TM 5-803-13/AFM 126-8
CHAPTER 3
PLANTING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF
TREES, SHRUBS, GROUND COVERS
AND VINES
3-1. General. In this chapter, guidelines, standard
b. Sub-tropic zone. In sub-tropical areas, no definite
practices and techniques for planting and initial care of
planting periods exist and it is possible to move most
trees, shrubs, ground covers and vines are discussed.
plants with fair success whenever they are not in a period
Adherence to these guidelines should result in the suc-
of vigorous growth. Palms and bamboos are most easily
cessful establishment and healthy growth of plantings.
handled in early summer. Oaks, including Live Oaks, are
Criteria for selection of plant materials and each step
difficult to transplant except during the winter when they
necessary to implement the planting plan are also
are relatively dormant. Even in the subtropics, much is to
described.
be gained by planting during cooler months unless plants
are container-grown or otherwise handled with special
3-2. Planting seasons. In most parts of the country,
care. For instance, collected wax myrtles planted during
the most favorable time for planting is during the inac-
hot weather require heavy pruning and usually put out
tive, or dormant, period of the plant's cycle. There are
little foliage before the following spring. Planted in
certain geographic areas, generally in warm regions,
winter or spring, wax myrtles will establish easily and
where plants may be moved at almost any time of year.
will not require much pruning.
However, even in these areas plants have definite grow-
3-3. Quality of plants. The most important step in
ing cycles. Moving the plant during its active growing
period should be avoided whenever possible. Often, the
assuring successful planting is to select plants of the
extra stress resulting from moving plants during the
highest possible quality. Widely accepted criteria may be
wrong season causes them to remain in a weakened con-
found in the American Association of Nurserymen
dition, showing little or no leaf growth until the following
publication, "American Standard for Nursery Stock",
growing season. There is extra expense involved in
ANSI Z60.1. High quality in plant materials is achieved
planting out of season because plants must be handled
through nursery practices which produce plants with
more carefully and watering must be extended for a
desirable branching characteristics and root systems that
longer period. Advice on recommended planting periods
are conditioned for successful transplanting. The ANSI
for a particular geographic area can be obtained from a
standards are accepted throughout the landscape industry
County Extension agent, Soil and Water Conservation
and by government agencies. Several additional common
District office, or state, county, and city park or forest
sense rules should be applied in selecting plants. Plants
agencies. When moving plants out of season, an anti-
should be grown or collected from an area having a
desiccant should be used. Anti-desiccants are chemicals
climate similar to that of the planting site. This improves
which protect plants from excessive moisture loss,
the chances for plants becoming established in the new
thereby reducing shock during transplanting. Anti-
location. Collected plants are often inferior nursery-
desiccants also aid in the prevention of winter-kill, sum-
grown plants in both appearance and ability to survive
mer scald and disease. The spraying of liquid anti-
transplanting because normal nursery practices, such as
desiccant on the foliage prior to digging the plant from its
pruning of tops and roots, fertilizing and cultivation, have
original location allows planting or transplanting
not been applied. Collected plants usually have widely
operations during active growing periods. The most
branched root systems due to lack of root pruning.
favorable periods for planting are as follows:
Consequently, a large proportion of the root system is
a. Temperate zone. Deciduous plants may be moved
lost in transplanting. Collected plants should not be used
in the fall after leaves drop but before the ground freezes,
unless qualified personnel conduct and direct the
or in the spring after the ground thaws but before new
operation and a lower grade plant is acceptable. No
leaves appear. In areas with cool summers, evergreens are
plants, whether nursery-grown or collected, should be
best planted in the late summer after new growth has
considered acceptable if they have bruised bark, broken
hardened-off, or somewhat later in the spring than
primary limbs, unbalanced growth, off-color foliage,
deciduous plants. Farther south, in the temperate zone
insect infestation or diseased wood. Plants infested with
where the ground seldom freezes, deciduous plants may
insects or disease are especially undesirable as they are
be moved whenever they are leafless; evergreens should
potentially contagious to nearby vegetation. Any of the
be moved during the same period.
above-mentioned characteristics indicate inferior plants
3-1
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