Transplanting and caring for trees

Q. How do I care for trees? I need to transplant some small bare-root ones, and I want to properly feed the other trees in my yard.

A. If you are transplanting small trees, you need to do the following: Dig a hole 12″-15″ (30-37.5 cm) wide and deep. Make a Pre-Plant mix with 5# (2 kg) lime with 4 ounces (114 grams) Epsom Salts and 1 ounce (28.5 grams) of borax.  Make a “Weekly Feed” mix with 25# of 16-16-16 (11.36 kg) fertilizer plus 4# (1.8 kg) of Epsom salts and 10 ounces (285 grams) of the Mittleider Micro-nutrients.

Mix 2 ounces (57 grams) Pre-Plant mix and 1 ounces (28.5 grams) with the soil going in the hole. Plant the tree. Water regularly.  Wait 3 weeks, until the roots are settled and well established in the soil, then apply 1 ounce (28 grams) Weekly Feed to the soil around the tree, keeping at least 3″ (8 cm) away from the trunk. Apply Weekly Feed again in 45 days, and again in 45 days, watering thoroughly each time.  In long growing seasons an additional feeding can be made.

For established small trees, loosen the soil at the surface and apply Pre-Plant mix at the end of the dormant season.  Trees should receive Pre-Plant once each year, in amounts double the Weekly Feed applications which follow. Two weeks after applying the Pre-Plant, apply Weekly feed as follows: For a 1″ to 2″ (2 1/2-5 cm) diameter trunk – 1 ounce (28.5 grams).   A 2″ to 4″ (5-10 cm) diameter trunk gets 4 ounces (114 grams). And a 4″ to 8″ (10-20 cm) diameter trunk should receive 8-12 ounces (228-342 grams).   After 45 days and 90 days, and in long growing season areas – when next year’s buds begin to form – repeat the above applications. Large trees of 12″ to 16″ (40-80 cm) diameter, would get 1-2# (454-908 grams) in 4 applications.

Orchard Care

Q. Do you have information about orchard care? I think we do pretty well with the pruning (read lots of books) but is there a best way to fertilize the trees? I’d like to let the grass grow under the trees and just keep it mowed to keep the weeds down unless that’s a bad idea.

We have a fairly high water table, (about 6 feet down we hit water in the summer months) so I’m not sure how often to water, either. Any advice?

A. Shallow disking to eliminate weeds saves all nutrients for your trees. If you keep the grass, etc. that’s growing between the trees in your orchard mowed properly, it is not a big problem that way. Do remember, however, that any growing materials under or around your trees can harbor pests and diseases.

There are two reasons for pruning fruit trees: 1) to increase light to the center (and all parts) of the tree, and 2) to shape the tree to your desires. “The best time to prune is when you have a sharp knife (pruning shears – JK).” (Dr. M)

Watering should be done at least once every 7 to 10 days. However, once your trees are well established, if you have a permanent water table only 6 feet down, you may not have to water as often. Never allow your trees to show signs of water stress, such as wilting of the leaves. Unless you have a serious problem with drainage, it is better to water too often than not often enough.

You should feed your fruit trees 4 times each year.

If you are transplanting small trees, you need to do the following: Dig a hole 12″-15″ (30-37.5 cm) wide and deep. Make a Pre-Plant mix with 5# (2 kg) lime with 4 ounces (114 grams) Epsom Salts and 1 ounce (28.5 grams) of borax.  Make a “Weekly Feed” mix with 25# of 16-16-16 (11.36 kg) fertilizer plus 4# (1.8 kg) of Epsom salts and 10 ounces (285 grams) of the Mittleider Micro-nutrients.

Mix 2 ounces (57 grams) Pre-Plant mix and 1 ounces (28.5 grams) with the soil going in the hole. Plant the tree. Water regularly.  Wait 3 weeks, until the roots are settled and well established in the soil, then apply 1 ounce (28 grams) Weekly Feed to the soil around the tree, keeping at least 3″ (8 cm) away from the trunk. Apply Weekly Feed again in 45 days, and again in 45 days, watering thoroughly each time.  In long growing seasons an additional feeding can be made.

For established small trees, loosen the soil at the surface and apply Pre-Plant mix at the end of the dormant season.  Trees should receive Pre-Plant once each year, in amounts double the Weekly Feed applications which follow. Two weeks after applying the Pre-Plant, apply Weekly feed as follows: For a 1″ to 2″ (2 1/2-5 cm) diameter trunk – 1 ounce (28.5 grams).   A 2″ to 4″ (5-10 cm) diameter trunk gets 4 ounces (114 grams). And a 4″ to 8″ (10-20 cm) diameter trunk should receive 8-12 ounces (228-342 grams).   After 45 days and 90 days, and in long growing season areas – when next year’s buds begin to form – repeat the above applications. Large trees of 12″ to 16″ (40-80 cm) diameter, would get 1-2# (454-908 grams) in 4 applications.

Planting Peach Trees From Pits – Possible & Productive?

Q. Can a pit of a peach be successfully planted into a pot and grow into a tree, or should I just order a peach tree from a nursery?

A. Producing a peach tree from a pit planted in a pot is plenty possible (Pretty imPressive huh?). However, there are reasons you may not want to take the time and effort to do so.

Most peaches we buy and eat today are from hybrid plants. This means that the tree you get from a planted seed will not produce the same fruit that you had the pleasure of eating, but will be different, and very likely inferior. A hybrid tree is grown by grafting a branch from the mother tree onto rootstock from another variety. Therefore, unless you are sure the peach is an heirloom (not hybrid), or you are willing to have something much different than the peach you ate, you should not bother to plant your peach pit.

Planting Walnut Trees From Seed

Walnut seeds won’t germinate immediately when planted because they are in a dormant state, and you must break their dormancy before the seed can germinate. Both scarification and stratification are required to break a walnut seed’s dormant state, for germination to occur.

The black walnut’s dormancy is caused by the thick, hard seed coat. Breaking or weakening the seed coat is referred to as scarification, and is the first step necessary to break the seed’s dormancy. A metal file or coarse sandpaper can be used, but is difficult and time-consuming, unless you have a power sander.

Treatment with boiling water also works. Place seeds in water of 170 to 210 degrees F. Make sure it’s not boiling! After the water cools, continue to soak seeds for 12 to 24 hours. The process is slow because you need to use 10-20 times the volume of hot water as seed.

Whatever scarification method you use, you must be careful not to damage the embryo inside. Once scarified, seeds will not store well and should be planted as soon as possible after treatment.

If scarification is done naturally after planting the seed coat may be broken by microbial action, exposure to alternate freezing and thawing, or fire. Depending on nature to scarify your seeds may require leaving them in the ground longer than one year.

The second step in breaking the black walnut seed’s dormancy is stratification. This requires being exposed to cool temperatures and moist conditions for several months. Winter weather in the Northern USA provides the necessary conditions to break dormancy naturally.

You can also break the seed’s dormancy by stratification in a refrigerator. Using a coffee can, plastic jar, cottage cheese container, or a plastic bag, place the seed in a moist 50:50 mixture of sand and peat moss. Punch holes in the lid of the container to provide air.

Let’s take the process from the start: Collect your walnuts immediately after they fall to the ground – before the squirrels get them. Remove the husks, then place the nuts in water. Nuts that float are not viable and should be discarded. The viable nuts will sink to the bottom.

Scarify your nuts, and plant 1 to 2″ deep in the fall or stratify the nuts in a refrigerator at 34 to 41°F for 90 to 120 days and plant in the spring. Use the natural soil or Grow-Boxes that are open to the soil beneath the box, because walnuts produce a long taproot.

Prepare the soil with Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed, then after the seedlings emerge feed 3 times each year. Walnut seedlings grow fast, and it’s recommended they be transplanted into the orchard within 2 years after germination, unless you have tree-planting equipment.

Jim Kennard

Winter Tree Pruning Tips – by Mike McGroarty

Now is the time to prune many of the trees in your yard. They are dormant now and don’t mind being pruned at all.

1. Start on the inside of the tree. Remove any dead wood or any branches that are growing toward the center of the tree.

2. Remove any branches that are crossing another branch or rubbing together. The inside of the tree needs to be open and airy.

3. Move to the outside of the tree. Stand back and look at the tree and imagine how you would like the tree to look. Draw an imaginary line around the tree to the exact shape of how you want the tree to look. Then start removing any branches that are growing outside of that line.

4. The same rules apply for the outside of the tree. Open the tree up a little and remove any branches that are too close to another branch or are rubbing or crossing another branch.

6. When removing branches near the trunk of the tree always make your cuts as close to flush with the trunk as possible and do not leave a stub sticking out.

7. Wounds larger than a 50¢ piece can be painted over with a tree wound dressing, but in most cases, it’s not necessary, and some professionals feel that wound dressings slow the healing process.

8. That’s it! Your tree will love you for it.

Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty