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#39623 June 3rd, 2005 at 06:57 PM
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Jillian Offline OP
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Hi everyone wavey I'm brand-new so I hope that my question is going to the correct forum. I hope to gain a lot of advice from anyone who is able to answer my questions, and I look forward to hearing from anyone who would like to help.

I live in northern michigan and my yard is quite sandy. I'd like to transplant 3 maple saplings. They're approx. 5' tall, still very movable. I know to wait until they're dormant - which is around Oct. in my area - but what I'd like to know is what kind of dirt mixture should be added to each hole where they will be planted? Special fertilizer? Top soil? Peat? I know to tie them so that they'll grow straight, but what do you recommend that I put around the trunks? I don't want the strong MI winds to cut into the bark. Do I wrap the trunks with anything? Do I supply feeding spikes when spring comes around?

As you can see - I have no idea how to do this. shocked Any help that you can give to me will be very much appreciated.

Thank you so much... flw

- Jillian

#39624 June 3rd, 2005 at 09:27 PM
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I'll trade you some of my clay for some of your sand. That's the missing ingredient in each of our soils. I wish it were as easy as going next door for a cup of sugar lol. I have 3 maple in my weed patch and they love to have babies. I spent two days weeding them off of the slope. So here I know you wouldn't need to do anything to them. We also get some pretty strong winds and the mature ones don't mind at all except for dropping branches everywhere. Which is a good foundation for the compost bin so I have no complaints about that.

I am a beginner gardener so I don't have any specific information for you I wish I did. I have learned recently that you can't mulch up to the bark on a tree cause you make it sick but other than that I'm clueless. Someone will be along to help you out though.

#39625 June 3rd, 2005 at 11:44 PM
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I appreciate the information! smile I think we all have soil problems such as this. My common sense is telling me that I need to add soil to hold moisture, but then I also think that if the saplings are doing so well in the soil that's here already, why do I have to change the "recipe"? LOL Does that make sense? Thanks for your comment; I'll look forward to any help that anyone can give to me. Take care! smile

#39626 June 4th, 2005 at 06:53 PM
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Hi Jillian,
Welcome to The Garden Helper's Forum,
and we're very glad you found us!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote
know to tie them so that they'll grow straight, but what do you recommend that I put around the trunks? I don't want the strong MI winds to cut into the bark. Do I wrap the trunks with anything?
I am not much of a tree person, but I know that you can tie them up for a bit, but should not be left on the tree for a long time, because, a tree has roots that is sent out to "stablize" the tree and if you leave those strap's on too long, the tree will never put those roots out to help it'self because of those strap's holding it up...

and I've heard that you can use a metal wire, but the trick of it is, take an old hose that's had holes in it or some reason you no longer use it,
and cut a section of it...say 12"???
then when you have that section, cut a slit down it, length wise, slide the wire thru the hose, and leave the hose part against the tree.. and it'll act as a protector to the strong wire..

Quote
but what I'd like to know is what kind of dirt mixture should be added to each hole where they will be planted? Special fertilizer? Top soil? Peat?
Again, I stresssssssssss, I am no expert, but
Maples like the dirt that's given to them.....
They're pretty adaptable...
I have a ba~zillion seedling's around here, they take root in my lawn, my mom's landscaped area, where there's just landscape fabric and little white stones, and that's it...and also in the peat moss, and the compost pile and my veggie garden..
every whereeeeeeeee!!!
****How many 3" seedlings do you want, 100, 500??*

But I do know we a couple of tree guys here and hopefully they'll swing thru and give you alot
better help than I did...

And I really like your saying under your name thumbup

#39627 June 4th, 2005 at 06:57 PM
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Are you planning on moving them in the falltime??

You know it can't hurt to find your area
you're going to move it too, and prepare the area ahead of time, by digging a comparable sized hole and throwing in some compost or peat, or both, and mixing in the side area dirt back into the hole and cover it with a cardboard box *cover with woodchips or the like* and let it sit over the summer, that way it'll get the dirt area all nice and worms and good soil mixed in with the plain soil, and it'll be allllllll ready for you then, cause when it's time in the fall, it's usually cold and drizzling rain, and not fun weather orrrrrrrrrrrr so dry it's so hard to shovel thru the soil..

Just an idea..

#39628 June 4th, 2005 at 07:09 PM
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Who said they wanted seedlings? I've got a ga-zillion too. They're those "tulip maples" the ones with the green and orange flowers on them. And one other kind that I haven't identified yet. It drops what looks like cherry stems all over everything constantly.

#39629 June 5th, 2005 at 11:02 AM
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trees can take an amazing amount of abuse.

You have sand so I would dig a hole much deeper and wider than what would normally be required. I'd go with 4x4x4.

Weezie is correct that you want to amend the soil with compost, composted topsoil or composted manure. You don't want to over do it, just help the tree for the first few years then it can help itself by shading it's roots.

Here's what I would do. Remove all soil 4x4x4. Toss back 4 inches of sand, cover with 2 inches of amendment, moisten, spread in some untreated human hair and repeat. The slow release gold will encourage the tap root to go racing down after the nutrients.

Now you've got a 3' hole. Repeat the process 4 more times but only put the hair around the outer edge of the hole, omitting it on the top level. Make the roots reachout. Lightly apply a liquid or water saluble fertilizer and flood the hole.

Now you have a 1' hole that you can plant in (once the water subsides) or anytime reasonably soon. If you're going to wait, just top off the hole 1:1 so you have material which holds water better at the surface.

I planted my dwarf Nectarine in sand, used this method and it's doing just fine.

How much hair? A quart zip lock, about 2 to 3 fingers in the bottom of the bag should work per tree.

#39630 June 5th, 2005 at 11:09 AM
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Quote
Originally posted by tkhooper:
Who said they wanted seedlings? I've got a ga-zillion too. They're those "tulip maples" the ones with the green and orange flowers on them. And one other kind that I haven't identified yet. It drops what looks like cherry stems all over everything constantly.
Tulip Poplar, the leaf does remind one of a maple.

#39631 June 5th, 2005 at 03:02 PM
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Jillian Offline OP
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Hi Weezie and LMT smile It's very good to meet you and I appreciate your advice! I should have thought of old hose Duh and it's funny, because just yesterday our hose ruptured during my daughter's HS Carwash! So I'm set with that. Yes, we will be moving the trees in the fall, once the leaves have come off of the trees. And what a TERRIFIC idea, to prepare the holes over the summer. I never in a million years would have thought of that. What a wonderful idea - we will be doing that in the coming days - thanks! smile

LMT - can you please explain about the human hair? Why is that used and what does it do? I have never heard of that!

Thank you for your advice - everyone has been so helpful and it's helping my confidence in an area that I'm not exactly comfortable in smile

Weezie, thanks for the comment about the quote under my name. smile I found a handmade, heart-shaped, wooden craft that I keep on on my wall with that saying. It takes me back to my days as a child when I'd help my dad in our 3 huge vegetable/fruit gardens, and I'd ask him "Do you think it will grow?" and he'd say, "We'll have to wait & see!" smile I miss him terribly.

Thank you all, again.

Warmly -
- Jillian

#39632 June 5th, 2005 at 05:27 PM
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Cool LMT the owner told me it was a maple lol. Oh well he is bilinguial so he's still way ahead of me. It sure is a weird looking thing anyway. But I love it. Weird is right down my alley. thank you for the info.

#39633 June 6th, 2005 at 09:22 PM
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Hair contains protein, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, sulphur, nitrogen and minerals (zinc, copper, iron, ect). Many people add hair to their compost.

I use hair when planting trees and shrubs because once they are in the ground I won't be tilling and adding compost. It gives me a slow release fertilizer in the soil that contains nutrients not often found in commerical fertilizers.

#39634 June 7th, 2005 at 08:00 PM
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Jillian Offline OP
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Thanks LMT. I did not know that about hair, and now I've learned something new. My son just got his haircut yesterday and I should have told him to save the clippings! lol Thanks again! smile

-Jillian


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