TM 5-803-13/AFM 126-8
and give rise to future problems during the establishment
rootlets. The shock of bare-root transplanting is more
period.
severe than with other methods and recovery time is
longer. Coating roots in very wet clay (puddling) or
3-4. Handling and transportation. During handling
wrapping them in wet burlap immediately after digging
and transportation, it is important that roots remain moist
will prevent roots from drying out.
(4) Collected plants. Collected deciduous plants
and tops are not subjected to the drying effects of sun and
wind. Scarcely any plant will survive if its roots have
can be moved either balled and burlapped or bare-root;
once been dried out; most plants are seriously set back by
except for seedlings, evergreen plants should always be
the drying of even the fine root hairs. Exposure of the
balled and burlapped. Regardless of the method used,
tops to wind and sun places a demand for extra moisture
collected plants should be root-pruned in place at least
on plants which cannot be met while the plant is out of
one growing season prior to transplanting and plainly
the ground; serious injury often results. Moisture can be
tagged for ease of identification.
(5) Existing vegetation. The possibility of trans-
retained by spraying the branches and foliage with an
anti-desiccant prior to digging and by loosely covering
planting existing vegetation should be given careful con-
the tops. Bare-root plants should be protected from
sideration when making planting plans. Whenever
moisture loss by loosely wrapping the roots in wet burlap
possible, plants to be moved should be root-pruned well
immediately after they are dug. Care in handling and
in advance of the growing season.
b. Transportation. On or before delivery, plants
transportation shortens the time required for plants to
become established in a new location.
should be inspected for correct size, type and quantity.
a. Handling. Other factors being equal, plants grown
They should be examined for damage, insects and wilt-
in containers and removed carefully, so that the root-ball
ing. The plants should have no unsightly irregularities
remains intact, start new growth most rapidly. Plants
and be in satisfactory condition. Plants dropped over the
moved with solid, natural balls of earth enclosing most of
side or off the tailgate of delivery trucks should be
the roots also recover fair rapidly. Plants moved with bare
rejected, as damage to the root system is highly probable
roots recover more slowly than those handled by the other
even though it may not be apparent. Delivery should be
two methods. The most common methods of handling are
coordinated with planting operations to avoid prolonged
described below.
storage on the site. Bare-root plants should be given
(1) Container grown plants. Healthy young plants,
planting priority because they are most vulnerable to
grown in containers offer ease of handling and better
moisture loss. The shorter the time a plant is out of the
storage life, and they start new growth more rapidly.
ground, the better its chances for survival. If it is not
(2) Balled and burlapped plants. The use of balled
possible to plant on the same day as delivery, storage in
and burlapped plants allows for the transplanting of more
a protected area and additional watering are necessary.
mature and larger plants to produce an immediate
3-5. Soil and additives. The guidelines in this chap-
landscape effect. The balling and burlapping operation
should be performed under the supervision of trained
ter concern soil and additives for the planting of trees,
personnel. The cost of moving plants with natural earth
shrubs, vines and ground covers. More often than not,
balls is considerable, but this method is the only way to
soil available at the planting site will not be wholly satis-
move some types of plants successfully. Plants handled
factory for vigorous growth and must be improved by the
in this manner require less severe pruning, become
addition of various materials.
a. Soil. Whenever available, soil for backfilling plant
established more rapidly and need less attention during
the establishment period than bare-root plants. Tree
pits or beds should be friable (easily pulverized), fertile
spades are designed to dig and trans- port trees without
topsoil that has a demonstrated capability of sustaining
disturbing the roots. There is no need to wrap the rootball
vigorous plant growth. The topsoil should be of a
since it is contained by the metal plates employed in
uniform composition, containing no subsoil, twigs,
digging. Use of tree spades is generally restricted to
clumps of grass, stones or hard shale larger than one inch,
short-haul operations and can produce highly satisfactory
toxic substances or other extraneous material. Soil
results particularly when plants are large and must be
meeting these general qualifications is usually adequate
moved out of season.
to sustain healthy plant growth. Good quality topsoil
(3) Bare-root plants. Plants may also be removed
previously stripped from the site and stockpiled prior to
from the ground bare of soil. This is a common practice,
grading operations may be used; topsoil from another site
especially for small deciduous and seedling evergreen
located in the general area of the planting project is also
trees. This method should not be used except during the
acceptable. Stripping of topsoil should be done carefully
plant's dormant period. Large plants, especially
to avoid stirring up subsoil and mixing it with topsoil.
deciduous ones, dug with bare roots require heavy
Topsoil to be used should be tested for soil acidity (pH)
pruning of tops to compensate for the loss of roots and
and organic content by a qualified testing laboratory.
3-2
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