Shopping for the tree

Look for the following when choosing your tree -

• A straight main trunk without dead branches or split & cracked bark.
• Scratch the bark on a small twig - if it is dull or brown instead of a bright green, the tree is not healthy.
• Rootballs should be moist and firm. If you find a dried out rootball, look for one in better condition.
• The rootball also needs to be well established - strong enough to hold the ball of dirt intact but not overgrown or circling in the container.
• Watch for pests: partially eaten leaves, egg sacs, or the bugs themselves are a signal to move on to another tree. Bugs on all the trees you look at may be a sign to move on to another nursery.

Your best choice when tree hunting is a healthy, relatively small tree. A small tree is more likely to avoid transplant shock and recover faster. When a tree gets, Itransplant shock, the roots don't take in water fast enough to supply the top of j the tree with moisture and nutrients. Soon after planting it can soon look wilted or sick. The small tree cuts down your chances of trouble.

Try to plant on a cool, moist day, if possible, and water it in properly. To insure a cool moist day, plant in early spring or late autumn.

Trees may be sold in different ways: Containerized, balled and burlapped, or bare root.

Containerized stock
Containers for trees are usually plastic or compressed fiberpots which the tree has been grown in. It may look like a giant flowerpot. The tree has often spent it's whole life in the container. As it hasn't been dug from the ground, most of its roots should be intact.
It's often grown in soil mixture with a slow acting fertilizer, so they can be transplanted at almost any time (your best results will still be in cool weather). With container stock you maybe able to get a larger tree if instant landscaping is something that's important to you
Some things to watch for-

• A container tree may have transplant shock if it's recently been moved between containers.
• Container trees can be prone to being "potbound" if they weren't transplanted into bigger pots soon enough. If the roots are circling around the pot or are growing heavily through the bottom of the container, keep looking.
• Cutting or roughing up the rootball slightly when planting is important to encourage the roots to penetrate the new surrounding soil instead ofstaying in the pot shape it was used to growing in.

Balled and burlapped stock
These are the trees which are dug out of nurseries every year. The roots are in a large ball of soil which is wrapped in burlap. When choosing the tree the ball should be 10 times the width of the tree at 6 inches above the base, meaning that if you bought a 1 inch calipertree it should have a minimum 10 inch ball (12 inch would be better). The bigger the ball the better the tree's chance of survival, although the bigger balls are harder to transport, plant, and maneuver.
Some things to be aware of:

• These trees can lose quite a bit of their root area when they are dug up so it is important to plant them soon after harvesting.
• Buy stock that was dug during the present year so the tree is fresh.
• The best time to get balled and burlapped stock is during the spring.
• Keep in shade until planted.
• It's okay to put off planting for a few weeks if absolutely necessary. Keep the root ball moist, but do not allow the tree to sit in water.

Bare Root Stock
We don't see a great deal of bare root stock in our area, but you may be buying bare root stock ifyou shop for your tree through mail order or on the Internet. Bare root trees are wrapped, but have no soil around the roots. When you buy trees this way, open the packaging and add moisture if the roots are dry. Keep them in a cool place, out of the sun, until you are ready to plant. Plant them in spring when fully dormant. Some things to be aware of:

• These trees may have lost some roots when dug from location.
• They should be planted soon, the same day if possible.

Getting Your New Tree Home

• Carry the tree by the rootball, not the trunk. You can damage the tree by not supporting a heavy rootball.
• Use a closed vehicle large enough to hold the tree, OR
• In an open truck make sure it is securely covered.
• Highway speeds can dry out a tree so wrap loosely in burlap or other material to protect from windburn or other damage.