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Show f.; ! ; . jK"., ' "V. . ( t . ED ROWLEY I How Do You Plant a Tree? It would be rather late for planting trees, were it not for plantable wood fiber pots. These pots will rot away in the ground, letting let-ting roots grow out into the soil. But it's a good idea to help them get started. After digging a hole deep enough, set the pot in the hole. If the tree is leaning, make it stand straight by pushing soil under the edge of the pot. Use a knife to slit the pot from top to bottom in three or four places, but don't take the pot off. Fill in the hole with soil until the pot is about two-thirds buried and tamp it well. Tear the rim off the pot and finish filling the hole. Never leave any part of the pot sticking up above the ground. It will act as a wick and draw water out of the ground. Use the extra soil to make a ridge around the tree, forming a basin to hold water. Fill the basin with water and let it soak in . You may need to put a little more soil around the tree after the water soaks in. Don't buy a tree planted in a metal or plastic container unless it is well enough established for the roots to hold the soil together when the container is removed. Always remove such a container before planting plan-ting the tree. Many trees have been grafted onto a rootstock. You can usually see the graft as a bump or crook in the trunk near the bottom. It is usually all right to bury the graft an inch or two. However, dwarf fruit trees should not be planted that deep. The rootstock is often what makes a tree dwarf. If the graft is covered, roots could sprout from above the graft. This would make the tree lose its dwarf characteristics. |