Spring Planting Plans for Trees

Saturday, February 19, 2011

John Campanini, GoLocalProv Landscape Contributor

Good planning is the key to successful planting projects. If you live in the Northeast with its cold temperatures and inclement weather, the winter is the perfect time to plan a spring planting project. Developing a sound plan for a Spring saves time, money, and effort.

Winter takes its toll on trees and plants, placing great stress on them. Stress leads to diseases that can devastate trees and plants. So a key goal when planning for spring is to find ways of relieving that stress. Below is a five-step process that can help you plan for Spring planting:

1. Clear deadwood and debris

First, clear deadwood and debris from the proposed planting area. Winter weather can snap off branches and tear limbs from otherwise healthy trees, leaving a mess on the ground.

2. Inspect the existing trees and plants for diseases

If you’re not familiar with the types of diseases that trees and plants are prone to in the Northeast, brush up on tree and plant diseases and note their symptoms.

The University of Massachusetts has a Web site that can help identify diseases and their symptoms. The site’s articles also provide useful information on caring for trees and plants. The articles are downloadable.

3. Develop a diagram

Third, develop a diagram of the area. A diagram really helps if it’s a big project. Indicate on the diagram what trees or plants are already there and where you plan to introduce anything new to the ecosystem.

4. Make a list

Fourth, list the plants or trees to be introduced to the ecosystem. Once, plants from all over the world would be introduced into the landscape and provided with the care needed for survival. But we’ve learned that introducing a new tree or plant can create problems in ecosystem.

5. Check sustainability lists

Fifth, make sure the plants and trees are sustainable in the environment. Over the years, experts have developed sustainability lists to help you make good choices. Horticulturists at the University of Rhode Island have developed a list of cold-hardy trees and shrubs to plant locally and posted it to a Web site.

Check your list of new plants and trees against the sustainability list. Make changes as necessary. Then, pencil in the final additions on your diagram. Save the diagram for the spring.

Start now to plan for spring planting. For more information on Spring planting or plant sustainability, contact the Rhode Island Tree Council.

John Campanini is technical director of the Rhode Island Tree Council. Previously, he was Providence’s city forester. Articles are sponsored by the Council’s ARRA project.

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