Stan,

 I would like to know if this is the time to move Spirea, Daylilies & what about Potentilla shrubs. A couple of them are 3X3 or are you best just to cut the bigger ones back? 

Also what's your opinion on putting a perennial border along north side of a row of spruce tress & how far do you put your border from them? Thanks,

 Colleen 

Hi Colleen,

Any of your shrubs that have leaves should not be transplanted until the leaves have fallen. You can cut a third of the foliage now, but no moving until the end of October or so. 

A border of lilacs and or Manitoba maples would be fine on the north. 

Hope this helps.

Hello Stan, I enjoyed your show but because of my problems in speaking verbally, I can not call in and ask you questions during the show.

I plan on transplanting many trees on my 153 acre chunk of land just NE of Miquelon Lake (about 40 minutes SE of Edmonton). Plans are to plant trees for a shelter belt around my future building site. There are already many trees in the area and its quite hilly.

I plan on transplanting poplar (about 1 to 3 feet high), laurel leaf willow, and some evergreen trees (spruce and pine that is also 1 to 3 feet tall).

Questions are as follows:

1. Do you know of any program where I can apply to the government and dig up some evergreen trees on crown land. Do you know where I can find out?

2. Do you have any tips on pH of soil to plant them in, fertilizer to use, methods of planting the trees, root care, etc.?

3. Do you have any tips on watering the trees? I plan on pumping water out of a near-by slew and watering the trees every few days with that. Comments or tips?

4. Anything I can do to prevent the deer or moose from eating or wrecking the newly planted trees.

5. One more question, I plan on planting them this spring. When is the best time to plant them so they would be most successful?

Many of the trees planted will be on the tops and sides of some hills. Not sure if that makes a difference or not.

Very sorry for the many questions Stan. I'm just not sure who else I can ask (via email) or any other way.

Like I said, I enjoyed your show today but unfortunately it is very rare that I can listen to your show since I usually work weekends. The only time I catch your show is when I'm on holidays or when I'm sick and have to stay home (like today). Thanks very much for any help can may provide.

All the best.
Barry

Barry, I'll try to respond as well as I can, without the volumes of conflicting text that has been dedicated to these questions in many arboricultural books.

To my knowledge, there is no hard and fast rule by our local counties about digging trees with in the bounds of the ditch. In most cases the engineers dept. will spray to kill these nuisance shrubs anyway.

Spruce trees, or any evergreens need an acidic soil, as does willow. Poplar needs neutral or alkaline soils.

Water the trees as soon as planted and again when the soils begin to dry. Three waterings in a month should do, as they need to fend for themselves thereafter.

To date, there is no preparation to spare your trees against the natural wild life that coexist with the fauna. You could try hanging cheap bars of soap amongst the trees, as that sometimes is a deterrent, or drenching old rags in household bleach, then leaving them scattered amongst the new plantings.

As soon as you can dig, do it. Make sure the root systems are covered with wet burlap while transporting or left on the ground as you continue to add more trees to the collection.

Dig the holes for the hill side trees a deeper depth than the flat land trees, that way, when you back fill you can leave a water collection space of 3 or 4 inches below the natural grade, for run off water to collect into. Thanks for your kind comments, and let me know how you make out.

BACK