need help Planting trees

[silverseeds]

Well I jusr recieved some trees. Only a few are intended for my yard, the others I assumed would be in pots of some type so I could plant them at my land early spring. (my truck is not working well now).

I was intending to keep them in a sunny window. So how can I keep them until spring?

One person told me to dig a trench and fill it with compost and "heel them in" then make sure I replant them in the right pace early in the spring before they leaf out.

Another person told me I could pot them up, and bury them up to the top of the pot.

I was thinking, I could do either one of those, and put plastic over them, attached to the side of my house at an angle, with the trees inside.

I bought plum/apricot seeds from this same company and they came with elaborate directions, I figured they would lay out my options.

So I will be plating the ones meant for my yard later today when it stops raining or tommorow, but what about the rest? I didnt realise they would need planted immediantly, HELP!!!!!

[mnjrutherford]

I've heard of the "heeling in" method. But as I understand it, that method is used for big operations in long rows just like garden rows except that the trees are planted laying down at an angle. If you only have a couple dozen, I say put them in a pot by the house with the tent as you are thinking. That sounds like it will do a dandy job. That's pretty much what we are doing with our seeds except we aren't using a tent because IF it snows, it will only be a tiny bit and won't last more than a couple days.

[plantsnobin]

Do you have an unheated garage? If you do, I would pot them up and keep them there. You want to protect the roots from too severe cold, but you want them to remain dormant. I wouldn't go with plastic covering, it will get too hot on a sunny day. You want them to stay asleep til it's time to plant them in their permanent position. Water just enough to keep them from totally drying out.

[silverseeds]

I dont have a unheated garage, but I do have a shed, no windows though, so I doubt that will work. Im sure they need atleast a little light even dormant right???

[grungy]

No light need when dormant. Our nurseryman puts them in his cold cellar until spring. He spritzer the root ball once or twice a week just to keep them moist.

[plantsnobin]

Yep, the big nurseries dig their trees in the fall after they have gone dormant, then keep them bareroot in huge coolers. No need for light while dormant, just keep them cool, not too cold and roots moist if they are bareroot, just barely moist if they are potted. It will be easier than you think.

[johno]

In the nurseries I worked at in my younger days, we heeled-in new trees for the winter. But it's not necessary, just a low-maintenance method - leave it to nature to keep the roots from drying out. The garage will work just as well.

[silverseeds]

So wait , just so I am clear do I need to pot them up to store them in the shed?

[grungy]

Potting is up to you, but the roots must be kept moist.

[plantsnobin]

I would pot them up, then in spring there is no hurry to plant, you can do it at your leisure. Just make sure you use a deep enough pot. Lots of tree develop a long tap root, you don't want to stunt it.

[silverseeds]

Oct 24, 2009 19:24:07 GMT -5 @plantsnobin said:

I would pot them up, then in spring there is no hurry to plant, you can do it at your leisure. Just make sure you use a deep enough pot. Lots of tree develop a long tap root, you don't want to stunt it.

I thought of that, but Im kinda torn. I will be able to get to my land where they are to be planted, in a month at most..... but its pretty harsh out there. Id like to prepare their areas, as much as possible before I plant.

And if I pot them up, but they dont grow to many roots in winter, then if I try to plant them, I might mess up what roots they do have when the lose dirt falls off.

But a few I actually planned to keep in pots for a few years anyway. So Im kinda at a loss right now lol.

Ive got them in plastic bags, wetted down, then put in a small box. inside a larger box full of leaves, which I will put in the shed, for now. but I will kep in mind what youve all said, and I appreciate the help. I think I should be able to keep them fine until early spring, now lets hope at that point I can establish them well in their new home!!!!!

[mnjrutherford]

Hey Karen, what would you consider a deep enough pot to accommodate a tap root? We have about a thousand seeds planted now, thanks to Val, and I've been pondering that very issue. The pots we have the most of are 12" in diameter and I am GUESSING (I'll double check later and correct if need be) 12" deep. I've put up to 9 seeds in each pot with the idea that in the spring, I'll put sprouts into their own private pots. But, if I do that, will the same size pot work or should I get larger pots?

Also, Mike and I are wondering when can we expect them to sprout? I say not until the spring warm up. He's expecting something to occur any day now. The Tommycots Val sent were already sprouting... Thoughts?

And does anybody know where and IF I can directly source those super cheapy black pots that the nurseries use? I thought I could go through someone for some, but they are JEALOUSLY held! You'd think those things were Boardwalk in a Monopoly game!

[plantsnobin]

12 inches deep should work for a while, but if you are going to be keeping them over a year I would go with tree pots. They are tall and skinny, but they do tend to tip over. There are also grow bags that you can use for trees. Do you have a recycling center around? I would think that they would have some pots that people have brought in. The tree pots are kind of expensive if you need very many. I am going to keep a lot of the trees I am growing in pots so that I can take them with me if/when we find our place 'in the country'. Actually I will start potting up a bit of everything so that I won't lose all my plants, that will take some doing and it will take a lot of time. About the trees sprouting, they should ideally sprout next spring, though some may send down a root but nothing above ground yet.

[mnjrutherford]

Oh dear... what about cherries? They are in a shallow bed of only about 5" with the idea of potting when they sprouted come spring. Think they have roots first? Guess I'll have to get ready for those in a BIG hurry...?

[grungy]

What's the soil temp, like, Jo?