the walker has a small amount of fuzz)
Middle Row: Typically a fast growing poplar (like an Assiniboine....medium fast growing or an Okanese...very fast growing is planted on second row (if not the Walker poplar to create groend wind protection) to create medium and high wind protection.
Inside Row: The Blue Spruce is the most favored for the inside row because:
i) its juicy thick needles create a very dense tree that eventually creates total privacy and a perfect shelterbelt in future years.
The blue spruce is slow growing at only six inches per year for the first five years after which it starts taking off in growth.
Spacing: For a 2,000 foot or 680 meter per row ...for the above scenario you would require:
a) 270 Golden Willow or 270 Silver willow for the outside row if only planting one of these OR
135 of each of them if alternating them within the same row. Spacing for willows in shelterbelts is recommended by gov't to be a) eight foot spacing (2.5 meter spacing) between trees.
b) 270 Okanese or Assiniboine poplar for the middle row at eight foot spacing (2.5 meter spacing) between each tree.
c) 200 Blue Spruce for the inside row at 10 foot or 3 meter spacing between trees.
The poplars are the most drought hardy. The willow and moreso the blue spruce can be greatly assisted by watering them one gallon of water each if two to three weeks have gone by since the last rain...during the first growing season especially.
We have the three poplars and the three willow we have on our website...plus blue spruce.
We do not have shrub trees in our system this year as we focused on the fast growing poplars and willows which can do the same job as brush if planted properly.
Many folks using our trees use the following scenario...including many contract plantings we are doing in Saskatchewan and Alberta this spring.
Outside Row: The fast growing Golden Willow or Alternating with the slower growing but more drought resistant Silver Leaf Willow in the same row. Willows do nee some moisture for good establishment but as the tree line matures the tree shelterblelt creates its own shade/moisture system. Willow are typically put on the outside row because:
i) they are multiple stemmed and act to stop ground winds and drifting snow.
ii) they can be as broad/wide as they are tall so if on the outside row their growth will be unrestricted from the outside....compared to if they were between two other rows of trees.
iii) these willows get far wider than poplar trees and therefor actually afford far more bottom and medium height wind protection than poplars...(except for the walker poplar with branches right along the ground ...the walker has a small amount of fuzz)
Middle Row: Typically a fast growing poplar (like an Assiniboine....medium fast growing or an Okanese...very fast growing is planted on second row (if not the Walker poplar to create groend wind protection) to create medium and high wind protection.
Inside Row: The Blue Spruce is the most favored for the inside row because:
i) its juicy thick needles create a very dense tree that eventually creates total privacy and a perfect shelterbelt in future years.
The blue spruce is slow growing at only six inches per year for the first five years after which it starts taking off in growth.
Spacing: For a 2,000 foot or 680 meter per row ...for the above scenario you would require:
a) 270 Golden Willow or 270 Silver willow for the outside row if only planting one of these OR
135 of each of them if alternating them within the same row. Spacing for willows in shelterbelts is recommended by gov't to be a) eight foot spacing (2.5 meter spacing) between trees.
b) 270 Okanese or Assiniboine poplar for the middle row at eight foot spacing (2.5 meter spacing) between each tree.
c) 200 Blue Spruce for the inside row at 10 foot or 3 meter spacing between trees.
The poplars are the most drought hardy. The willow and moreso the blue spruce can be greatly assisted by watering them one gallon of water each if two to three weeks have gone by since the last rain...during the first growing season especially.
Subject : Acute Willows Seedlings Dying : What is the Cause
My first question would be whether the area the willow were planted had a problem of salinity...that often accompanies wetter areas. Signs of salinity include white color on top of the soil...and the prevalence of fox tail grass. Willows are not suited for saline areas. Trees that are suited for more saline areas that can establish in salinity and work to reverse salinity include: Russian Olive, Green ash, Hawthorn, Dogwood and chokecherry to some extent.
Watch for the spider mite that has come with a vengeance into our country from the US possibly due to our milder winters. If leaves are drying one by one ....and if you look and see a four inch diameter web with a single spider you can hardly see in the middle of each web....this is the spider mite. There is also some prevailance of a catipillar that can vocaciously each poplar and willow leaves. Also watch for bore holes in the stem...as the poplar bore beetle is being reported on both poplars and willows.
Malathione is a fairly safe chemical if used according to directions. Canadian Tire sells half litre squirt spray bottles if you are treating only a few dozen smaller trees.
Watch for the spider mite that has come with a vengeance into our country from the US possibly due to our milder winters. If leaves are drying one by one ....and if you look and see a four inch diameter web with a single spider you can hardly see in the middle of each web....this is the spider mite. There is also some prevailance of a catipillar that can vocaciously each poplar and willow leaves. Also watch for bore holes in the stem...as the poplar bore beetle is being reported on both poplars and willows.
Malathione is a fairly safe chemical if used according to directions. Canadian Tire sells half litre squirt spray bottles if you are treating only a few dozen smaller trees.
How to Employ Plastic Mulch Pads when Planting Trees in Grassland
Ideally, assuming you are planting in grasslands please do the following:
i) Dig out sod chunks out in 2 ft x 2 feet spaces one such space for each tree using a spade. When the sod is spaded out like this, it should create a 2 x 2 ft space that is about three inches deep.
ii) Create a de-sodded space like this every eight to ten feet or whatever spacing you wish your new tree row to look like.
iii) Plant regular tree seedling in the middle of each 2 x 2 foot de-sodded space by removing a gallon size of soil in the bottom of each de-sodded space. Make sure the top of the soil you put around your tree in the gallon size hole is about a half to one inch 'deeper' than the bottom of your three inch deep de-sodded area.
iv) Place a square 2 ft by 2ft plastic mulch pad over each seedling. You can purchase a very strong 10 mill plastic pad from HELP at $3 each OR you can easily make your own with a strong black or dark green plastic garbage bag (it MUST be a dark color such as black or dark green and NEVER a clear plastic and NOT a reflective color of plastic such as white. To make your own you simply cut with a scissors a 'plus' sign two inches by two inches in the middle of the bag. Then place the plastic over each tree seedling that is planted in the bottom of each 2 ft by 2 ft de-sodded depression. Simply put the 'plus sign' over each seedling.
v) Cut the plastic to fit the hole or simply folk excess plastic underneath so it looks like a perfect 2 ft by 2 ft plastic fitting perfectly the 3 inch deep de-sodded hole.
vi) Then take a couple three inch wide pieces of the sod by two feet long you removed and place it up-side down over the edges of the plastic to hold the plastic down in the hole so the wind etc does not take the plastic up.
vii) Next take a fist size stone and place it on top of the plastic immediately agaist each tree seedling to hold the center of the plastic pad down that extra inch ...remember how the top of the tree soil was to be one inch 'lower' than the bottom of the three inch de-sodded square.
viii) That's IT! When you place that stone against each tree seedling this holds the middle of the plastic (with the plus sign) down one inch deeper than the rest of the plastic pad. This serves two very important functions: a) if the plus-sign hole in the plastic is deeper/lower than the rest of the plastic, the moisture under the plastic cannot evaporate out this hole. 2ndly and as importantly, because the hole in the plastic is lower than the rest of the plastic, any rain that falls into the 2 ft x 2 ft de-sodded depression will all flow into the plus-sign tree hole thereby giving each tree about three times the amount of rainfall it would normally receive.
Second Option that is less Labour Intensive
If your volunteers are not into de-sodding the entire 2 x 2 ft area, they can just spade out a 1 ft x 1 ft of sod and then another gallon size of soil below...
In this system, after planting the tree, two inch wide pie shaped sod slices should be removed by spade all around a 2 ft by 2 ft perameter in the grass.
Then the mulch pad should be placed over each tree and over the surrounding grassland.
The edges of the plastic pad should be put into the earthen trench were the pie shaped sod slices were removed.
The pie shape slices of sod should be put back into the two inch wide trench thereby burying the edges of the plastic.
Place a fist size stone in the middle of the plastic so any water or rain falling on the plastic pad will go down the tree hole.
This method in option two is not as good as option one above but still can do a quite good job at ensuring tree survival without alot of watering.
Third Option
The same as the second option above but instead of spading out wedges of sod to hold down/burying the edges of the plastic pad you can use large nails i.e.: five inch spikes to hold down the plastic by putting one through each corner of the plastic and one half way down from each corner. This is not as good as the second option but can still do the job.
Q) What Maintenance is Required After I Plant My Trees, Lay Plastic Mulch Film and Establish Grass Between the Tree Rows.
Suggestions
Aiding Water Infiltration and Lessening Evaporation from the Black Plastic Mulch Film
If you can place one stone on the plastic beside each tree this will:
i) lessen evaporation from the tree holes as the holes will be then below the rest of the plastic
ii) greatly enhance the amount of rain water going into each tree hole.
How to Get Water Sitting on Top the Plastic Mulch Film into the Tree Holes
After a Rain You will notice that water remains on top of the plastic mulch in some pockets. You can poke a hole with a flat screw driver so that the water will thereafter go through the plastic to give more water for the trees below. Other wise you can push the plastic and soil down underneath between the pool of water and the tree so that the water flows into the tree hole. Both of these techniques will work.
Grass Establishment
The grass seed was triple broadcast and double harrowed. Any soil compaction will greatly enhance rate of grass establishment. So any time in the first couple days you are near the tree lines, feel free to drive on the soil with tractor, truck etc as this compaction will only help. Some landowners pull a heavy landroller over top. The grass seed wants a firm bed and moisture in that top quarter inch of soil where it is sitting. Compaction helps the moisture to be in that top quarter inch of soil.
Evergreen Care
The evergreens are the most sensitive in their year of establishment so if you want to water them four liters of water each (four seconds using a 1 1/4 inch gravity discharge hose from a five hundred gallon tank) if it has not rained for a couple of weeks in the period late June and throughout July and August. With evergreen seedlings 30% losses are expected in year one and 10% in year two so replants are anticipated. Watering can greatly decrease these initial losses.
Weeds coming Up with Trees
Any weeds that come up in the tree holes will become Super Weeds because they are protected by the same mulch. So if the few weeds that find a hole to grow in are pulled in late May of each year this might be the only weed pulling required. Am guessing a weed could show up in one of every few dozen trees and less on land that was grass land prior to planting .
Subject : How to carry out fall planting?
We have had very good success with all species we have installed in fall plantings except not good success at all with evergreen seedlings so we do not recommend fall planting for them.
For Okanese and any other deciduous woody and brush species I recommend fall planting from last week of September through mid October. If you are not planting into moist soil you should give a good watering after planting so that there is no chance of the dormant plant dehydrating during the winter. If your planting is not too large I even recommend blowing six inches of snow over the tree seedlings on the first snowfall.
This does several additional things for the tree:
i) prevents soil dehydration from winter winds.
ii) preserves the bottom of the seedlings if the tops are eaten off by herbivores...if the bottom four inches of poplars are preserved when eaten down...the leader will come back but if eaten all the way to the ground then the tree will come back as a stool.
iii) the snow cover ensures good spring moisture to give the tree seedlings a good start.
Subject : Distance between Trees.
I always followed the government recommendation in planting deciduous woody trees such as Okanese at eight foot spacing (3.5 meters) and typically four meters between tree rows...and brush species at one meter between each tree.
Subject : Tree Availability from HELP International .
-We will not have maple or lilac available for the next year! Our new experimental development of these have been very luggish so we do not anticipate quantities available for the public till fall 2017 at the earliest at this point.
-White and Blue Spruce plus Scot's Pine will be available from April this next spring and each spring after that.
-Other trees we will have available in the spring are:
.Hybrid Poplar: Walker, Okanese, Assiniboine (available now and throughout on a continuous basis ...though we might be short of Okanese by late spring next year).
.Willow: Golden, Silverleaf, Pussie Willow, Laurel Willow, Acute Willow available now and throughout on a continuous basis though we might run short of laurel at some point in late spring.
-Varieties Additional to the Above Available by fall 2017 from stooling beds already established on HELP's new tree farm:
.Additional Hybrid Poplars: North West, Hill, Tristis
-Brush Trees HELP is working to produce but no promises till 2018:
.Cariganna, Lilac, Chokecherry
Subject : Tree Pests
Aphids on Poplars
Even a hard rain might knock them back.
Aphids have several generations per season, so they are continuously multiplying. Any eggs laid are for overwintering, usually found in the leaf litter below or on broadleaf weeds in the area. Keeping the surrounding area trim and tidy might help with next year’s populations.
As for the ants, I’ve heard that the ants feed off the “honeydew” the aphids produce and actually “farm” the aphids for this purpose! They fend off the natural predators such as the lady bugs. So lots going on there! Some have wrapped their trees with sticky bands to curtail the ants from climbing up and setting up shop in the infested leaves, leaving the aphids open to natural predators.
Subject : Fall Planting.
Spruces and Pine Seedlings is fall planting recommended?
From all my experience in fall planting the only tree varieties we do not recommend for fall planting are the conifers ie: blue and white spruce and Scot's Pine. We find the survival rate over winter is very poor. As a result we only handle these three varieties for spring delivery. For spring planting we will have available one year old Blue Spruce (seven to twelve in spikes); White Spruce (eight to thirteen inch spikes); and Scot's Pine (four to eight inch spikes).
Unless watered regularly, evergreen seedlings in the southern prairies typically have a survival rate of 70 percent the first year...meaning typically 30 percent replant rate. This year was the exception....we planted several thousand with the four foot black plastic mulch film over top....and we never watered them once ....I believe every single one established well but this is the first time in my life time I have seen 100 percent success on establishment due to the combination of laying plastic mulch film and the constant rains during late May through July.
Growth Rate
In five years time on averages the blue spruce will be 2.5 feet tall and almost as wide; the white spruce will be four feet tall; and the Scot's Pine will be eight feet tall.
Subject : Frequent Conversation with Folks Planning First Time Shelterbelts.
I'm looking to do a bit of a shelter belt around my yard in pambrun sask. I was looking at doing 2 rows staggered of Assiniboine poplar and I don't know if that's the best route or not..
Rodney: to be honest, with poplars planted at eight foot spacings, once the trees are of medium height they are a solid mass so staggering in my opinion makes no difference in sight, aesthetics nor wind protection. Because the prevailing winds are 80% from the north west and 20 % from the south east, if the winds hit rows that are non staggered at the 45 degrees that they come in ...the non staggered row will act staggered to the wind...if this makes sense. But because the trees in any one line bcome a solid mass, staggering makes no difference in the final outcome.
I also will do a row of Assiniboine along a fence and hoping to get Colorado blue spruce to fill in different areas that need new tree growth.
Rodney: With all hybrid poplars except Walker, the branches start protruding from the main trunk a couple feet up the trunk as the tree grows. The Walker is the only poplar that has branches radiating from the trunk almost at ground level making it a good ground wind and drifting snow stopper compared to all other poplars including the Assiniboine. However, you may want Assiniboine along side a fence because the snow pack of the walker could on winters with peculiar types of snow packs can pull barbed wire off of the posts (breaking the wire). This does not happen in all winters but snow packs in some winters can do this. So Assiniboine might be the tree of choice on a fence line. But if stopping snow and ground winds (one could say that most snow blows in rather than 'drops' in) is your greatest priority then you might want to install Walker Poplar if you do not have brush such as cariganna, or chokecherry or lilac to stop the ground winds and ground snow drifting befor it enters your yard. Sounds like your spruce got a good start ...if they are planted eight to ten feet apart they might be beginning to be a good ground wind and drifting snow stopper on the part of the yard they are installed.
In total I'm looking at getting 200 Assiniboine and 100 blue spruce. I just wanted any input if I should consider something else. Currently my yard is 3/4 of an acre with a perimeter of Spruce that are 10 feet tall. 100 Assiniboine would be for my yard and the other 200 would be go around my land off my yard.
Rodney: I suggest you decide whether to go with Assiniboine or Walker based upon the above information. Walker (rated at 1 to 1.2 meters per year ...but grew almost six feet in first year in the field this year in central Sask that got so much rain this year) does grow significantly faster than the Assiboine (rated at 0.8 to 1 meter per year). Walker has seeds and therefor a tiny bit of fuzz. Assiniboine has no seeds and therefor no fuzz.
-Also on the website it says you lend out a tool to lay plastic? Does it cost to borrow?
Rodney: We loan out our mulch applicator for $50 per day maintenance fee.
-Other then tilling up the land do I need to do anything else in prep for the trees?
-How deep do they go?
Rodney: No I do not believe so. Plant the poplars very deep ie: seven or eight inches depth...they only want water so planting them down into the clay sub-soil helps them get moisture and be less reliant on surface rainfall and irrigation. (This also applies to willow...you can help them survive in non wet sites better by planting them very deep). You should deep fine till to six inches depth mellow like a garden so you literally sink up to your ankles when you walk on it. This makes a very big difference in tree establishment and growth rate..and make the laying of plastic mulch film go three times easier and makes it last four times longer!
-I'm planning on doing 2 rows staggered with 3m spacing... Does this sound like a proper layout?
Rodney: Three tree row with four meters between tree rows is the most standard shelterbelt with some folks using five meter spacings...but on some small land parcels this cannot be accommodated as it might use up half of the available yard space ie: on a three quarter acre parcel this might be the case.
The reason for four meters and three tree rows is that there must be a place for the drifting snow to be both stopped and stored. If the tree rows are too close, the snow is partially stopped but instead of being trapped in the spaces between the tree rows will tent to drop more onto the inside of the yard space or can even continue into the inner yard till it is stopped by the house and cars etc.
-How bulky would a load of these 300 trees be for travel?
Rodney: Three hundred poplar tree seedlings would fit in eight ice cream pails (the three gallon ones) or in two tree boxes if we lie them down sideways. 300 tree seedlings...the superior kind we handle have about 100 ml or more of soil on the root (each root portion of the seedling with soil being about an inch diameter and five inches long. The tree stems of the poplars we have on hand right now on top of the root portion is 12 to 20 inches.
-what's the best time to plant?
Rodney: If there is a chance of drought next year...and there is always that chance, one would have wished to have planted his trees the fall prior so they can make use of the early spring moisture. If you want to do your newly planted trees an extra favor you could snow blow not more than six inches of snow over their bases and part way up the tree (six inch depth from the ground). This protects their vital lower section from herbervores, protects the ground (and the seedlings) against dehydration from winter winds, and gives extra early spring moisture. I suggest the best time to plant is when you have time to plant and when you have the land well prepared. The fall window for tree planting is typically September 23 to October 15.
-Does this size of order give me the deal of $1.50 per tree?
Rodney: You must order 300 trees (does not have to be the same variety...can be 50 of one, 75 of another and 175 of a third variety for example.
-How to Keep My Unplanted Container Root Tree Seedlings Over Winter? Should I keep them in the bundles of five they are wrapped in and plant them in the ground and then remove them for permanent planting in the spring?
Rodney: I find the trees remain just as healthy and viable by leaving them wrapped in the bundles of five and keeping them in plastic pails or a tote...as tight as you want to pack them. But I would drill a small hole one half inch up the side of the tote or pails so that if they get rained on...only half an inch will be retained in the bottom of the plastic tote or pails. I keep them outdoors in the backyard. Some snow will enter the pails or tote which is good ...even better than keeping them in an unheated shop where there is no snow to insulate them. Keeping them outside in prevailing conditions is good.
So in conclusion I find the trees stay often in better shape by keeping them in pails or totes rather than planting them as a bunch in the ground. That's my experience. Then in the spring you can plant them while dormant or even wait till they are in full leaf to plant them. That is the benefit of container root seedlings ...you do not have to plant them while they are dormant but any time during the growing season can work while they are growing in full leaf.
Subject: Fall planting of trees and river margin planting.
-Can I plant in the fall and what are the considerations. I have a project on river margins and the river margin cannot be disturbed in the spring due to fishery habitat?
Rodney: There are distinct advantages to fall planting in many instances ranging from farmers who do not have time to spring tree plant on years when they are under extreme pressure to get their cereal crops in....to water prone areas that one can often not get access to in the spring for pre-working and planting till after the land dries. We have been carrying out and promoting others to carry out fall planting since year 2000.
You have asked the question well...What should one NOT plant in a fall tree planting?
In our experience, the only species that do very poorly in fall plantings are evergreen seedlings ie: Scot's Pine, Blue Spruce and White Spruce. The only ones of these that consistently survive fall planting are evergreens that are completely covered in snow. The problem is that one cannot guarentee snowfall prior to frigid temperatures so the evergreens could be hurt by frigid temps and wind prior to getting covered in snow. (People can also blow snow over trees but again, some winters the frigid cold comes befor the snow comes).
We have had good success in fall plantings with all other tree species. I like the idea of fall planting from the point of view that trees planted in the fall can benefit from the first spring moisture whereas those planting in the spring must wait for the land to dry to carry out pre-working and planting....so the plants loose that first higher moisture opportunity. This being said, HELP carries out successful contract planting (we install plastic mulch film with all the trees we plant in the southern prairies) throughout all of May and June ...and in recent higher moisture years ...successfully even into July.
Recommendation for Fall Planting
One thing I highly recommend in all planting but especially in fall planting is to:
i) till the land extremely well...fine tilled down eight inches (unless you are planting trees by hand one by one in which case there is a different regime we can advise on).
ii) plant the tree seedlings deep (despite what the internet and books say...we have researched this well in the 3,000,000 trees HELP has contract planted). I suggest all tree seedlings (except evergreens) be planted with soil not only over the root but two to three inches up the stem as well. 90% of tree seedlings that do not survive the establishment year is due to dehydration either because the roots aerated from the soil being too clumpy and not packed well around the root OR because of drought. Either way, planting the seedlings deeper ensures the roots are down closer to the more permanent sub-soil moisture and secondly the deeper the seedling is planted the greater guarentee the root will not aerate and dry out that way.
We found also that planting willows really deep helps them establish in flat lands that are not considered really moist areas. I would not plant willows on the edge of a valley or on the top of rolling terrain but I would on most flat lands so long as the willows are planted quite deep. We have had very good luck with the golden willow in most flat terrains for example and it grew far faster and had as high a survival rate as the more drought resistant silver leaf willow.
Some thing to Consider on Stream Margin Planting
Sometimes stream related areas go from flooding to drought prone if the river channel is deeper and the water level recedes to several feet below the landscape. When this occurs the river channel acts in the same way as deep road ditch or valley edge....it drains the just below surface water/moisture potential away from the soil creating a drought prone site. So many river margins can be very drought prone for this reason.
When Considering Drier Top of River Margin Plantings
Remember that north facing slopes (meaning the south and south west side of the river) will tend to keep much greater moisture reserves because that bank is facing away from the sun (our sun is what we call as 'southern' sun). So if you are doing tree planting on the actual river bank slopes themselves know that trees will establish better on the shaded south and southwest side of the river. If on the other hand you are planting near a more permanent water edge then moisture will not be an issue.
Tree Selection
Poplars are certainly far more drought resistant than willows if you are planting high above the water surface.
Shrub willow are great for planting near active erosion zones and on river slumping banks and where the open earth is exposed (by slumping for example). The shrub willow ...I have seen clumping shrub willow varieties spread naturally by seed nearer the water. Another shrub willow we have I call bamboo willow which does not grown in clumps but spreads by root in all directions with single vertical stem every six to twelve inches in every direction...grows well even on on drier sights ie: at the flat top of the river margin many feet above the water level. (If one looks at serious river margin slumping zones I have viewed how the natural succession happens near the water level...first reeds and sedges on the landform that falls into the river and on the new cutbank; next willow moves in and, after several years the maple which was in the zone moved in...this was over twenty years on a particular area I monitored.)
Poplar is far more drought resistant than willows in general but if willow is planted deeply it can perform well in a greater range of sites than many believe.
The most drought resistant tree (which is also one of most flood resistant) is the green ash if you are planting on the high dry edge of deep escarpments/valley edges.
One other thing that can help ensure establishment is watering three or four times (one to two gallons per tree per watering) in the first season. Trees that survive the initial season are usually well on their way after that.
Colleen, sorry for my long winded answer but since it appeared you may be in charge of the forestry design I thought you might wish to hear my thoughts on the whole matter. I love the whole science of phytoremediation so couldn't help but sharing some of my thoughts on your particular river margin forestry planning.
Subject : Manual Planting on Slopes and Using Sod as Mulch
Question: I want to install trees on active erosion area on a river margin. Portions of the margin are in wet area and portions are high and dry in the growing season when the spring flood waters recede into the deeper creek. The slopes are not conducive to cultivation and I do not wish to place commercial mulch. What do you suggest for trees and method of planting?
Rodney's reply: I would strongly suggest what we call bamboo spreading shrub willow as one option due to its spreading characteristics and the fact that it grows on both wet and higher dry sites far above the water level once the spring run off recedes. But many trees can establish on stream slopes (especially the south slope that are north facing) if you plant in a way that optimizes establishment.
Typically what survives/establishes the year of planting will endure when properly planted.
When we plant in natural conditions without plastic or other mulch we try to:
i) remove the sod in a two ft x two ft area....or smaller if you are not putting any mulch. This lowers the landscape for the seedling down about three to four inches.
ii) Then at the bottom of that de-sodded area we dig a gallon size (ice cream pail size) hole and plant the tree seedling in that hole and replace the soil but stomping well to leave a depression of an inch or so around the tree so that most of rain water entering the de-sodded depression runs into the tree depression.
iii) We take the sod that was originally removed and put it upside down (roots up) outside the de-sodded area. This upside down sod acts as an effective mulch to stop competitive grass growth that it is covering.
Subject : City Yard Shelterbelt and Privacy Shield
Question : What Tree Design Could work Without Creating Problems in a City Yard .
Rodney's reply:
If you are doing a surround planting (surrounding all or most of your yard) this looks like it would be three or four hundred feet around. In this case it might be advantageous and far less back work to deep till up the entire tree strip length as it would save a couple days of digging up sod. The rest of the program would remain the same ie: digging the 2 x 2 foot square holes etc. Only, after the tree planting and laying of the plastic over top...you would normally wish to scatter creeping red fescue grass seed over the cultivated area after. Then you would never have to cultivate or do weed control after the grass establishes. You would have to mow the weeds two or three times the first year till the grass forms a perfect sod.
Tree Choice
I suggest to keep you and your neighbors happy you would NOT want to plant fibrous rooted trees that have extensive lateral root systems that grow just below the ground like most poplars and the larger willows. The poplars are also famous for creating new shoots in moist lawns and gardens long distances away from each tree due to their root systems that can be fifty or more feet from the tree base. So large willows and poplars (except perhaps for Swedish Aspen poplar) are not generally considered for city plantings. The extensive roots can also enter sewer lines etc.
If you are considering a willow you might well consider either the cluster shrub willow for a hedge planted at 1 meter spacing if you wish to create an impenetrable hedge or 1.5 meter spacing if you don't mind a couple feet of gap at the bottom that a dog or cat can get through between these shrubs that grow 2 to 4 meters in height with ten or so stalks coming out of the ground in a cluster. Their width at the top is about two to three meters.
Another willow you might wish to consider that we have in stock also is the Pussy Willow...known for its attractive fur like cattails in the early spring which is sometimes the very first thing to appear in spring far befor other tree varieties show signs of life. Below are some characteristics of the Pussy Willow. You could use the pussy willow as a hedge as well planted at 2 to 2.5 meter spacing but it would not form as solid a fence on the bottom as it generally has one trunk unless you trim it back to the ground in which case it will form multiple trunks. Alternatively you could plant the Pussy willow as an accent tree within the row of Cluster Shrub Willow i.e.: you could plant one Pussy Willow then three cluster shrub willows then another Pussy Willow...and ensuring that you also end your rows with a Pussy Willow on the corners as well. This is the option I personally would go with as this gives you good ground wind protection afforded by the Cluster Shrub Willow and also medium high wind protection afforded by the Pussy Willow sharing the same rows.
Lets say you had a total surround of 100 meters (325 feet) and you wanted to go with the above scenario...and lets say you planted the trees [Pussy Willow - Cluster Shrub Willow- Cluster Shrub Willow - Pussy Willow and repeating] and you planted them 1.5 meters apart then you would need:
Pussy Willow: 23 Pussy Willows
Cluster Shrub Willow: 46 Cluster Shrub Willows
The above willows have a far smaller root system than the larger willow tree species so these can typically be tolerated in urban plantings.
If you wish a perfect privacy shield like some people do, then you might wish to plant a second row inside the willow row with White Spruce....so long as you realize that whereas the willow may grow at around a meter per year if you give them a gallon of water each once per three or four weeks if there is no rain on the year of their establishment...the White Spruce, though it grows 30% faster than the blue spruce, it still only grows eight to ten inches per year if it gets rain or a watering once per month if using the plastic mulch film I suggested. In five years time you can expect your white spruce to be four feet tall...perhaps five feet because the planting is in an urban yard where there is typically more moisture than in a field planting.
If you added a second row of White Spruce I would suggest you plant them 3 meters apart. If on a 100 meter row you would therefor need about 35 White Spruce. (our white spruce are 8 to 12 inch seedlings). If you did not want to wait for them to grow up you can also purchase ie: 8 foot tall spruce for $300 each and install ready made trees. The little guys though smaller and very less costly at $2.50 each gain great value as time goes on. Many property owners purchase extra and put them in a garden spaced at two inch spacings in each direction....then pulled out and moved to two foot spacings in each direction in three years time (during the dormant season). This could give someone some very high value trees in a very fews years or even create your own larger tree stock for planting singly around your yard or to sell to your neighbors.
Evergreen trees of any kind have a very small root system and this is another reason why they are well suited for urban plantings.
Other: HELP also sells the much stronger (10 ml) plastic mulch pads (at $3 each) if you didn't want to make your own from black garbage bag (2 ml). They both do a similar good job.
Question : How to Plant a few trees directly into my lawn ?
Rodney's reply :
In the meantime, I would like to share with you a suggestion of how to plant trees directly into lawn grass without cultivation:
Assuming you are planting your seedlings by hand into a grassed area I suggest you:
i) spade out the grass sod in a two foot by two foot square where each tree will be planted.
ii) This makes a four inch deep hollow two feet by two feet. Make sure the edges of the hole are straight down and as deep as the center!...NOT bowl shaped!
iii) then scoop out a gallon size (ice cream pail size) of soil hole in the middle of this two foot square depression
iv) Stick the tree in this hole and back fill with the same soil you removed. Do NOT add any soil amendments or the trees will be too reliant on you. Using the same soil ensures the underground moisture movement remains the same.
v) Stomp the soil around the tree so there is a one inch deeper depression around each tree at the bottom of the two by two foot square depression.
Next, to create a maintenance free planting where you won't have to ever cultivate or weed your trees and rarely water you would:
vi) cut a black garbage bag with a 2 inch x 2 inch plus sign cut in the very center. Place the two-ply garbage bag over each tree pulling the tree seedling out of the plus sign hole.
vii) Bury the outside one inch edge of the plastic with soil (which is four inches down at the bottom of the two by two foot square depression.
viii) Place a fist size stone right against the seedling on top of the plastic so that the plastic where the plus sign is ...is pushed down in the one inch depression around each tree.
The above system ensures that during each one inch rain the tree will receive about five inches of water due to the two by two foot depression plus the one inch depression in the middle of that.
Use of the above plastic film (also called plastic mulch method) stops soil moisture evaporation and holds back weed and aggressive grass competition.
Weeds and aggressive grasses need to be held back a minimum of twelve inches on every side of the tree at a bare minimum if trees are to survive establishment and grow at their rated potential.
If you are doing a surround planting (surrounding all or most of your yard) this looks like it would be three or four hundred feet around. In this case it might be advantageous and far less back work to deep till up the entire tree strip length as it would save a couple days of digging up sod. The rest of the program would remain the same ie: digging the 2 x 2 foot square holes etc. Only, after the tree planting and laying of the plastic over top...you would normally wish to scatter creeping red fescue grass seed over the cultivated area after. Then you would never have to cultivate or do weed control after the grass establishes. You would have to mow the weeds two or three times the first year till the grass forms a perfect sod.
Tree Choice
I suggest to keep you and your neighbors happy you would NOT want to plant fibrous rooted trees that have extensive lateral root systems that grow just below the ground like most poplars and the larger willows. The poplars are also famous for creating new shoots in moist lawns and gardens long distances away from each tree due to their root systems that can be fifty or more feet from the tree base. So large willows and poplars (except perhaps for Swedish Aspen poplar) are not generally considered for city plantings. The extensive roots can also enter sewer lines etc.
If you are considering a willow you might well consider either the cluster shrub willow for a hedge planted at 1 meter spacing if you wish to create an impenetrable hedge or 1.5 meter spacing if you don't mind a couple feet of gap at the bottom that a dog or cat can get through between these shrubs that grow 2 to 4 meters in height with ten or so stalks coming out of the ground in a cluster. Their width at the top is about two to three meters.
Another willow you might wish to consider that we have in stock also is the Pussy Willow...known for its attractive fur like cattails in the early spring which is sometimes the very first thing to appear in spring far befor other tree varieties show signs of life. Below are some characteristics of the Pussy Willow. You could use the pussy willow as a hedge as well planted at 2 to 2.5 meter spacing but it would not form as solid a fence on the bottom as it generally has one trunk unless you trim it back to the ground in which case it will form multiple trunks. Alternatively you could plant the Pussy willow as an accent tree within the row of Cluster Shrub Willow i.e.: you could plant one Pussy Willow then three cluster shrub willows then another Pussy Willow...and ensuring that you also end your rows with a Pussy Willow on the corners as well. This is the option I personally would go with as this gives you good ground wind protection afforded by the Cluster Shrub Willow and also medium high wind protection afforded by the Pussy Willow sharing the same rows.
Lets say you had a total surround of 100 meters (325 feet) and you wanted to go with the above scenario...and lets say you planted the trees [Pussy Willow - Cluster Shrub Willow- Cluster Shrub Willow - Pussy Willow and repeating] and you planted them 1.5 meters apart then you would need:
Pussy Willow: 23 Pussy Willows
Cluster Shrub Willow: 46 Cluster Shrub Willows
The above willows have a far smaller root system than the larger willow tree species so these can typically be tolerated in urban plantings.
If you wish a perfect privacy shield like some people do, then you might wish to plant a second row inside the willow row with White Spruce....so long as you realize that whereas the willow may grow at around a meter per year if you give them a gallon of water each once per three or four weeks if there is no rain on the year of their establishment...the White Spruce, though it grows 30% faster than the blue spruce, it still only grows eight to ten inches per year if it gets rain or a watering once per month if using the plastic mulch film I suggested. In five years time you can expect your white spruce to be four feet tall...perhaps five feet because the planting is in an urban yard where there is typically more moisture than in a field planting.
If you added a second row of White Spruce I would suggest you plant them 3 meters apart. If on a 100 meter row you would therefor need about 35 White Spruce. (our white spruce are 8 to 12 inch seedlings). If you did not want to wait for them to grow up you can also purchase ie: 8 foot tall spruce for $300 each and install ready made trees. The little guys though smaller and very less costly at $2.50 each gain great value as time goes on. Many property owners purchase extra and put them in a garden spaced at two inch spacings in each direction....then pulled out and moved to two foot spacings in each direction in three years time (during the dormant season). This could give someone some very high value trees in a very fews years or even create your own larger tree stock for planting singly around your yard or to sell to your neighbors.
Evergreen trees of any kind have a very small root system and this is another reason why they are well suited for urban plantings.
Other: HELP also sells the much stronger (10 ml) plastic mulch pads (at $3 each) if you didn't want to make your own from black garbage bag (2 ml). They both do a similar good job.
i) Dig out sod chunks out in 2 ft x 2 feet spaces one such space for each tree using a spade. When the sod is spaded out like this, it should create a 2 x 2 ft space that is about three inches deep.
ii) Create a de-sodded space like this every eight to ten feet or whatever spacing you wish your new tree row to look like.
iii) Plant regular tree seedling in the middle of each 2 x 2 foot de-sodded space by removing a gallon size of soil in the bottom of each de-sodded space. Make sure the top of the soil you put around your tree in the gallon size hole is about a half to one inch 'deeper' than the bottom of your three inch deep de-sodded area.
iv) Place a square 2 ft by 2ft plastic mulch pad over each seedling. You can purchase a very strong 10 mill plastic pad from HELP at $3 each OR you can easily make your own with a strong black or dark green plastic garbage bag (it MUST be a dark color such as black or dark green and NEVER a clear plastic and NOT a reflective color of plastic such as white. To make your own you simply cut with a scissors a 'plus' sign two inches by two inches in the middle of the bag. Then place the plastic over each tree seedling that is planted in the bottom of each 2 ft by 2 ft de-sodded depression. Simply put the 'plus sign' over each seedling.
v) Cut the plastic to fit the hole or simply folk excess plastic underneath so it looks like a perfect 2 ft by 2 ft plastic fitting perfectly the 3 inch deep de-sodded hole.
vi) Then take a couple three inch wide pieces of the sod by two feet long you removed and place it up-side down over the edges of the plastic to hold the plastic down in the hole so the wind etc does not take the plastic up.
vii) Next take a fist size stone and place it on top of the plastic immediately agaist each tree seedling to hold the center of the plastic pad down that extra inch ...remember how the top of the tree soil was to be one inch 'lower' than the bottom of the three inch de-sodded square.
viii) That's IT! When you place that stone against each tree seedling this holds the middle of the plastic (with the plus sign) down one inch deeper than the rest of the plastic pad. This serves two very important functions: a) if the plus-sign hole in the plastic is deeper/lower than the rest of the plastic, the moisture under the plastic cannot evaporate out this hole. 2ndly and as importantly, because the hole in the plastic is lower than the rest of the plastic, any rain that falls into the 2 ft x 2 ft de-sodded depression will all flow into the plus-sign tree hole thereby giving each tree about three times the amount of rainfall it would normally receive.
Second Option that is less Labour Intensive
If your volunteers are not into de-sodding the entire 2 x 2 ft area, they can just spade out a 1 ft x 1 ft of sod and then another gallon size of soil below...
In this system, after planting the tree, two inch wide pie shaped sod slices should be removed by spade all around a 2 ft by 2 ft perameter in the grass.
Then the mulch pad should be placed over each tree and over the surrounding grassland.
The edges of the plastic pad should be put into the earthen trench were the pie shaped sod slices were removed.
The pie shape slices of sod should be put back into the two inch wide trench thereby burying the edges of the plastic.
Place a fist size stone in the middle of the plastic so any water or rain falling on the plastic pad will go down the tree hole.
This method in option two is not as good as option one above but still can do a quite good job at ensuring tree survival without alot of watering.
Third Option
The same as the second option above but instead of spading out wedges of sod to hold down/burying the edges of the plastic pad you can use large nails i.e.: five inch spikes to hold down the plastic by putting one through each corner of the plastic and one half way down from each corner. This is not as good as the second option but can still do the job.
Q) What Maintenance is Required After I Plant My Trees, Lay Plastic Mulch Film and Establish Grass Between the Tree Rows.
Suggestions
Aiding Water Infiltration and Lessening Evaporation from the Black Plastic Mulch Film
If you can place one stone on the plastic beside each tree this will:
i) lessen evaporation from the tree holes as the holes will be then below the rest of the plastic
ii) greatly enhance the amount of rain water going into each tree hole.
How to Get Water Sitting on Top the Plastic Mulch Film into the Tree Holes
After a Rain You will notice that water remains on top of the plastic mulch in some pockets. You can poke a hole with a flat screw driver so that the water will thereafter go through the plastic to give more water for the trees below. Other wise you can push the plastic and soil down underneath between the pool of water and the tree so that the water flows into the tree hole. Both of these techniques will work.
Grass Establishment
The grass seed was triple broadcast and double harrowed. Any soil compaction will greatly enhance rate of grass establishment. So any time in the first couple days you are near the tree lines, feel free to drive on the soil with tractor, truck etc as this compaction will only help. Some landowners pull a heavy landroller over top. The grass seed wants a firm bed and moisture in that top quarter inch of soil where it is sitting. Compaction helps the moisture to be in that top quarter inch of soil.
Evergreen Care
The evergreens are the most sensitive in their year of establishment so if you want to water them four liters of water each (four seconds using a 1 1/4 inch gravity discharge hose from a five hundred gallon tank) if it has not rained for a couple of weeks in the period late June and throughout July and August. With evergreen seedlings 30% losses are expected in year one and 10% in year two so replants are anticipated. Watering can greatly decrease these initial losses.
Weeds coming Up with Trees
Any weeds that come up in the tree holes will become Super Weeds because they are protected by the same mulch. So if the few weeds that find a hole to grow in are pulled in late May of each year this might be the only weed pulling required. Am guessing a weed could show up in one of every few dozen trees and less on land that was grass land prior to planting .
Subject : How to carry out fall planting?
We have had very good success with all species we have installed in fall plantings except not good success at all with evergreen seedlings so we do not recommend fall planting for them.
For Okanese and any other deciduous woody and brush species I recommend fall planting from last week of September through mid October. If you are not planting into moist soil you should give a good watering after planting so that there is no chance of the dormant plant dehydrating during the winter. If your planting is not too large I even recommend blowing six inches of snow over the tree seedlings on the first snowfall.
This does several additional things for the tree:
i) prevents soil dehydration from winter winds.
ii) preserves the bottom of the seedlings if the tops are eaten off by herbivores...if the bottom four inches of poplars are preserved when eaten down...the leader will come back but if eaten all the way to the ground then the tree will come back as a stool.
iii) the snow cover ensures good spring moisture to give the tree seedlings a good start.
Subject : Distance between Trees.
I always followed the government recommendation in planting deciduous woody trees such as Okanese at eight foot spacing (3.5 meters) and typically four meters between tree rows...and brush species at one meter between each tree.
Subject : Tree Availability from HELP International .
-We will not have maple or lilac available for the next year! Our new experimental development of these have been very luggish so we do not anticipate quantities available for the public till fall 2017 at the earliest at this point.
-White and Blue Spruce plus Scot's Pine will be available from April this next spring and each spring after that.
-Other trees we will have available in the spring are:
.Hybrid Poplar: Walker, Okanese, Assiniboine (available now and throughout on a continuous basis ...though we might be short of Okanese by late spring next year).
.Willow: Golden, Silverleaf, Pussie Willow, Laurel Willow, Acute Willow available now and throughout on a continuous basis though we might run short of laurel at some point in late spring.
-Varieties Additional to the Above Available by fall 2017 from stooling beds already established on HELP's new tree farm:
.Additional Hybrid Poplars: North West, Hill, Tristis
-Brush Trees HELP is working to produce but no promises till 2018:
.Cariganna, Lilac, Chokecherry
Subject : Tree Pests
Aphids on Poplars
Even a hard rain might knock them back.
Aphids have several generations per season, so they are continuously multiplying. Any eggs laid are for overwintering, usually found in the leaf litter below or on broadleaf weeds in the area. Keeping the surrounding area trim and tidy might help with next year’s populations.
As for the ants, I’ve heard that the ants feed off the “honeydew” the aphids produce and actually “farm” the aphids for this purpose! They fend off the natural predators such as the lady bugs. So lots going on there! Some have wrapped their trees with sticky bands to curtail the ants from climbing up and setting up shop in the infested leaves, leaving the aphids open to natural predators.
Subject : Fall Planting.
Spruces and Pine Seedlings is fall planting recommended?
From all my experience in fall planting the only tree varieties we do not recommend for fall planting are the conifers ie: blue and white spruce and Scot's Pine. We find the survival rate over winter is very poor. As a result we only handle these three varieties for spring delivery. For spring planting we will have available one year old Blue Spruce (seven to twelve in spikes); White Spruce (eight to thirteen inch spikes); and Scot's Pine (four to eight inch spikes).
Unless watered regularly, evergreen seedlings in the southern prairies typically have a survival rate of 70 percent the first year...meaning typically 30 percent replant rate. This year was the exception....we planted several thousand with the four foot black plastic mulch film over top....and we never watered them once ....I believe every single one established well but this is the first time in my life time I have seen 100 percent success on establishment due to the combination of laying plastic mulch film and the constant rains during late May through July.
Growth Rate
In five years time on averages the blue spruce will be 2.5 feet tall and almost as wide; the white spruce will be four feet tall; and the Scot's Pine will be eight feet tall.
Subject : Frequent Conversation with Folks Planning First Time Shelterbelts.
I'm looking to do a bit of a shelter belt around my yard in pambrun sask. I was looking at doing 2 rows staggered of Assiniboine poplar and I don't know if that's the best route or not..
Rodney: to be honest, with poplars planted at eight foot spacings, once the trees are of medium height they are a solid mass so staggering in my opinion makes no difference in sight, aesthetics nor wind protection. Because the prevailing winds are 80% from the north west and 20 % from the south east, if the winds hit rows that are non staggered at the 45 degrees that they come in ...the non staggered row will act staggered to the wind...if this makes sense. But because the trees in any one line bcome a solid mass, staggering makes no difference in the final outcome.
I also will do a row of Assiniboine along a fence and hoping to get Colorado blue spruce to fill in different areas that need new tree growth.
Rodney: With all hybrid poplars except Walker, the branches start protruding from the main trunk a couple feet up the trunk as the tree grows. The Walker is the only poplar that has branches radiating from the trunk almost at ground level making it a good ground wind and drifting snow stopper compared to all other poplars including the Assiniboine. However, you may want Assiniboine along side a fence because the snow pack of the walker could on winters with peculiar types of snow packs can pull barbed wire off of the posts (breaking the wire). This does not happen in all winters but snow packs in some winters can do this. So Assiniboine might be the tree of choice on a fence line. But if stopping snow and ground winds (one could say that most snow blows in rather than 'drops' in) is your greatest priority then you might want to install Walker Poplar if you do not have brush such as cariganna, or chokecherry or lilac to stop the ground winds and ground snow drifting befor it enters your yard. Sounds like your spruce got a good start ...if they are planted eight to ten feet apart they might be beginning to be a good ground wind and drifting snow stopper on the part of the yard they are installed.
In total I'm looking at getting 200 Assiniboine and 100 blue spruce. I just wanted any input if I should consider something else. Currently my yard is 3/4 of an acre with a perimeter of Spruce that are 10 feet tall. 100 Assiniboine would be for my yard and the other 200 would be go around my land off my yard.
Rodney: I suggest you decide whether to go with Assiniboine or Walker based upon the above information. Walker (rated at 1 to 1.2 meters per year ...but grew almost six feet in first year in the field this year in central Sask that got so much rain this year) does grow significantly faster than the Assiboine (rated at 0.8 to 1 meter per year). Walker has seeds and therefor a tiny bit of fuzz. Assiniboine has no seeds and therefor no fuzz.
-Also on the website it says you lend out a tool to lay plastic? Does it cost to borrow?
Rodney: We loan out our mulch applicator for $50 per day maintenance fee.
-Other then tilling up the land do I need to do anything else in prep for the trees?
-How deep do they go?
Rodney: No I do not believe so. Plant the poplars very deep ie: seven or eight inches depth...they only want water so planting them down into the clay sub-soil helps them get moisture and be less reliant on surface rainfall and irrigation. (This also applies to willow...you can help them survive in non wet sites better by planting them very deep). You should deep fine till to six inches depth mellow like a garden so you literally sink up to your ankles when you walk on it. This makes a very big difference in tree establishment and growth rate..and make the laying of plastic mulch film go three times easier and makes it last four times longer!
-I'm planning on doing 2 rows staggered with 3m spacing... Does this sound like a proper layout?
Rodney: Three tree row with four meters between tree rows is the most standard shelterbelt with some folks using five meter spacings...but on some small land parcels this cannot be accommodated as it might use up half of the available yard space ie: on a three quarter acre parcel this might be the case.
The reason for four meters and three tree rows is that there must be a place for the drifting snow to be both stopped and stored. If the tree rows are too close, the snow is partially stopped but instead of being trapped in the spaces between the tree rows will tent to drop more onto the inside of the yard space or can even continue into the inner yard till it is stopped by the house and cars etc.
-How bulky would a load of these 300 trees be for travel?
Rodney: Three hundred poplar tree seedlings would fit in eight ice cream pails (the three gallon ones) or in two tree boxes if we lie them down sideways. 300 tree seedlings...the superior kind we handle have about 100 ml or more of soil on the root (each root portion of the seedling with soil being about an inch diameter and five inches long. The tree stems of the poplars we have on hand right now on top of the root portion is 12 to 20 inches.
-what's the best time to plant?
Rodney: If there is a chance of drought next year...and there is always that chance, one would have wished to have planted his trees the fall prior so they can make use of the early spring moisture. If you want to do your newly planted trees an extra favor you could snow blow not more than six inches of snow over their bases and part way up the tree (six inch depth from the ground). This protects their vital lower section from herbervores, protects the ground (and the seedlings) against dehydration from winter winds, and gives extra early spring moisture. I suggest the best time to plant is when you have time to plant and when you have the land well prepared. The fall window for tree planting is typically September 23 to October 15.
-Does this size of order give me the deal of $1.50 per tree?
Rodney: You must order 300 trees (does not have to be the same variety...can be 50 of one, 75 of another and 175 of a third variety for example.
-How to Keep My Unplanted Container Root Tree Seedlings Over Winter? Should I keep them in the bundles of five they are wrapped in and plant them in the ground and then remove them for permanent planting in the spring?
Rodney: I find the trees remain just as healthy and viable by leaving them wrapped in the bundles of five and keeping them in plastic pails or a tote...as tight as you want to pack them. But I would drill a small hole one half inch up the side of the tote or pails so that if they get rained on...only half an inch will be retained in the bottom of the plastic tote or pails. I keep them outdoors in the backyard. Some snow will enter the pails or tote which is good ...even better than keeping them in an unheated shop where there is no snow to insulate them. Keeping them outside in prevailing conditions is good.
So in conclusion I find the trees stay often in better shape by keeping them in pails or totes rather than planting them as a bunch in the ground. That's my experience. Then in the spring you can plant them while dormant or even wait till they are in full leaf to plant them. That is the benefit of container root seedlings ...you do not have to plant them while they are dormant but any time during the growing season can work while they are growing in full leaf.
Subject: Fall planting of trees and river margin planting.
-Can I plant in the fall and what are the considerations. I have a project on river margins and the river margin cannot be disturbed in the spring due to fishery habitat?
Rodney: There are distinct advantages to fall planting in many instances ranging from farmers who do not have time to spring tree plant on years when they are under extreme pressure to get their cereal crops in....to water prone areas that one can often not get access to in the spring for pre-working and planting till after the land dries. We have been carrying out and promoting others to carry out fall planting since year 2000.
You have asked the question well...What should one NOT plant in a fall tree planting?
In our experience, the only species that do very poorly in fall plantings are evergreen seedlings ie: Scot's Pine, Blue Spruce and White Spruce. The only ones of these that consistently survive fall planting are evergreens that are completely covered in snow. The problem is that one cannot guarentee snowfall prior to frigid temperatures so the evergreens could be hurt by frigid temps and wind prior to getting covered in snow. (People can also blow snow over trees but again, some winters the frigid cold comes befor the snow comes).
We have had good success in fall plantings with all other tree species. I like the idea of fall planting from the point of view that trees planted in the fall can benefit from the first spring moisture whereas those planting in the spring must wait for the land to dry to carry out pre-working and planting....so the plants loose that first higher moisture opportunity. This being said, HELP carries out successful contract planting (we install plastic mulch film with all the trees we plant in the southern prairies) throughout all of May and June ...and in recent higher moisture years ...successfully even into July.
Recommendation for Fall Planting
One thing I highly recommend in all planting but especially in fall planting is to:
i) till the land extremely well...fine tilled down eight inches (unless you are planting trees by hand one by one in which case there is a different regime we can advise on).
ii) plant the tree seedlings deep (despite what the internet and books say...we have researched this well in the 3,000,000 trees HELP has contract planted). I suggest all tree seedlings (except evergreens) be planted with soil not only over the root but two to three inches up the stem as well. 90% of tree seedlings that do not survive the establishment year is due to dehydration either because the roots aerated from the soil being too clumpy and not packed well around the root OR because of drought. Either way, planting the seedlings deeper ensures the roots are down closer to the more permanent sub-soil moisture and secondly the deeper the seedling is planted the greater guarentee the root will not aerate and dry out that way.
We found also that planting willows really deep helps them establish in flat lands that are not considered really moist areas. I would not plant willows on the edge of a valley or on the top of rolling terrain but I would on most flat lands so long as the willows are planted quite deep. We have had very good luck with the golden willow in most flat terrains for example and it grew far faster and had as high a survival rate as the more drought resistant silver leaf willow.
Some thing to Consider on Stream Margin Planting
Sometimes stream related areas go from flooding to drought prone if the river channel is deeper and the water level recedes to several feet below the landscape. When this occurs the river channel acts in the same way as deep road ditch or valley edge....it drains the just below surface water/moisture potential away from the soil creating a drought prone site. So many river margins can be very drought prone for this reason.
When Considering Drier Top of River Margin Plantings
Remember that north facing slopes (meaning the south and south west side of the river) will tend to keep much greater moisture reserves because that bank is facing away from the sun (our sun is what we call as 'southern' sun). So if you are doing tree planting on the actual river bank slopes themselves know that trees will establish better on the shaded south and southwest side of the river. If on the other hand you are planting near a more permanent water edge then moisture will not be an issue.
Tree Selection
Poplars are certainly far more drought resistant than willows if you are planting high above the water surface.
Shrub willow are great for planting near active erosion zones and on river slumping banks and where the open earth is exposed (by slumping for example). The shrub willow ...I have seen clumping shrub willow varieties spread naturally by seed nearer the water. Another shrub willow we have I call bamboo willow which does not grown in clumps but spreads by root in all directions with single vertical stem every six to twelve inches in every direction...grows well even on on drier sights ie: at the flat top of the river margin many feet above the water level. (If one looks at serious river margin slumping zones I have viewed how the natural succession happens near the water level...first reeds and sedges on the landform that falls into the river and on the new cutbank; next willow moves in and, after several years the maple which was in the zone moved in...this was over twenty years on a particular area I monitored.)
Poplar is far more drought resistant than willows in general but if willow is planted deeply it can perform well in a greater range of sites than many believe.
The most drought resistant tree (which is also one of most flood resistant) is the green ash if you are planting on the high dry edge of deep escarpments/valley edges.
One other thing that can help ensure establishment is watering three or four times (one to two gallons per tree per watering) in the first season. Trees that survive the initial season are usually well on their way after that.
Colleen, sorry for my long winded answer but since it appeared you may be in charge of the forestry design I thought you might wish to hear my thoughts on the whole matter. I love the whole science of phytoremediation so couldn't help but sharing some of my thoughts on your particular river margin forestry planning.
Subject : Manual Planting on Slopes and Using Sod as Mulch
Question: I want to install trees on active erosion area on a river margin. Portions of the margin are in wet area and portions are high and dry in the growing season when the spring flood waters recede into the deeper creek. The slopes are not conducive to cultivation and I do not wish to place commercial mulch. What do you suggest for trees and method of planting?
Rodney's reply: I would strongly suggest what we call bamboo spreading shrub willow as one option due to its spreading characteristics and the fact that it grows on both wet and higher dry sites far above the water level once the spring run off recedes. But many trees can establish on stream slopes (especially the south slope that are north facing) if you plant in a way that optimizes establishment.
Typically what survives/establishes the year of planting will endure when properly planted.
When we plant in natural conditions without plastic or other mulch we try to:
i) remove the sod in a two ft x two ft area....or smaller if you are not putting any mulch. This lowers the landscape for the seedling down about three to four inches.
ii) Then at the bottom of that de-sodded area we dig a gallon size (ice cream pail size) hole and plant the tree seedling in that hole and replace the soil but stomping well to leave a depression of an inch or so around the tree so that most of rain water entering the de-sodded depression runs into the tree depression.
iii) We take the sod that was originally removed and put it upside down (roots up) outside the de-sodded area. This upside down sod acts as an effective mulch to stop competitive grass growth that it is covering.
Subject : City Yard Shelterbelt and Privacy Shield
Question : What Tree Design Could work Without Creating Problems in a City Yard .
Rodney's reply:
If you are doing a surround planting (surrounding all or most of your yard) this looks like it would be three or four hundred feet around. In this case it might be advantageous and far less back work to deep till up the entire tree strip length as it would save a couple days of digging up sod. The rest of the program would remain the same ie: digging the 2 x 2 foot square holes etc. Only, after the tree planting and laying of the plastic over top...you would normally wish to scatter creeping red fescue grass seed over the cultivated area after. Then you would never have to cultivate or do weed control after the grass establishes. You would have to mow the weeds two or three times the first year till the grass forms a perfect sod.
Tree Choice
I suggest to keep you and your neighbors happy you would NOT want to plant fibrous rooted trees that have extensive lateral root systems that grow just below the ground like most poplars and the larger willows. The poplars are also famous for creating new shoots in moist lawns and gardens long distances away from each tree due to their root systems that can be fifty or more feet from the tree base. So large willows and poplars (except perhaps for Swedish Aspen poplar) are not generally considered for city plantings. The extensive roots can also enter sewer lines etc.
If you are considering a willow you might well consider either the cluster shrub willow for a hedge planted at 1 meter spacing if you wish to create an impenetrable hedge or 1.5 meter spacing if you don't mind a couple feet of gap at the bottom that a dog or cat can get through between these shrubs that grow 2 to 4 meters in height with ten or so stalks coming out of the ground in a cluster. Their width at the top is about two to three meters.
Another willow you might wish to consider that we have in stock also is the Pussy Willow...known for its attractive fur like cattails in the early spring which is sometimes the very first thing to appear in spring far befor other tree varieties show signs of life. Below are some characteristics of the Pussy Willow. You could use the pussy willow as a hedge as well planted at 2 to 2.5 meter spacing but it would not form as solid a fence on the bottom as it generally has one trunk unless you trim it back to the ground in which case it will form multiple trunks. Alternatively you could plant the Pussy willow as an accent tree within the row of Cluster Shrub Willow i.e.: you could plant one Pussy Willow then three cluster shrub willows then another Pussy Willow...and ensuring that you also end your rows with a Pussy Willow on the corners as well. This is the option I personally would go with as this gives you good ground wind protection afforded by the Cluster Shrub Willow and also medium high wind protection afforded by the Pussy Willow sharing the same rows.
Lets say you had a total surround of 100 meters (325 feet) and you wanted to go with the above scenario...and lets say you planted the trees [Pussy Willow - Cluster Shrub Willow- Cluster Shrub Willow - Pussy Willow and repeating] and you planted them 1.5 meters apart then you would need:
Pussy Willow: 23 Pussy Willows
Cluster Shrub Willow: 46 Cluster Shrub Willows
The above willows have a far smaller root system than the larger willow tree species so these can typically be tolerated in urban plantings.
If you wish a perfect privacy shield like some people do, then you might wish to plant a second row inside the willow row with White Spruce....so long as you realize that whereas the willow may grow at around a meter per year if you give them a gallon of water each once per three or four weeks if there is no rain on the year of their establishment...the White Spruce, though it grows 30% faster than the blue spruce, it still only grows eight to ten inches per year if it gets rain or a watering once per month if using the plastic mulch film I suggested. In five years time you can expect your white spruce to be four feet tall...perhaps five feet because the planting is in an urban yard where there is typically more moisture than in a field planting.
If you added a second row of White Spruce I would suggest you plant them 3 meters apart. If on a 100 meter row you would therefor need about 35 White Spruce. (our white spruce are 8 to 12 inch seedlings). If you did not want to wait for them to grow up you can also purchase ie: 8 foot tall spruce for $300 each and install ready made trees. The little guys though smaller and very less costly at $2.50 each gain great value as time goes on. Many property owners purchase extra and put them in a garden spaced at two inch spacings in each direction....then pulled out and moved to two foot spacings in each direction in three years time (during the dormant season). This could give someone some very high value trees in a very fews years or even create your own larger tree stock for planting singly around your yard or to sell to your neighbors.
Evergreen trees of any kind have a very small root system and this is another reason why they are well suited for urban plantings.
Other: HELP also sells the much stronger (10 ml) plastic mulch pads (at $3 each) if you didn't want to make your own from black garbage bag (2 ml). They both do a similar good job.
Question : How to Plant a few trees directly into my lawn ?
Rodney's reply :
In the meantime, I would like to share with you a suggestion of how to plant trees directly into lawn grass without cultivation:
Assuming you are planting your seedlings by hand into a grassed area I suggest you:
i) spade out the grass sod in a two foot by two foot square where each tree will be planted.
ii) This makes a four inch deep hollow two feet by two feet. Make sure the edges of the hole are straight down and as deep as the center!...NOT bowl shaped!
iii) then scoop out a gallon size (ice cream pail size) of soil hole in the middle of this two foot square depression
iv) Stick the tree in this hole and back fill with the same soil you removed. Do NOT add any soil amendments or the trees will be too reliant on you. Using the same soil ensures the underground moisture movement remains the same.
v) Stomp the soil around the tree so there is a one inch deeper depression around each tree at the bottom of the two by two foot square depression.
Next, to create a maintenance free planting where you won't have to ever cultivate or weed your trees and rarely water you would:
vi) cut a black garbage bag with a 2 inch x 2 inch plus sign cut in the very center. Place the two-ply garbage bag over each tree pulling the tree seedling out of the plus sign hole.
vii) Bury the outside one inch edge of the plastic with soil (which is four inches down at the bottom of the two by two foot square depression.
viii) Place a fist size stone right against the seedling on top of the plastic so that the plastic where the plus sign is ...is pushed down in the one inch depression around each tree.
The above system ensures that during each one inch rain the tree will receive about five inches of water due to the two by two foot depression plus the one inch depression in the middle of that.
Use of the above plastic film (also called plastic mulch method) stops soil moisture evaporation and holds back weed and aggressive grass competition.
Weeds and aggressive grasses need to be held back a minimum of twelve inches on every side of the tree at a bare minimum if trees are to survive establishment and grow at their rated potential.
If you are doing a surround planting (surrounding all or most of your yard) this looks like it would be three or four hundred feet around. In this case it might be advantageous and far less back work to deep till up the entire tree strip length as it would save a couple days of digging up sod. The rest of the program would remain the same ie: digging the 2 x 2 foot square holes etc. Only, after the tree planting and laying of the plastic over top...you would normally wish to scatter creeping red fescue grass seed over the cultivated area after. Then you would never have to cultivate or do weed control after the grass establishes. You would have to mow the weeds two or three times the first year till the grass forms a perfect sod.
Tree Choice
I suggest to keep you and your neighbors happy you would NOT want to plant fibrous rooted trees that have extensive lateral root systems that grow just below the ground like most poplars and the larger willows. The poplars are also famous for creating new shoots in moist lawns and gardens long distances away from each tree due to their root systems that can be fifty or more feet from the tree base. So large willows and poplars (except perhaps for Swedish Aspen poplar) are not generally considered for city plantings. The extensive roots can also enter sewer lines etc.
If you are considering a willow you might well consider either the cluster shrub willow for a hedge planted at 1 meter spacing if you wish to create an impenetrable hedge or 1.5 meter spacing if you don't mind a couple feet of gap at the bottom that a dog or cat can get through between these shrubs that grow 2 to 4 meters in height with ten or so stalks coming out of the ground in a cluster. Their width at the top is about two to three meters.
Another willow you might wish to consider that we have in stock also is the Pussy Willow...known for its attractive fur like cattails in the early spring which is sometimes the very first thing to appear in spring far befor other tree varieties show signs of life. Below are some characteristics of the Pussy Willow. You could use the pussy willow as a hedge as well planted at 2 to 2.5 meter spacing but it would not form as solid a fence on the bottom as it generally has one trunk unless you trim it back to the ground in which case it will form multiple trunks. Alternatively you could plant the Pussy willow as an accent tree within the row of Cluster Shrub Willow i.e.: you could plant one Pussy Willow then three cluster shrub willows then another Pussy Willow...and ensuring that you also end your rows with a Pussy Willow on the corners as well. This is the option I personally would go with as this gives you good ground wind protection afforded by the Cluster Shrub Willow and also medium high wind protection afforded by the Pussy Willow sharing the same rows.
Lets say you had a total surround of 100 meters (325 feet) and you wanted to go with the above scenario...and lets say you planted the trees [Pussy Willow - Cluster Shrub Willow- Cluster Shrub Willow - Pussy Willow and repeating] and you planted them 1.5 meters apart then you would need:
Pussy Willow: 23 Pussy Willows
Cluster Shrub Willow: 46 Cluster Shrub Willows
The above willows have a far smaller root system than the larger willow tree species so these can typically be tolerated in urban plantings.
If you wish a perfect privacy shield like some people do, then you might wish to plant a second row inside the willow row with White Spruce....so long as you realize that whereas the willow may grow at around a meter per year if you give them a gallon of water each once per three or four weeks if there is no rain on the year of their establishment...the White Spruce, though it grows 30% faster than the blue spruce, it still only grows eight to ten inches per year if it gets rain or a watering once per month if using the plastic mulch film I suggested. In five years time you can expect your white spruce to be four feet tall...perhaps five feet because the planting is in an urban yard where there is typically more moisture than in a field planting.
If you added a second row of White Spruce I would suggest you plant them 3 meters apart. If on a 100 meter row you would therefor need about 35 White Spruce. (our white spruce are 8 to 12 inch seedlings). If you did not want to wait for them to grow up you can also purchase ie: 8 foot tall spruce for $300 each and install ready made trees. The little guys though smaller and very less costly at $2.50 each gain great value as time goes on. Many property owners purchase extra and put them in a garden spaced at two inch spacings in each direction....then pulled out and moved to two foot spacings in each direction in three years time (during the dormant season). This could give someone some very high value trees in a very fews years or even create your own larger tree stock for planting singly around your yard or to sell to your neighbors.
Evergreen trees of any kind have a very small root system and this is another reason why they are well suited for urban plantings.
Other: HELP also sells the much stronger (10 ml) plastic mulch pads (at $3 each) if you didn't want to make your own from black garbage bag (2 ml). They both do a similar good job.