A park or garden will look abandoned or deserted if not planted with beautiful trees. Therefore, the very first task of beginner gardeners is to grow he althy and strong plants, placing them according to the chosen composition of the landscape project.
However, growing trees is a long and painstaking process. Not all seedlings take root in a new place. And while they grow up, gain strength and juice - it will take several years, or even decades. And all this time, the site will still seem bare and unformed.
What can be done so that from the very first months the garden is decorated with mature mighty trees? Plant large plants.
What is the essence of this method? What varieties are best to choose and at what time of the year to plant? What are the difficulties associated with planting large trees and what means should be used for its effective implementation? This article is devoted to these issues.
But first, let's find out what large-sized trees are and why they are remarkable.
Species designation
The large-sized tree isan adult plant that has reached certain parameters and indicators. For each species and variety of trees, there are separate standards for its maturity.
And yet they determine the general criteria by which large-sized plants can be determined. The most important thing is their age and physiological data. If a tree is more than four years old, if it has a well-developed crown and root system, if its trunk height exceeds one and a half meters, then such a plant can be called a large plant.
In order to transplant such large and dimensional specimens, special technologies and devices are needed, as well as additional skills and abilities. Let's talk about all this in more detail.
Suitable species for transplanting
Not all adult plants are suitable for planting large plants. Among all kinds of species and varieties, the following are most distinguished:
- deciduous (red and pedunculate oak, linden, mountain ash, Norway maple, elm, ash, birch);
- conifers (pine, spruce, European and Siberian larch);
- fruit (plum, apricot, pear, cherry, apple).
Where do the big ones come from?
Where is the best place to buy planting material? There are at least two options:
- Nurseries where, thanks to special technologies, trees undergo the necessary he alth procedures, they are prepared for transplantation, and preventive measures are taken to prevent possible diseases. Russia has several operatingcatteries that meet these criteria. However, you can also use foreign institutions, for example, European and Canadian ones, which supply large-sized products to the Russian Federation, do it quickly and efficiently.
- Forest parks. The essence of this option is to dig a tree in an ordinary forest and plant it on your site.
How to choose the right planting material so that it takes root well in a new place?
Selection before purchase
To do this, you should contact a dendrologist who can determine the degree of condition and well-being of each tree.
Consultation with an expert is very important, as the good appearance of the plant does not always indicate its full he alth. In addition, many diseases do not appear immediately, but only a few years after the defeat. Therefore, if you want to see a strong and beautiful plant on your site, be sure to ask knowledgeable professionals for advice.
This is important not only for the planting unit itself, but also for the already growing trees in your garden. A newly planted plant can bring with it a serious disease that can infect other plants.
So, we decided on the planting material. We proceed directly to the landing of large-sized. First you need to extract them from the ground. How?
Principle of proper digging
Uprooting a tree should be done carefully and carefully so as not to damage either itself or its root. It is also important to keep an eye on the lower branches. For example, theircan be carefully tied to the trunk, so as not to spoil or break. If the branches are dry or diseased, they should not be removed, but left until planting. During transportation, damaged shoots can protect he althy ones.
Since the root system of the plant is removed along with the earthen clod, it is necessary to determine its dimensions as accurately as possible. How can this be done?
Usually, the diameter of an earthen clod is ten or twelve times the diameter of a bole. A stem is a part of the trunk that is one meter away from the root collar.
Here are the approximate indicators of an earthen coma: length and width - from one meter to two and a half, height - from seventy centimeters to one hundred.
Of course, when digging, the generally accepted standards should be slightly increased.
After the uprooting procedure has been successful, the planting material is pulled out of the recess using a jack with a capacity of fifteen to twenty tons.
Packing landing units
Before transporting large-sized items, they must be carefully packed. For these purposes, special detachable container baskets are used, which completely cover the earth clod so that it is not damaged during the move.
If the root system of the planting material is large, then it is wrapped with a solid burlap or metal mesh. If the winter landing of large-sized ones is carried out, then there is no point in packing their coma. In this case, they simply provide the necessary time (from two to ten days) so that the soil aroundthe roots are well frozen and stiff.
When a tree is immersed in a hole, the doors of the container are moved apart and pulled out, and the plant itself is left for burying.
Delivery of planting material
What special equipment is used for transportation? It can be a truck crane or a mini loader, a flatbed truck or an all-terrain vehicle.
It is very important to monitor the safety of transportation. To do this, the large size is fixed with slings, carabiners and screeds. Do this very carefully so as not to damage the bark and thin branches. Therefore, it is recommended to moor plants either behind an earthen ball, or per package.
It is also worth noting that, according to safety regulations, it is better not to transport trees that are more than ten to twelve meters high. Their transportation requires an overly powerful and oversized car, as well as escort of traffic police cars.
Large-sized eight to nine meters high are also inconvenient during transportation, as their crown can rise above the road, making it difficult to pass under bridges, tunnels and electric wires.
And one more piece of advice: it is undesirable to transport large vehicles at temperatures below minus eighteen degrees. This is due to the fact that severe frost makes tree branches brittle and brittle.
Preparation
Before mature trees are brought in, the site for planting them must be cleared and prepared. In this case, it is desirable to free the access of transport equipment directly to the place of landing of large-sized vehicles. This will help to painlessly deliver the plant directly to the garden. If suchis not feasible, then the tree should be carefully brought to the planting hole using carts, transporting it in a horizontal position.
The landing hole (dug out by excavator or by hand) must exactly match the earthen coma of the large-sized vehicle. If it is too narrow, it will damage the root system, if it is too wide, then the tree will not have the necessary support, and it will tilt.
It is recommended to slightly fertilize the soil before planting. For this, any subcortex containing nitrogen, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, sulfur, etc. is suitable. These trace elements will stimulate the growth and survival of the root system.
Grounding the plant
When lowering the large-sized plant into the planting hole, make sure that the root neck is ten to fifteen centimeters above ground level. This is necessary because within a year the tree will settle and may die if its root is buried in advance.
When placing planting material according to spatial orientation, one should take into account which side of the world its branches were facing at the previous vegetation site. This is especially true for coniferous crops. In other words, in a new place, the large-sized vehicle should be installed with the same side to the south as it stood before.
After the tree is planted and buried, the soil should be lightly compacted and trampled down.
In some cases, it may be necessary to insulate the root system of the transplanted plant. This can be done with a mulch of straw, dry leaves and moss.
Rules for caring for an established tree
After planting large-sized trees, it is very important to take care of them. What might this include?
First of all, remember: a tree needs support.
To do this, each plant is fixed with strong stretch ropes or wooden stands that will help it stay in a stable position for several more years. Every year or six months it is recommended to change the holders, as the tree can grow and expand.
Also, transplanted large-sized plants need frequent and abundant irrigation. This can be done daily, not limited to root watering. The crown should be sprinkled regularly.
Fertilizers can be added to the water to stimulate root growth.
An important role in the care of large-sized plants is played by systematic loosening of the soil and pruning of branches. However, the most important step in the quality maintenance of transplanted trees is preventive measures to prevent diseases and pests. What do they include?
First and most important - the trunk and crown of plants should be treated with special pesticides that prevent the appearance of infections, bacteria and parasites. And to protect the root system from rodents, you can use metal bars.
Further care of the transplanted large size should be done according to the recommendations for a particular variety and type of plant.
When is the best time to transplant?
Optimalseason
Modern specialists have achieved great victories in the field of replanting adult trees. If earlier only winter planting of large-sized trees was carried out in Moscow, now this procedure can take place in almost all cities of Russia at any time of the year.
And yet it is better to transplant trees when they have a dormant period. Then it will be easier for the plant to endure the transportation, and it will quickly take root in a new place. In our area, the idle time of the trees falls approximately in October-March. Therefore, it is best to plan the planting of large plants in autumn or winter.
Each species of wood is unique in its own way. Therefore, when planting different types of plants, their features should be taken into account. This will be discussed below.
Characteristics of some varieties
For example, if you want to start planting large-sized pines, then you need to consider the following points:
- Pine soil is usually deep (about one meter).
- You cannot use specimens grown on sandy soil.
- After planting large-sized pine trees in the first twelve months, it is recommended to shade its needles even from spring sunlight.
When planting large-sized firs, you need to pay attention to:
- Earth ball of spruce differs from others in that it is wide in diameter, but small in height.
- It is important to cover the needles of the plant from the bright winter sun.
- Immediately after grounding, supports must be installed.
Herewhat recommendations can be applied in the process of planting large-sized linden trees:
- Transplantation of this species is best done in the fall.
- Trees growing in well-lit, open areas are suitable as planting material.
- After planting in the ground, the tree should be watered abundantly (even if the weather is wet outside).
Conclusion
As you can see, planting large-sized trees is a complex and expensive task, requiring special skills, knowledge and skills. Here you can not do without qualified experts and special equipment. However, the effort will be worth it.
In a few months, your site, planted with he althy mature trees, will look festive and elegant, harmoniously fitting into the intended design of the entire project.
