Certification and Education

George Brenn’s IAH Study Guide

George Brenn, Four Seasons Landscaping Nursery, created this study guide to help teach the material covered in the IAH Manual. His intentionw as to assist those trying to master the subjects within the manual.

CHAPTER 6 (PART 1)

TYPES OF NURSERY STOCK:

• Bare Root (BR): Field-grown plants with soil washed off the root system. Can be stored in controlled atmosphere (32°F + 90% Humidity). Must be handled while dormant. Lowest freight cost for shipping.

• Machine Balled: Same as BR but packaged in poly bag filled with peat moss. Common in box stores.

• Balled & Burlapped (B&B): Field-grown plants with rootball dug by hand or with a tree spade.

• Balled & Potted (Field Potted): Field-grown plants with rootball dug by hand and placed in a container.

• Container Grown (CG): Plant has been growing in a container for at least 1 year. Could be a bare root plant that was potted, or could be shifted into a container as a rooted cutting.

HANDLING NURSERY STOCK:

Lift plants by pot or rootball, not by stems or trunk. Heeling In is the temporary storage of nursery BR or B&B plants.

Timing: Plant in Spring or Fall. When you transplant matters most.

• Spring: Moist, cool soil, and plants are preparing for growth. Good time to dig or plant.

• Summer: Hot and dry conditions cause stress. OK to plant but not to transplant.

• Fall: Cooler temps, warm soil, time of maximum root growth. Some trees are difficult to transplant in Fall (e.g. Acer rubrum, Liriodendron, Quercus alba, Betula, Magnolia, Quercus macrocarpa, Cercis, Nyssa, Quercus rubra, Cornus, Prunus, Salix, Crataegus, Pyrus, Tilia).

PLANTING METHODS:

• Depth: Hole should be no deeper than the depth of rootball. For trees, root flair should be visible.

• Width: More important than depth. Dig hole approximately 2x rootball width.

• Amendments: Peat moss and/or compost may be added relative to soil type. Avoid excessive fertilizers. Root Stimulators and CRFs are good.

• Backfill: Chop up soil to eliminate large chunks. Do not pack or tamp, even for B&B trees.

• Watering Basin: Dam it! Saucer formed from soil to aid in watering for the first year.

• Mulch ring: Conserves moisture, keeps soil cooler. Avoid mulch volcanoes.

• Burlap removal: Remove burlap from top of rootball. Remove twine wrapped around trunk to prevent stem girdling. Some specifications call for wire basket removal from the upper section of rootball (probably not necessary).

• Staking & Guying: Not always needed. Use fabric mesh bands around tree trunk. Staking should allow some swaying of the tree top. Generally, remove staking after 1 year.

• Wrapping: Can prevent sunscald and minimize frost cracks. Start at the base of the tree, wrap upwards with 1/3 overlap per wrap, and secure the top with electrical tape.

• Planting BR stock: Spread out roots into a more natural formation. Prune off damaged roots.

• Planting CG stock: Cut container off rootball if necessary. Frazzle encircling roots and prune off larger circling roots to avoid girdling. Recycle plastic pots.