Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00001780
11/12/99
AFTER PLANTING CARE
Pruning
Newly planted ornamentals may be pruned or thinned out to
reduce top weight and wind resistance. In general,
removing 10 to 25 percent of the leaf-bearing wood lessens
moisture stress of shoots while the root system gets
re-established. Remove injured, weak, interfering and
poorly located branches on trees and shrubs.
For trees, remove entire branches to leave a thinned out
crown, one good leader and an adequate number of well
spaced lateral branches with uncut tips. Do not remove
small twigs along the leader, main branches or trunk.
Leaving shoots along the trunk aids in preventing
sunscald, winter injury of bark on smooth or thin barked
trees, and promotes the development of good trunk taper
for sturdy, upright growth.
After planting an ornamental, take several precautions to
protect it against wind, insects, drought and other
dangers. The following suggestions cover the most
commonly required practices--bracing, wrapping and
watering.
Staking And Bracing Trees
Most trees over 1 inch in trunk diameter must be braced
with stakes during the first year after planting to hold
them upright and prevent loosening of the soil around the
base of the trunk, breaking roots and drying out of the
surface roots. One or two stakes are adequate for bracing
trees less than 2 inches in trunk diameter. The length of
the tree stakes should be at least two thirds the height
of the tree. Trees can be braced with 2- by 2- inch or
similar wood stakes or light metal posts. Use either two
stakes placed on opposite sides of a tree, or one stake or
metal post placed on the side of the prevailing winds, 1
foot away from the tree and driven 2 feet into the ground.
To avoid injuring the tree roots, set the stakes before
covering the roots with soil.
To avoid injuring the trunk, attach the tree to a stake
with a soft rope or wire run through a piece of garden
hose or other suitable material. Wire encircling the
trunk without such protection, will girdle the trunk and
probably kill the tree. Cross or "figure-eight" the rope,
or twist the wire between the stake and the tree, to
prevent chafing of the bark.
Trees more than 3 inches in trunk diameter need three
stakes for adequate bracing. Place the stakes at equal
intervals around the tree and 18 inches from the trunk.
Brace the stakes with cleats attached 4 to 6 inches below
the tops of the stakes to form a triangular structure
connecting the three stakes. Attach the tree to the
stakes using soft rope or wire as described previously.
Trees planted with large balls of soil may not need
bracing.
Wrapping Tree Trunks
Wrap the trunks of newly planted trees that have smooth
and thin bark with special tree-wrapping paper of at least
40-pound weight, burlap, plastic or other suitable
material to protect them from sunscald and winter injury.
Do not apply the wrapping material if the tree has
sufficient small twigs to shade 50 percent of the trunk.
To wrap the trunk, start at the base of the branches
and wrap spirally to the ground. Cover any bark exposed
below the wrapping with soil. Secure the wrapping with
stout twine but not wire that may girdle it. The twine
may be tied around the base of the wrapping with a slip
knot and then wrapped, using spaced loops, or it may be
wrapped spirally around the trunk in the direction
opposite the spiral of the wrapping paper. Tie the twine
securely at the top of the wrapping. Examine the twine
periodically and loosen it if necessary to avoid girdling
the trunk.
It's generally recommended to keep the trees wrapped for
two growing seasons, or until they are growing vigorously.
Remove the wrappings each spring and fall to examine the
bark for insect injury. If borers are present, ask for a
treatment recommendation at the local garden center or the
County Cooperative Extension Service office.
Watering Newly Planted Ornamentals
Newly planted ornamentals with limited root systems need
an abundance of water during the growing season. Supply
enough water to soak the soil around the roots at each
watering, but do not water too often--allow the soil to
dry sufficiently between waterings to provide adequate
aeration for good root growth. A common practice is to
soak the soil thoroughly every 7 to 10 days during
prolonged dry periods in the growing season. Sandy soils
require more water to maintain good plant growth than
heavy loam or clay soils. You can get a rough idea of the
amount of moisture present by squeezing a handful of the
soil. Adequate moisture is available if the soil remains
in a firm ball after you squeeze it and let go.
Water distribution will be more even throughout the root
area if you use the extra topsoil to make a basin is made
around the plant from beyond the edges of the original
hole or beneath the tips of the branches. Irrigate newly
planted ornamentals any time there is less than 1 inch of
weekly rainfall and plants are actively growing. Apply
water at the rate of 1 quart per square foot of planting
area on poorly drained soils. On well-drained soils, use
a half- gallon of water per square foot. Newly planted
ornamentals not yet actively growing can be injured by
overwatering.
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to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
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Data base ZZ was last revised on 11/12/99.
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