Tip of the Week: Guidelines for Tree Planting
Posted in Gardening Tips on February 8th, 2010 by Sonia Uyterhoeven – Be the first to comment |
Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education. |
In last week’s blog post, I discussed the virtues and drawbacks of balled and burlapped (B&B), container grown, and bare-root trees. Before I move on to planting particulars, I’d like to first talk about the roots of trees.
The average person on the street would probably describe a tree’s root system as made up of large roots that tunnel deep into the ground. The logic is sound—many trees do have deep vertical tap roots that keep them anchored in the ground and stable.
The majority of a tree’s root system, however, spreads horizontally. These roots are just 12 inches deep and stretch and branch over a large surface, producing tiny hair-like roots that absorb water and nutrients. If you’ve ever seen a fallen tree, you’ll note a sizable horizontal slab of soil that had been uprooted with the tree. read more »