[CANUFNET] Amending soil for tree planting

[james urban]

Jessika
My approach has been to dig a wide, shallow hole maybe 6-10 feet in  diameter and 9-12” deep by just digging down with a shovel or even better a back hoe bucket (with teeth on the bucket) and dropping the soil right back into the hole as I go, keeping the loosened soil in large chunks.    Then dig the center out to the depth and width to get the tree rootball into the ground.  Plant the tree and lightly mulch the loosened soil surface.  I have added compost if I felt the soil was very low in SOM, meaning the soil, might just be subsoil in the case of a site where the topsoil was stripped and graded or the soil I am digging in is yellow to very pale brown, or very sandy by putting an inch or two of compost on the surface before I start to loosen the soil.  If the soil is easy to dig into and brown to dark brown loam, forget the soil loosening and compost part all together and just plant the tree in the normal way using soil you dig out of the hole as the back fill.  

Susan Day at UBC did a lot of work on loosening the soil similar to this approach but was not specifically looking at your question but the paper on soil profile rebuilding is applicable.  Her technique beat all the other treatments including trees planted in good quality undisturbed native topsoils.

Jim Urban


> On Aug 31, 2020, at 11:13 AM, Brendan Casement via CANUFNET <canufnet at list.web.net> wrote:
> 
> Review the work of Dr Carlson (I think that was his name) from Oklahoma in the 1980s. No additive was best.
> Problem was roots going through two interfaces!
> 
> On Aug 31, 2020, at 7:46 AM, Corkum-Gorrill, Jessika via CANUFNET <canufnet at list.web.net <mailto:canufnet at list.web.net>> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello,
>  
> I’m reaching out for input based on experiences shared. Putting compost or purchased soils in holes where trees are being planted has never been my practice as I’ve understood that this won’t encourage roots to grow outwards and may cause them to become root bound in their amended holes.
>  
> Does anyone have any thoughts to share on this? What are others doing that is giving you success?
>  
> Thanks!
> Jessika 
>  
> Jessika Corkum-Gorrill
> Forest and Environmental Officer
>  
> City of Charlottetown
> PO Box 98, 199 Queen Street
> Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
> C1A 7K2
> 902-629-4122
> jcorkumgorrill at charlottetown.ca <mailto:jcorkumgorrill at charlottetown.ca>
> www.charlottetown.ca <http://www.charlottetown.ca/>
>  
> <image001.jpg>
> 
>  
>  
> The City of Charlottetown continues to take steps to proactively reduce the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate impacts on municipal services, as the health and safety of residents is our number one priority. The City of Charlottetown’s Administrative Offices, including City Hall, MacAleer Drive City Works Garage, Charlottetown Police Services, and the Planning and Heritage Office reopened to the public on Monday, June 1 with business hours between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Residents looking for municipal services are encouraged to visit our website at www.charlottetown.ca <http://www.charlottetown.ca/> or call our main switchboard at 902-566-5548 (Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to be directed to the appropriate department. Alternatively, we encourage you to connect with our staff directly via email https://charlottetown.ca/contact_us <https://charlottetown.ca/contact_us>. A drop box is available inside the vestibule located in the main entrance at City Hall (199 Queen Street), with slots available for Planning documents, tender applications, and bill payments/mail. For Utility bills and other payments, staff will accept debit, credit card or cheque, and payments will continue to be accepted online. Your continued patience and understanding is appreciated as we navigate through this pandemic together. 
> 
> Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail!
> 
> 
> This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the City of Charlottetown. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this e-mail in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.web.net/pipermail/canufnet/attachments/20200831/d04ab176/attachment.htm>