Planting Nursery Grown Trees

The Panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma are natural grasslands; native grown trees are rare. A few Cottonwoods, Hackberries, and Soapberries are found in river valleys and canyons, but seventy-five years ago this area was a vast sea of grass.

When people first moved into this area they brought in what they could to provide shade to cool the early ranch and farm houses and the towns which sprung up in this area. The Bois'd'ark (BoDark), Siberian Elm, and the native trees were all that were available. The Siberian Elm was readily available and easy to plant and grow. It was attractive and provided good shade.

Soon, however there were an overabundance of these trees, their brittle limbs, insects, disease and a terrific crop of seeds which made these elms a general nuisance. There are a number of older Siberian Elms in Ochiltree County. These trees are serving their purpose well, but we are now seeing the older ones begin to die out.

Because of marketing demands, nurserymen have brought in a variety of ornamental and fruiting trees and shrubs and made them available for people to landscape their yards and gardens.

Ochiltree County residents and homeowners may desire to improve their surroundings with trees and shrubs, but there are no local nurseries to deliver and plant trees. They may be reluctant to plant trees because of lack of knowledge or because they have failed in previous attempts in planting trees which didn't survive the harsh Panhandle conditions. If this has happened, one can become easily discouraged and avoid any future attempts at tree planting.

However, if people look around, they can see that there are numerous examples of successful tree planting attempts growing all over the Panhandle. Trees and shrubs will grow and thrive here; it just takes timing, proper planting methods and care to establish healthy, beautiful trees.

The best time to plant trees is late fall through late winter. This is the time when most trees are dormant or have lost their leaves. At this time, trees may be bought as containerized, as balled and burlapped stock, or as bare-root stock. Evergreens cannot be transplanted bare-root.

When shopping for the tree, inspect the root ball to make sure it is solid, not soft and mushy. Inspect the burlap--it should be tight and wrapped with chicken wire. Inspect the branches and twigs. Trees should be limber and green. The branching pattern should be straight and strong.

After the tree or shrub has been selected and bought, dig a hole slightly deeper and wider than the root system. Place the topsoil to one side; the subsoil or caliche should be placed in a separate pile and discarded. A small amount of topsoil should be placed in the bottom of the hole to bring the top of the root ball approximately two inches above the soil surface.

If the plant is in a one-gallon metal can, ask your nurseryman to cut it. When ready to plant, spread the can apart from the top (be careful of the sharp edges of the can) and remove the plant. Try to avoid lifting from the stem or trunk; this might result in root damage.

If the plant is in a tapered plastic or fiberglass container, it will usually slide out quite easily when inverted and tapped at the edge of the container. The plant may then be placed on the mound of soil in the hole.

If a balled and burlapped plant was selected, loosen the burlap from around the top of the ball after it has been placed in the hole. Make sure there is no twine or wire around the trunk to girdle or scrape the bark. Spread the burlap and wire back from the top, exposing the soil on top of the ball.

Mix the backfill material--one part peat moss to four parts soil. Backfill three-fourths of the hole with soil mix, firm it, and water. While watering, add the remaining soil mix to the top of the root ball. Make sure there are no air pockets around the root ball. Make sure the soil is saturated with water. Make a dike around the filled hole for a watering basin.

The gardener may decide to buy a bare-root tree. They are less expensive, lighter and easier to handle. If planted properly, they are just as likely to survive as other trees. Remember, evergreen trees will not survive a bare-root transplanting. Only dormant or leafless plants will transplant bare-root.

As with containerized material, dig the hole slightly deeper and wider than the root system. Soak the root system overnight in a bucket of water. Form a cone of topsoil in the bottom of the hole large enough to fit the root system easily and spread the roots evenly over the cone or soil. Prune off all damaged roots. The planting depth should be the same as before it was dug from the nursery.

Add the soil mix slowly, firming it as it is added. Soak the site deeply, making sure all air pockets are eliminated. Build a dike around the tree to form a watering basin.

When planting and watering a new plant, root stimulator may be used, but no other fertilizer should be applied for the first year.

After planting, prune a half to a third of the branches on bare-root trees. Prune only damaged and crossing and rubbing branches on containerized trees. Water frequently to prevent the soil from drying. Remove weeds as needed. Either wrap the trunk with tree wrap or paint with white latex to prevent the winter injury called sunscald.

Finally, support trees over five feet tall by staking. Be sure that guy-wires are threaded through an old section of garden hose tied to the tree to prevent damage to the bark of the tree.

By following these instructions, the homeowner will be able to plant trees and shrubs with success, a very good survival rate, and a feeling of accomplishment.

If anyone has any questions concerning tree planting or any other questions concerning horticultural maintenance, please feel free to call City of Perryton Arborist Senn Slemmons at Perryton City Hall at (806) 435-4014.

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This document created by Senn Slemmons on October 13, 1997.

For problems or suggestions concerning this page, please contact Ted B at (806) 435-4014