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Going to plant some trees

-CarlHungus-

Platinum Buffalo
Feb 9, 2007
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so the wife has two red maples that need planting. Other than dig a whole with a shovel as deep as that bucket they’re currently in, anything else I need to be aware of?

@greengeezer

 
Most trees you dig the hole, make a cone or pyramid in the bottom out of the dirt and spread the roots out to fall over the cone. They make root starter stuff, but I don’t think you need it. Keep it watered well for at least the first couple weeks.
 
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Not geezer, but I've planted a lot of trees over the years. First, prior to digging, make sure you're not digging into underground cables. Second, pay attention to how big the trees will eventually grow, particularly the circumference, as you want to avoid them getting too close to house/roofline. Lastly, hole should be twice the size of the root ball, and you should use some growth soil to place at bottom and some intermittently around when filling in hole. Also, break up the roots in the ball if needed, and also make sure it's level before filling. I always used a level, and if they're small, tie them off to insure the wind direction doesn't make them grow at an angle.
 
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Not geezer, but I've planted a lot of trees over the years. First, prior to digging, make sure you're not digging into underground cables. Second, pay attention to how big the trees will eventually grow, particularly the circumference, as you want to avoid them getting too close to house/roofline. Lastly, hole should be twice the size of the root ball, and you should use some growth soil to place at bottom and some intermittently around when filling in hole. Also, break up the roots in the ball if needed, and also make sure it's level before filling. I always used a level, and if they're small, tie them off to insure the wind direction doesn't make them grow at an angle.
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Do you really have to bring politics into a post about planting trees? C'mon.

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Not geezer, but I've planted a lot of trees over the years. First, prior to digging, make sure you're not digging into underground cables. Second, pay attention to how big the trees will eventually grow, particularly the circumference, as you want to avoid them getting too close to house/roofline. Lastly, hole should be twice the size of the root ball, and you should use some growth soil to place at bottom and some intermittently around when filling in hole. Also, break up the roots in the ball if needed, and also make sure it's level before filling. I always used a level, and if they're small, tie them off to insure the wind direction doesn't make them grow at an angle.
Where she wants it is about 2 feet from the main water line entering the home.

Seems like that may be a problem?
 
Worst thing about planting close to water lines is the growth of the root system. The roots of a mature tree are about the same size of the canopy. If your water line needs repair, it will be intertwined in the tree roots.
 
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Power lines. :D
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Worst thing about planting close to water lines is the growth of the root system. The roots of a mature tree are about the same size of the canopy. If your water line needs repair, it will be intertwined in the tree roots.
Makes sense. Partly the reason we’re planting a new one .

Had a beautiful old dogwood there. It was about 100 years old. Water company had to dig around it and killed it off. Probably had a few more years in it though every spring the blooms were diminishing but the digging around it did it in.
 
I’m bad about buying an attractive tree or shrub and planting it too close to a walk or structure. Then a decade later, it is smacking me in the face when I walk by.

This small Japanese maple is an example. After 40 years it grew across the walk and I had to move it back. Look how big the root ball is for a still relatively small tree. I’m too old for this.

 
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