Fall Tree Planting Around My Farm
There is so much to do around my farm. I am always touring the property to see what gardens need attention, what trees and shrubs need pruning, and what areas need planting.
Every year, I try to plant a good number of trees - some in the woodlands, and some in designated areas around my home. I've planted thousands of trees since I purchased my Bedford, New York property, and I feel strongly about giving back to the earth - the more trees planted, the better. Over the last couple of weeks, my outdoor grounds crew has planted several seedling varieties - dawn redwoods behind my chicken coops, spruce in my field of Christmas trees, larch along the carriage road around my far-field, and birch near my pond.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- I decided to plant a group of birch trees around my pond, which is located in one corner of my large lower hayfield. They are positioned several feet apart in a random, natural formation, leaving one area open for access to the water. When planting anything, be sure to consider the specimen’s growth habit and size when fully mature.
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- Carlos carefully removes each pot from the tree. These trees are very healthy. I’ve been nurturing them in pots for a couple of years and already they’ve grown at least a foot since I purchased them. Birch trees grow well in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils.
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- Here is Phurba digging holes for each of these young trees. Whenever possible, the crew always works in a production line formation – it is a fast and efficient way to do a big job.
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- Each tree is planted to the height it was in the pot. It prefers sun and partial shade, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
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- As we do with all the trees planted at the farm, a good amount of compost is added to the existing soil in each hole. A scoop of good fertilizer is then sprinkled on the surrounding soil. We use M-Roots with mycorrhizal fungi, which helps transplant survival and increases water and nutrient absorption.
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- And remember, when digging the hole, the rule of thumb is “bare to the flare.” Look for the root collar or root flare – the bulge just above the root system where the roots begin to branch away from the trunk. The root flare should be just above the soil surface. Each tree is also checked for signs of injury from disease or trunk damage from mishandling. All these trees are in excellent condition.
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- These trees are hardy, quick-growing, and relatively immune to disease and insect attack, they are valuable in reforestation, erosion control, and as protective cover for the development of other plants.
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- One of its most beautiful characteristics is its bark. It has smooth, resinous, varicolored or white bark, marked by pores, which usually peel horizontally in thin sheets, especially on young trees. The scrolls of bark come in colors ranging from snow white to cinnamon brown,
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- Pete prepares the hole for the stake that will help secure this tree while it is growing.
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- We always use bamboo. Bamboo comes in a variety of lengths and is easy to find at garden supply stores. Pete uses taller stakes because the seedlings are already more than six-feet tall. Any bamboo pieces that are cut off are saved for smaller trees.
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- And after the stake is secured into the ground, Gavin ties garden twine in three places – this will ensure the tree is well supported and directed as it develops. The stake will also serve as a marker when the trees are covered in snow and cannot be seen.
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- The crew also planted some of these young dawn redwood trees, which have also been developing in pots for at least one year before being transplanted.
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- Dawn redwoods, Metasequoia, grow faster than most trees. It requires little trimming, as it forms a natural triangular shape throughout its life, but the lower branches will need occasional pruning to look their best. The dawn redwood has feathery, fine-textured needles that turn shades of red and brown before falling – it is one of the few deciduous conifers.
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- Hard to see them here with their thin trunks, but they are there and will look gorgeous once mature.
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- In the woodland, we also planted a group of larch trees. Larch trees are large deciduous trees with short needles and cones. Native to many parts of Northern Europe and Asia as well as Northern parts of North America, larches are happiest in cold climates. They tolerate any cool climate with plenty of moisture.
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- The needles are only an inch or so long, and sprout in little clusters along the length of the stems. Each cluster has 30 to 40 needles.
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- Here is a young larch well supported by a piece of bamboo. If planting larch trees, be sure they have plenty of room to grow and spread their branches. Most larch tree types grow between 50 and 80 feet tall and spread as much as 50 feet wide.
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- Back by my field of Christmas trees, we also planted some spruce trees. A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea, a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the Earth. Spruces are large trees and have whorled branches and conical forms. Here, the root ball is already fertilized and waiting to be backfilled.
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- Every tree is given a good amount of soil and fertilizer whenever it is transplanted. As you know, my soil and compost mixes are filled with nutrients and made right here at the farm.
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- These conifers feature needles attached to the branch by a swollen area called a pulvinus or joint-like structure, which allows extra flexibility and movement. The pulvinus, which resembles a peg, is left behind if a needle drops and is a telling sign identifying it as spruce.
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- Two rows of young spruce trees are planted in this area in front of some already mature spruce specimens.
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- Right now this tree is only about two feet tall, but these trees grow at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13 inches to more than 24 inches per year.
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- And once again, each tree is given a bamboo stake to match its height for good support. Full sun is the ideal condition, meaning spruce trees should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
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- All these trees are a great addition to the ever-evolving landscape at my farm. I am excited to see them develop and flourish. And they’re great for the wildlife – birds use them for protection and for nesting. What trees are you planting this season? Share your comments with me below.
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