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Forestry Assistance

Seedling Planting Guide for Benzie County Thank you for purchasing seedlings from the Benzie Conservation District. Revenue generated by our seedling sales helps us to continue many beneficial programs, including Forestry Assistance, Groundwater Stewardship, and Watershed Protection. Click here for more information on our annual seedling and perennial sales. The Trip Home Most (if not all) of the seedlings you have purchased are bare rooted. The bare roots are surrounded by moist moss or shredded paper and then wrapped in nursery paper. This will keep the roots moist for your trip home, but the plants should be planted within 48 hours. You can store your seedlings in a cool, shaded location, such as a cool basement or a garage. The roots must be kept moist but not wet. Do not leave plants in the hot trunk Do not let the plants freeze Do not stack the bundles or leave them open Do not store plants in buckets of water Heeling-in Oops! Are you too busy right now to plant your seedlings? Then "heel-in" the plants until you're ready. Heeling-in is a very simple process. All you have to do is place the seedlings in a trench, cover with soil, and then water them in. The seedlings do not need to be spaced any particular distance in the trench - just open the bundles, untie any strings around the seedlings, and spread the seedlings out. See the diagram below. 1st Cut Dig a trench with a shovel or spade. Place the trees against the back side of the trench. 2nd Cut Place earth from the 2nd cut on the roots of the first row of trees. Pack the soil down with your foot. 3rd Cut Place the 2nd row of trees into the 2nd cut and pack the soil from the 3rd cut onto the roots. Site Selection When selecting a site for your seedlings, you need to take into consideration the plant's characteristics. Does the plant need shade, full sun, dry or moist soil? How tall will it grow and how wide? When selecting a site, avoid the following locations: Under utility wires - mature trees should be at least 10 feet away from utility wires. Within ten feet of a building. Over septic system drain fields. Where the mature tree will shade your home during winter. In play areas Plant only salt tolerant plants near roads where salt is applied for ice control. Site Preparation Weed control is perhaps the most important measure to take to improve the survival and growth of your seedlings. Competition with weeds and grasses may stress or kill small seedlings, therefore it is very important in areas with sod or weed cover to scalp or remove a portion of the sod. This can be done by merely "scalping" the top two inches of soil and vegetation in an area two feet around the seedling. With a shovel, work up the "scalped" area to loosen the soil and allow for rapid root growth. With a trowel or other appropriate tool, dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots without bending or cramping. Do not add any mulch or any other amendments to the soil. The seedlings will adapt faster in native soil and develop a superior root system. Other methods of dealing with sod are to till the ground or to use an herbicide. In light, sandy soils with no sod or grass competition, such as an eroded area, scalping is not necessary. Seedling Placement During the planting, keep the seedlings in a bucket of moist moss or burlap. Remove one tree at a time. Roots will dry too fast if you take out a handful at a time. The roots must not be allowed to dry out before or during planting. Terra-Sorb is a product that roots can be dipped into to prevent from drying out and is available through the Conservation District. The roots must be in a natural, uncurled position when planted. Cut the roots to eight inches if needed but do not break them off. Make certain that the planting hole is deep and large enough. Avoid "J" rooting. The seedling should be planted in an upright position at the same depth, or slightly deeper (1/2"), than it was growing in the nursery. The soil around the seedling after planting should be firmed to prevent the roots from drying out. If available, water should be used to firm soil around the roots to eliminate air pockets. Hardwoods and shrubs may need protection from deer. Tree shelters can be constructed out of chicken wire, or pre-made shelters are available at the Conservation District. Correct Place seedling in hole at the same depth or 1/2 inch deeper than it grew in the nursery. Incorrect Note how root is curled up. This prevents proper growth. Incorrect Roots are exposed to air. A slight tug will indicate shallow planting. Planting Tools There are different tools you can use to plant your seedlings, the most common of which is the shovel. A flat-nosed shovel works particularly well. Other tools include planting bars (dibbles). The diagram below shows the use of the dibble. For large planting, such as tree plantations, a planting machine can be used. Cost of planting is typically the same as the cost of the seedlings. There are several custom planters in the area who are equipped to undertake large plantings. Call the Conservation District office if you would like more information on these services. Planting Bar (Dibble) 1. Insert Dibble at angle shown and push forward to upright position 2. Remove dibble and place seedling at correct depth 3. Insert dibble two inches toward planter from seedling 4. Pull handle of dibble toward planter, firming soil at bottom of roots 5. Push handle of dibble forward from planter, firming soil at top of roots 6. Push forward then backward, filling hole 7. Fill in last hole by stamping with heel 8. Firm soil around seedling with feet Mulching In the wild, most plants grow with a deep layer of fallen leaves covering their soil and roots. This layer keeps the soil from overheating in the summer and freezing too hard in the winter. It keeps the soil from drying out too quickly and reduces competition from weeds. To control weeds and retain moisture, the newly planted seedling should be mulched. There are various mulching materials you can use, such as chopped leaves, compost, pine needles, straw, woodchips, and bark. Fresh materials, such as sawdust, manure, or grass clippings, should be allowed to compost for several weeks before use. The mulch should be no more than 2 inches thick around the plant. The mulch should be removed away from the trunk of the seedling to prevent damage from mice and voles. Manmade weed barriers can also be used, such as VisPore Tree Mats. A VisPore Tree Mat blocks the sunlight, killing existing weeds while preventing new weeds from getting started. A mat consists of 400 tiny funnel-shaped holes that channel water right to the soil and reduces evaporation. The holes also let air through so the roots can breathe. Brush mulching is a very good method for areas with no topsoil, such as eroded areas, blowing dunes, or at construction sites. It is also recommended for south and west facing slopes where shade is needed for the newly planted seedlings. The branches should be two inches in diameter or smaller. Place enough branches around the seedlings on the southwest side so the branches will shade the seedling during the afternoon sun. The branches will protect the seedlings from intense afternoon heat, retain moisture, and stabilize the soil from further erosion. The branches will decompose in a few years and will add organic matter to the eroded site. For the next two or three years, control the competing weeds and grasses where needed by chemical herbicide, mulching, or cultivating. This will improve survival and growth of the seedlings, reduce insect and disease potential, reduce the potential of animal damage, and possibly result in better shaped trees and shrubs. Chemical Herbicides Chemical weed control on windbreak plantings has been very successful. Many land owners have used Round Up, (labeled for ornamentals). If you use it, be sure to follow the label rates and shield the seedling from any contact with the herbicide. The best time to spray is the fall before planting the seedling. Another option is several weeks after planting so the grass and weeds are sprouted and growing. Do not wait until the vegetation is high because it will rub and touch the seedling with the wet spray and may kill the seedling. The spraying should be done in the morning on a sunny day with no wind or very little wind after the dew has left the seedlings. Fertilizing and Watering Seedlings should not be fertilized within the first 12 months of planting. Fertilizers tend to dehydrate newly planted seedlings. The mulch placed around the seedling will give it all the nutrients it will need. For the second and third year you can fertilize each seeding with 2 oz. (quarter cup) of 12-12-12 . Sprinkle the fertilizer around each seedling drip edge. Remove any fertilizer touching the seedling. The seedlings should be watered as needed (one inch of water per week if it hasn't rained for a week on well drained soil). Reforestation Landowners putting in large plantings should consult with the Conservation District prior to tree planting for more detailed information. Recommended Species Red pine, White pine, White spruce, White ash, Black cherry, Sugar maple, Red oak Spacing Recommendations Conifers - 6ft by 8ft or 7ft by 7ft Hardwoods - 10ft by 10ft, no greater than 15ft by 15ft Windbreaks and Living Snow Fences Recommended Species Northern Carolina poplar, Norway spruce, White pine, White spruce, Red pine, Gray alder, White cedar, Gray dogwood, Silky dogwood, Red-osier dogwood, American plum, Sargent roselow crabapple, American mountain-ash, Serviceberry Spacing Shrubs - 6ft to 10ft Conifers - 6ft to 10ft Hybrid poplar - 8ft to 12ft When planting multiple rows, stagger trees in separate rows. Spacing distances are for between each row and between each tree. Circular Clump Planting This type of planting is ideal for attracting wildlife to your property. If you have several acres, you could establish a new clump every year or so. Each clump covers approximately 0.1 acres (4,400 square feet). Two to three clumps per acre is ideal. Species mentioned above are ideal for clump plantings. Row 1: 9 conifers at 7ft spacing Row 2: 16 conifers at 7ft spacing Row 3: 25 conifers at 7ft spacing Row 4 & 5: Approximately 57 hardwoods and/or shrubs in each row at 4ft spacing in a staggered formation. "Carefully handled seedlings have survived the worst of conditions; poorly handled seedlings can die in the best of conditions."