THE ADVENT of the inexpensive, plastic pot has almost eliminated the term ‘bare root’ from the vocabulary of the home gardener. For those of you who have trouble with the obvious, the term ‘bare root’ applies to trees. and shrubs that have been lifted out of the ground and had the soil around the roots carefully removed. There are few advantages to bare-root stock, but each of those advantages related directly to the price in a positive way. Reduced production labor costs, lower freight costs and smaller display space requirements all work to bring the end price down. over the garden gate “:new addition and dig a hole. 4. big. yy Geoff Tobiason The only disadvantages lie in the very slight increase in the risk of loss" due to. excessive : transplant ‘shock or desiccation of the roots and the extra: care required during planting. cIf you follow a few simple rules - “prior, to and immediately after . planting, you. will hhave .the same. 3 Section Wall System success as you might expect from ‘container grown’ or ‘balled and burlapped’ plants. The first thing to look at is the balance between the top growth or crown and the root system. Under natural conditions, there is a cer- tain symmetry between these struc- tures on the plant. If there is more top growth than the root system can reasonably be expected to support, damage or even loss can occur. If, as is usually the case, the crown is too large relative to the root system, pruning will probably be required (see fig. 1). Be sure to prune with the ultimate shape in mind and use clean, sharp tools. Root pruning may also be re- quired to remove any diseased or damaged sections (see fig. 2). Once again, sharp. clean tools are a must. OK, so you're ready to plant, it’s now time for another round of the obvious.. Become familiar with your plants’ requirements. Do not plant shade plants in the sun or Plants that, prefer good _ drainage i in a swamp or trees that — will become 15 feet wide in a six- ” foot space. Plan first, buy second. Select.a likely location for your hole. When ‘I’ see. the ‘dinky little _: depressions that some of you try to _¢ram a root ball into, reminded of my mother shopping - for shoes — proud with her success as she limps out of the store. |. The hole should be at least twice the height and depth of the root - Mass, unless you are planting in.a new bed that is all fresh topsoil. One of the benefits of life on a I am is good drainage. If on the other hand you do not share in these blessings, you must address the problem. A simple test for drainape can be conducted by filling the hole with water and noting the time it takes to drain away. If it drains faster than you can fill it, extra humus and watering will be required. The addition of some special drainage facilities will be required if the hole remains full for over an hour, Sometimes simply digging a smaller, deeper hole within the planting well and then back-filling it with drain rock is sufficient. Or, try running a trench out to a lower area; again back-fill to pre- vent future cloguing. If these methods are impractical or do not mountainside like the North Shore - S Ai bokaees evoea fn wet, pec, fk wie oo cok fn, Kt orm fe oosy esp. 19 - Friday, November 27, 1987 - North Shore News work, raise the planting areca out of the water table by building a berm or mound on which to plant. Create a small mound in the middle of your well so that the roots can be spread out; this will also aid in raising the plant to the proper height in the ground. The plant must be set in at the same height as it was before it was transplanted: neither deeper nor higher. Add some bonemeal to the hale. This will provide a slow release source of phosphorus to feed the developing roots. It is also a good time to add some humus (compost, manure, etc.) to improve the soil; be careful with manure because fresh manure can be harmful and some plants (eg. fruit trees) do not appreciate it. British Columbia’ S Biggest & Best Picture Framers. SUPER QUALITY © — HELPFUL STAFF AND A BIG OFF Set stakes in now if they will be required for support. Set the plant in at the proper position and hal! fill the hole with water to settle the soil arcund the roots. Continue back-filling. until the hole is full, then run a raised ridge around the outside edge to act as a dike to col- lect water (see fig. 3). Tie the plant to the support stakes and water weil once again. A regulzr routine of watering should be maintained for at least the first year during periods with little rainfalt. The addition of an all-purpose fertilizer such as 6-8-6 will aid in the speedy recovery from (transplant shock. Following these . steps ” should produce the desired results.- If. they do not, take up golf.” ALL CUSTOM CUT METAL FRAMES From today until XMAS Lots of storage in the bottom cabinets. Adjustable shelves on all..bookcase: tops: .Comes_ in walriut,:teak, oak, white & pecan finishes. All-3 sections only. 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