EXTENSION REPORT

Fall, the “Best” Time to Plant Trees

Trees in your landscape can be home to many different types of wildlife. Trees can also reduce your heating and cooling costs, help clean the air, add beauty and color, provide shelter from the wind and the sun, and add value to your home.

Fall is the best time to plant a tree – both for the gardener and the tree. The weather is cooler so it is more enjoyable working outdoors. The tree also benefits because the soil retains moisture better in the fall  than during the hot days of summer allowing it to easily become established. Here are some tips for successful fall planting of trees.

When choosing a tree, consider your lawn’s soil, sun, moisture, and temperature conditions, as well as your personal preferences concerning color, size, and leaf shape. Make sure the site you choose to plant the tree is large enough to support the tree after it has reached maturity. If you are planting close to your home, choose a smaller or slower growing tree unless you are trying to block out an undesirable view. Your local nursery or the Regional Extension Agent will be able to help you choose trees appropriate for your USDA plant hardiness zone.

Before you plant the tree, make sure your site has proper drainage. Dig a hole, fill it with water, and check it twice – once after 24 hours, and again after 48 hours. If the hole drains well in this time frame, the soil should adequately support your tree.

Dig the planting hole at least twice as wide, and about as deep as the tree’s root ball. The hole should be deep enough to plant the tree at the same depth or slightly above the depth it was growing in the container or nursery field. If you dig the hole too deep, the tree will settle as you water it. This will cause stress to the root system. The key is to have the “flare” (sloping part of the trunk where it meets the roots) at the soil surface.

After placing the tree in the hole, refill it with the soil that was removed from the planting hole. There are many views on what to mix or not to mix into this soil. It’s probably not a good idea to add too much organic matter, especially if the native soil is poor or very different. Doing so will promote the tree roots staying in the amended soil.

Soil pH should be correct before planting. The soil may need to be amended, usually with lime. A soil test will tell you the correct amount of nutrients that need to be added to the soil.

As you refill the hole, gently tamp the soil to remove air pockets and establish good root contact with the soil. This will help prevent the root system from drying out. Water deeply. It is probably best to wait until spring to fertilize your tree.  Apply fertilizers according to soil test results.

Choosing the right tree for the right place, planting properly, and avoiding difficult species, will help ensure successful fall planting of trees.

Cooperative Extension, Garden Information Line

Master Gardeners are standing by the phones of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Garden Information line to answer gardeners and home owners’ questions.  Master Gardeners will provide answers based on current research and best practices under the supervision of Regional Extension Agents.

The toll-free helpline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will be available until mid-November. This is an excellent resource for gardeners in our area. Volunteers who answer the phones will provide facts and point people to Extension publications and other materials available both online and at the county Extension office.

To reach the Garden Information line, dial 1-877-252-GROW (4769). Callers will be asked to select from one of four regional help lines. For assistance, callers in our area should choose the Southwest Alabama option.

“Grass Roots and True Grits”

            “Grass Roots and True Grits” is a continuing education seminar offered by Baldwin County Master Gardeners on October 4. The topics will cover residential exterior landscaping in general with particular emphasis on coastal area ground covers, design, turf, and tropical plants. The morning sessions will begin at 9:00 a.m. There will be a break at 11:30 for lunch on your own. The afternoon sessions will be from 1:30-4:00. This seminar will be at the Faulkner Auditorium on School Street in Fairhope. Tickets are $10 and available by sending a check to Jane Wright, 13789 Underwood Road, Summerdale, AL  36580. Enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope for ticket return or e-address for confirmation. Call Pat Libby for information at 251-971-6277. Space is limited and tickets are non-refundable. It will be on a first come, first served basis. There may be a limited number of tickets available at the door. We hope that you will join us for a very informative day of “home grounds” topics offered by enjoyable, humorous, and “soil-stained hands” speakers!

2008 Master Gardener Volunteer Training

Applications are now being accepted for the 2008 Master Gardener Training. Classes will be held once weekly beginning February 6th and end on May 7th. This educational training is designed to train gardeners in home horticulture and related subject areas in exchange for 40 hours of volunteer service. To apply, call the Baldwin County Extension Office (937-7176).

As a part of the Alabama Master Gardener Volunteer Program, you will receive instruction in many aspects of plant and soil science, horticulture, and horticultural pest control. Classes will consist of approximately 40 hours of instruction taught by Extension specialists, Extension agents, veteran Master Gardeners, and other horticulture experts.

Master Gardeners conduct plant clinics, speak to local groups and clubs, develop community gardening projects, answer gardening questions from telephone calls to the local Extension office, and much more. You will be given the opportunity to serve in the areas of your greatest interest and experience.

The Alabama Master Gardener Program is a joint effort of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and your Regional Extension agent. Both have the responsibility of delivering current research-based information to the citizens of this state.

Email address: mcquegj@aces.edu
Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.