In one of my last posts I mentioned receiving my free Arbor Day trees. Those trees have now been planted. While planting them I was pleasantly surprised by a couple things.
1. The trees were marked very clearly with the color coding system. It was not just a thin little line above the roots indicating which tree they were, but rather a very large blot. This made identifying the twigs a lot easier.
2. The root systems were in great shape! It may have been since they were in the ground so long before shipping because the weather has stayed warmer longer.
There was one tree that may have arrived dead but I planted it anyway just in case.
Here’s what I did!
I put 8 of my saplings into a trough planter that was used last year for some trees. I mixed together some potting soil and some mulch for improved drainage then put the little trees into appropriately sized holes for the roots. Finally I mulched the planter and put it into a sheltered location. I did the same with the hemlocks only I used two small pots instead of a planter. The little sprigs should do fine over the winter.
A really well-presented post, Dave! With all that good care, your trees should be off to a great start on a long life, despite having been rudely crammed into your mailbox when delivered.
You are a smart gardener. Most people stick the little twigs in the soil upon receipt (like I did a few years ago). Of course, they all die.