Spring is the Time to Plant Tree Seedlings!

Spring is in the air, and now is the time to prepare for planting new trees. In the spring, making a donation to a favorite charity may result in a thank you gift of tree seedlings, and many civic organizations celebrate Arbor Day by passing out free trees in schools, churches and community businesses. Local Soil & Water conservation offices have tree seedling sales in the spring, and many landowners take advantage of the opportunity to purchase these seedlings to plant on their property. Here are some tips and reminders on how to handle these seedlings before planting to have the best chance of success.

How do I handle bare rootstock?
Bare rootstock is the most economical way to purchase trees and it can be used to meet nearly all your planting objectives. Bare rootstock is obtained as 1-to 3-year-old trees, either as seedlings or transplants. Seedlings grow in the nursery in the same bed they were planted.
Transplants were removed from the seedbed and replanted (transplanting improves root development).
Bare rootstock is susceptible to root drying and physical damage. Stock is packed at the nursery in a bag and wrapped in moss to keep the roots moist. Keep stock at a constant low temperature (33-40 degrees Fahrenheit) and the roots moist but not soggy. They must remain dormant from the time they are removed from the nursery bed until they are planted.
Transportation is an important consideration for orders of all sizes. For orders over 1,000 trees, a refrigerated truck is the preferred method of transportation. If you transport them in a pickup truck, keep bags separated for ventilation, cover with a moist tarp, and protect from the sun with a solar reflective tarp. If seedlings will fit in your car, keep them inside with insulation, ice packs, and air conditioning on maximum. Only a few minutes in a hot trunk can permanently damage seedlings.
After stock arrives at your property, keep the bags in deep shade and protect them from freezing. Separate the bags to prevent overheating. Plant the trees as soon as you can.
If you must store trees for longer than a few days, open the bags and place the trees in a trench. Dig a trench deep and wide enough for the whole root system and part of the stem to be covered with soil. Lay the seedlings next to each other in the trench and fill with soil and water.

How do I prepare seedlings?
Before you plant, grade the seedlings and discard those of poor quality. Poor-quality seedlings will have excessive mortality and poor early growth. They can be identified by these criteria:
• Broken, skinned, or weak stems.
• Fermented odor or mold on needles.
• Slippery bark on root or stem.
• Root systems less than 4 inches long.
• Root systems more than 12 inches long if more than 50 percent of the fine roots must be pruned to reduce the length and width of the root system for planting.
• A dry root system resulting from improper storage, exposure to sun and air for over 10 minutes on a cool humid day, or for 5 minutes on a warm windy or dry day. Bitter cold dry winds can be equally destructive.
If possible, prune roots and grade seedlings at the same time. Long fibrous root systems require pruning to avoid bent or “J” roots in the planting hole. Root pruning should be done in a cool controlled environment where the root system will not dry out. Have water available. The worst place to prune roots is at the planting site. Prune with a sharp knife, machete, ax, or hatchet. Never break or twist roots off by hand.
Broadleaf trees need large vigorous root systems to survive. They can be pruned to 8 to 10 inches long with at least 4-inch long lateral roots. Needled trees can be pruned to 5 to 8 inches long, but never remove more than 50 percent of the lateral roots.
Keep the seedlings in the shade and cool until planted. The seedlings should be carried in a bucket or planting bag with wet burlap or something similar to keep the roots moist at all times. Never carry seedlings with their roots exposed to the air.