A Better Way to Plant a Tree

I have to say that I was not pleased with the negative press this week. I pride myself on always being truthful; so when the word liar and my name were used in the same sentence I was stunned. Those of you who had read my opinion in this column and then saw the new Chino Valley proposed water restrictions could see through the rhetoric and spot the truth. My garden hat is off to those who contacted their town representatives; the December 1st study session is off . . . for now. BE AWARE: there will be something voted on at the regular council meeting December 10th and you should be there to keep government honest. I will not be presenting the landscape industries water saving findings; instead I will take a watch and see position.

If you plan to use a living Christmas tree this year and plant it after the holidays, the following information is important. It’s valuable whether you live in Prescott Country Club, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, or Hidden Valley. That’s because we all are dealing with the same crummy soil that needs amendments to grow plants successfully!

With plants it always comes down to three essentials. The first is organic mulch, second is ‘Root Stimulator’, and the third component is an all- natural plant food. No matter the plant, no matter the time of year, every planting needs all three.

The hole should be the same depth as the root ball but three times its width. Throw away any old roots and trash or rocks larger than a golf ball. Blend one shovelful of mulch for every three shovels of native earth. Mix the soil and mulch together to create the proper soil blend.

Back fill around the roots with this newly created soil and tamp down firmly. There should be no air pockets left around the roots, so stomp hard. When planted the roots should be at or a bit above ground level to prevent drowning during our summer monsoon season. Drive in two stakes on opposite sides of and just beyond the root ball. I like to use 2”- thick lodge poles; they are less likely to wiggle loose in our winds. Remove any stakes that are tied directly to the trunk. These are meant to protect the tree during shipping and if left in place will be detrimental to the tree.

Sprinkle an all-natural plant food on top of the planting hole to increase new root growth. Water the tree well with a mixture of ‘Root Stimulator’; this will prevent transplant shock and encourage new root formation.

This process is the old “$5 plant in the $10 hole” approach to planting, and is vital especially for planting trees. If we spend a little extra time and energy when planting, we will be rewarded with stellar growth in spring.

As always, I have a very simple handout that details each step with exact measurements and correlating pictures. The handout is available just for the asking at the garden center.

Stop by this week and I'll pour you a cup of hot spiced cider, guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit. Bring the kids and let them play in Santa's Christmas tree forest, take in the animation, and enjoy all the fragrances of the season.

Not only is Steve Blair my friend, he is a friend to the communities he serves. He has spearheaded a project to have a Christmas tree planted at Veterans Park at the intersection of Gurley and Sheldon streets. Steve’s goal was to have a tree planted by the time of the courthouse lighting. Fortunately, I just happened to have a semi-truck coming this way with my cut Christmas trees, and there was extra space on the truck for a 12’ tall Colorado spruce! Discussions were held this week to determine exactly where and how to plant this large specimen tree in the park. On Tuesday I helped choose some trees and boulders to create an amphitheater effect. It will be quite special. By next weekend this beautiful tree’s branches will have hundreds of white lights and a star adorning its top. Thanks for lining this up for our community, Steve.

Don’t forget my free gardening classes, held at 9:30 each Saturday morning. Classes are about one hour long, aimed at helping you create an outstanding landscape. The November 28th class subject is “Gardening for Newcomers Revisited” and on December 5th we’ll do an in-depth coverage of “Stunning Fall Colors through Winter”. Join us for a lot of practical, timely, local gardening information. View the entire class schedule at wattersonline.com.
Until next week, I'll see you at the garden center, or maybe in the Christmas shop.

Throughout the week Ken Lain is at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road, Prescott, and can be contacted through his web site at www.wattersonline.com. Ken says, "My personal mission is to help local homeowners garden better in our mountain landscapes."

Until next week, I'll see you at the garden center, or in the Christmas shop