Who is planting trees this spring?

[DEERSLAYER]

Who's planning to plant trees this spring and what are going to plant?

[BackWoodsHunter]

I have 100 trees on order to be shipped to me in may.

-I am planting 25 wild plums. I'll plant them about 4-5feet apart as they will sucker and create a nasty thicket that produces great fruit for the deer in the near future.

-25 white oaks in no particular place just randomly scattered about.

-25 red pines staggered and 5-10feet apart on the property border to define boundaries.

-25 norway spruce either staggered in with the pines to provide a border or planted along a food plot for screening haven't decided.


What methods does everyone use for planting? Because I am not planting that many I will dig each hole with a spade and put composted soil in the holes then plant the seedlings in the composted soil rather than what is out there. Hopefully this will give it a better start.

Also I will be fencing all of my trees in with 4ft high chicken wire to protect them. I wish I could afford tree tubes but just don't have the funds.

[DEERSLAYER]

Wild plum make a good thicket and are a nice summer food source, but you may want to space them out to around 7' so when they sucker there is still room for the deer to get around OK and find a place to bed down.

You might want to plant the oaks in strip, an "X" (makes an excellent hub) or some other configuration that the bucks will follow. I know your only planting 25, but you can plant more later.

Norway spruce are great for screening cover and a wind break. You often accomplish both with the same planting.

About the only thing I ever thought of red pines being any good for is growing a tree with a little timber value in very poor soil, but I could see how they could be useful for getting up tight to the property line with having to worry about your neighbor being a dink and cutting the limbs from say Norway Spruce hanging over the line.

Using composted soil is OK, especially if your planting in poor soil. Firm the soil after you plant to remove air pockets, but don't push real hard or stomp because you can damage the roots. Also, make sure you never let the roots dry out and keep them out of the sunlight.

Since your hard up for money you could get some drain tile, cut it up and paint it a light tan if you have enough money. If not it shouldn't be a big deal. The mice and voles probably won't bother those trees and they will be fine without tubes. If you want your trees to grow fast and ensure their health spray a 2'-3' circle to kill the vegetation where your tree will be if possible. Keeping the competition down can let your plants grow a lot faster and occasionally even keep them alive. Just like pulling weeds in the garden helps your vegetables do a lot better.

[BackWoodsHunter]

Was thinking of planting the oaks on our field edge in a row about 8feet into the field. I don't want to plant them in the woods because they will be competing with the fully grown popple trees for sunlight and nutrients and will never grow like they should. The dead and dying popple with also probably crush and kill them.

I personally just think the red pine is a cool tree and I know it will grow well by us so it should be fine as a property boundary.

I plan to kill all the grass where I will plant. I also figured by digging the hole out with a shovel there should be a circle about 10" in diameter or so where there is bare soil so weeds shouldn't sprout for a long time there.