A Guide to Planting Trees

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Guide to Tree Planting For Forestry Purposes:
     Most tree species will grow under a wide variety of conditions but you should choose the species that will grow best on your particular land for the planting objective you have in mind.

    One of the first decisions to be made is whether to plant conifer on broadleaf species, or a combination of both.  Most plantations to date have been made with conifers because experience has shown them to be more easily handled and to be generally successful.  Hardwoods can be successfully planted and interest in their use is growing.  They may have a great potential value as timber crops, particularly in the southern portion of the state.  Some species, particularly shrubs, provide wildlife food values not available in conifers.  Establishment of areas or hardwood shrubs adjacent to conifer stands provides ideal wildlife habitat.

     Regardless of the general type of trees or shrubs decided upon, use of species native to the area, or having a history of successful growth in the area will provide the best chance of success.

     The following table will help you select the most suitable planting stock, and serve as a guide to a good planting job.  Select the condition under each major numbered heading that best describes your land.  Follow the recommendations indicated for the conditions selected.

Preparation For Planting
Choosing the Species to Plant:                                                                                 Species should be selected in accordance with the following soils-cover-species suitability:

Clays, Clay Loam, & Loam

Sandy Loam to Loamy Sand

 Deep Fine to Coarse Sands Gravelly, Cobble, or Stony Organic Soils
 

Open land to 1/4 Shade

Open land to 1/4 Shade

 Open land to 1/4 Shade Open land to 1/4 Shade Open land to 1/4 Shade

White Spruce, Norway Spruce, Hardwood Trees & Shrubs, White Pine (in Weevil Free areas)

 Red Pine, Red and White Oak, Most Wildlife Shrubs

Red Pine Or Jack Pine

Austrian Pine, White Spruce

Black Spruce, White Cedar, Highbush Cranberry

1/4 to 3/4 Shade

 1/4 to 3/4 Shade 1/4 to 3/4 Shade 1/4 to 3/4 Shade 1/4 to 3/4 Shade

White Pine, White Cedar, Sugar Maple, Yellow Poplar, Basswood, Black Cherry, Black Walnut

White Pine

Red Pine

White Pine

Black Spruce, White Cedar, Highbush Cranberry
     

Choosing the Size of Nursery Stock:
All stock should be well balanced with minimum 4" top and 6" root length.  Stem diameter at the root collar should be at least 1/8" for stock of this size - larger for bigger stock.          (In stock sizes listed below the numbers before the dash refers to the years in the seedling bed, and the number after the dash refers to the years in the transplant bed.  Added together, they give the age of the tree.)
Light to Medium Competing Vegetation (light grasses to medium sod).
Red, White, Jack, or Austrian Pine Use 2-0 or 3-0 Stock
White or Norway Spruce Use 2-1 or 2-2 Stock
Hardwood Trees and Shrubs Use 1-0 or 2-0 Stock
Medium to Heavy Competing Vegetation (heavy sod and brush).
Red, White, or Austrian Pine Use 3-0 Stock
White or Norway Spruce Use 2-2 Stock
Hardwood Trees and Shrubs Use 1-0 or 2-0 Stock

Choosing The Spacing:
 
Red Pine, White Pine, Austrian Pine:
Open Land -               1/4 Shade Plant approximately 600 trees per acre with 7 food spacing in rows 10 feet apart.
1/4 - 3/4 Shade Plant 300 to 500 trees per acre spaced not closer than 7 feet in 10 foot rows or patches
Jack Pine
Open Land -                  1/4 Shade Plant approximately 900 trees per acre with 6 foot spacing in rows 8 feet apart.
1/4 - 3/4 Shade Plant 300 - 800 trees per acre spaced not closer than 6 feet in 8 foot rows or patches.
Spruce, White Cedar
Open Land -                  1/4 Shade Plant approximately 700 trees per acre with 6 foot spacing in rows 10 feet apart.
1/4 - 3/4 Shade Plant 300 - 600 trees per acre spaced not closer than 6 feet in 10 foot rows or patches.
Hardwood Trees
Open Land -                  1/4 Shade Plant approximately 400 trees per acre spaced 10 by 10 feet. (Walnut - maximum 350 trees planted 10 by 12).
Hardwood Shrubs
Open Land -                  1/4 Shade Plant approximately 1,800 shrubs per acre spaced 4 by 6 feet.

Choosing the Ground Preparation:
               The use of approved chemicals for control of competing vegetation will eliminate the need for furrowing or scalping and has distinct advantages over mechanical ground treatment.  Technical guides are available from DNR Foresters or Extension Services and USDA officers.
Light Vegetation Cover  -  (moss, open sand, light June grass, poverty grass, etc.)  No ground preparation necessary.
Medium Vegetation Cover  -  (medium June grass, light quack grass, and run out hay fields) Furrows should be plowed using a 14 to 16 inch bottom plow, just deep enough to remove the sod layer and should follow land contours.
Heavy Vegetation Cover  -  (heavy quack grass, heavy June grass, good hay fields and sweet fern)  Use wide, well-drained, 16 - 24 inch furrows on contours, or scalps two feet square, deep enough to remove the majority of root competition.
Competing Brush and Trees  -  cut or bulldoze and plow as for heavy vegetation.

Choosing the Season:
Southern Lower Michigan:
bulletbullet Plant in the Spring, April 1 - May 15
Northern Lower Michigan and Upper Peninsula:
bulletbullet Light Sand Soils  -  In Spring, Plant from April 15 - June 1
                                            -  In the Fall, Plant from September 15 - November 1
bulletbullet Heavy Clay Soils  -  Plant only in the Spring, April 15 - June 1

Planting the Trees:
Care of the Stock:
bulletbullet Stock packed and shipped bare root in moisture retaining containers should be transported in a manner to avoid compaction and stored unopened in a cool, shaded location until planted.  Avoid puncture or breakage and compaction at all times.
bulletbullet Stock packed and shipped in wet moss, shingle tow, or other medium should be kept saturated with water and stored in a cool, shaded location until planted.  If planting is delayed longer than four days after receipt of stock, it may be desirable to open bundles and heel in stock in shaded area.  Water to keep soil moist.
bulletbullet Stock removed from shipping bundles for planting should be kept from drying by use of wet moss, burlap or other medium in planting stock containers.  Avoid dipping roots in water or use of water alone in pails as moisture retaining soil particles will be washed off.
bulletbullet Planter should remove one tree at a time from container when hand planting and in small quantities when machine planting.
bulletbullet Trees having root length in excess of 8 - 10" should be root pruned to 8" using a sharp tool  ( Never pull roots off in pruning.)  Roots should not be bent over in bottom of planting slit.

Proper Depth for Seedlings
Correct Depth:
bulletbullet Place seedling in the hole at the same depth or 1/2 inch deeper than it grew in the nursery.  The bottom of the root should just touch the bottom of the hole and the top of the ground should be about one inch above the highest root on the seedling.
bulletbullet Never bend the root system in the hole, or expose roots to the air or the tree will die.