Care and Planting
Proper Care of Nursery Stock
A. Know the contents of your order; be sure to have storage and supplies prior to arrival to handle the stock properly.
B. Since dehydration is one of the biggest factors influencing successful handling of bare-root material, it is important that you do not allow the roots to dry out at any time. Keep the nursery stock out of wind, sun and freezing temperatures.
- Store in cold storage if available, at 34-38°F, and maintain relative humidity at 90% or higher.
- If cold storage is not available, wet down and store plant material in a cool, moist protected area. Pack roots with moist straw, shredded paper or bark material. Roots may also be dipped in “Pikes Peak Root Gel” to ensure against any dehydration prior to planting.
- For a longer holding period, plants should be trenched or heeled into the soil. Open tied bundles and spread roots out into a trench. Make sure roots are covered and watered well. Eliminate air pockets in medium around roots.
Planting and Care After Planting
Be sure that your seedlings or transplants have been planted to a proper depth to ensure the roots are entirely covered and that the tree stands erect and firmly in the ground. A plant which is loose in the soil will not take root and will suffer dehydration.
As you “side dress” fertilize your trees after the first year of growth, be careful that none of the fertilizer touches the stem or foliage. Fertilize in late Winter or early Spring so the nutrients will be in the proper area and concentration during the plants' growth sprint.
Pruning and shearing are usually started after the second year for most evergreens. For evergreens, the leader must be trimmed back to eight to ten inches to ensure that the limb spacing is not too extreme to inhibit the tree from filling in. Maintain the tree in a pyramidal shape, being sure that the entire tree is sheared completely to the ground. Start shearing about mid-June, when the growth is soft, allowing for good after shearing bud formation.
Enjoy your work with trees – it is a very healthful and rewarding endeavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
