Tools Used in Planting
Immediate planting after being lifted is to be strongly recommended, the evil of allowing plants to lie about exposed to wind and weather being well known. Should it, however, not be convenient to plant at once, the nursery-stock should be stood closely together, and some damp straw, leaves, or soil heaped around the roots of the outer or exposed specimens in the lot. In any case, the roots must never be allowed to become dry and parched, or be subjected to frosty winds, as these act most perniciously, and soon destroy the tender fibres and render them almost useless for the purpose intended.
In planting, spread the roots to their full extent in the pits, avoiding all cramping and bending, placing the largest to the most exposed side, and cover with earth, the finest soil being placed next the roots, and the rougher and grassy on the top. Placing the turf in the bottom of the pit, cutting it well up with the spade, putting a little earth on the top of this, and then planting the trees, has its advantages, the rotting turf acting as manure by the time the roots have got down to it.
Slit or Notch Planting.—This is done by simply cutting the sod or surface by two strokes of the spade, and to the depth of about 5 in.: thus L or T. With the first stroke the spade is inserted in the ground in an almost perpendicular manner; it is then withdrawn and inserted at right angles to the first notch and at the end of it, and by pressing down the handle of the spade the turf is opened up, the plant being inserted from the blade of the spade towards the further end; the spade is then carefully withdrawn and the turf trampled so as to cause the notches to close completely. This latter should be strictly attended to, as should the notch be left partially open, the plant will suffer from the admission of an undue quantity of air. The operation requires two persons—a man to open the notch, and a boy to insert the plant. It is chiefly employed in bare and hilly ground, and large tracts of ground in Scotland have been very successfully operated upon in this way. With the notch system there are advantages and disadvantages. In the first instance, we have reduced cost, expedition, and firm insertion; whilst in the second small plants only can be used, the soil remains unbroken, and the root system presents an unnatural position.
The plants used with the notch system should not exceed 9 in. in height.
The Planting-iron has been found of great value for inserting small forest trees in rocky ground, where it would be almost impossible to do so in any other way. It is 17 in. long, weighs 3 lbs., and can be conveniently used with one hand.
Holding the “iron” slackly, the planter strikes it into the ground with a force sufficient to drive the sharp, heart-pointed blade in about 3 in. or 4 in. By pressing it down and towards the planter, with a slight twist to the right, the left corner of the turf is opened up, the plant being carefully inserted with all the roots beneath the ground. The iron is then withdrawn, and the loosened turf made firm by tramping.
Only a small plant should be inserted with the planting-iron, and great care taken to insure the soil and turf being firmly pressed around the stem of the young tree.
Planting Trees too deep.—Fully 50 per cent. of the deaths amongst newly-planted trees may be directly attributed to the pernicious practice of too deep planting. Cases come before us frequently where, owing to burying the roots of the trees and shrubs at too great a depth in the soil, they have either died out or gradually become unhealthy owing to strangulation and want of air. It is a mistaken idea that by placing the roots at an excessive depth in the soil the young tree will be better enabled to withstand wind, and so remain in an erect position. Most workmen quite ignore the original mark on the tree stem as to the depth it stood whilst in the nursery, and go to an opposite extreme by covering up both root and stem to an unnecessary depth. Large trees suffer quite as much from being planted too deep as those of smaller growth. Quite recently we were asked to look at a large number of lime trees about 16 ft. in height that had been planted for several years without a sign of upward growth. The reason for this was not hard to discover, for on unearthing one of the trees it was found that the roots were covered with fully 2 ft. in depth of soil. The trees in question had never budged an inch, and were from year to year gradually on the decline owing to the ruinous practice of too deep planting. No better guide as to the depth at which a tree should be planted can be had than the distinct mark on the stem showing the depth at which it stood whilst under nursery management. In order to keep newly-planted trees from being damaged by rocking with the wind, and to preserve them in an upright position, firm trampling is all that is required. In very exposed situations it may sometimes be found necessary to place a small piece of turf against the stem on the opposite side from which it is leaning, and to make this firm by means of the foot. Staking, at least in the case of small transplants, is never necessary, though in the case of larger trees and where the situation is exposed, light poles thrust into the ground to which the stems are made fast may be found necessary. Of course, it is a mistake to allow trees to rock about in the wind to such an extent that the roots become strained and barked, and holes worked around the stems, but this can readily be prevented by periodical examinations of the newly-planted trees. Stones should never be placed in the holes referred to, as they damage the roots, a piece of stiff turf or heavy soil being far preferable. With a large experience of tree planting I find that the general tendency is to plant too deep—an evil that it is hoped these notes will be the means of remedying, in some cases at least.