I just order 600 Red oak saplings and 100 Frasier fir saplings. Never planted more than a sunflower what are my options for planting these saplings? Thank you much for your input.
Sorry to be nosey but where did you get them and how much? I've got about 5 acres of dead ash that I'd like to replant for future generations of hoarders.
The red oak are from pa game commsion $7 for 25 saplings. Fraiser fir are from the local county conservation group $8 for 6 saplings. My plan is to replace the ash trees i have been losing. I really wanted shagbark but they are cost prohibtied. The "dibble" bar will get a good workout. The fraiser fir are for christmas trees for the famliy.
Your planting options depend on where you are planting the seedlings. If you are planting in a forested area then you will have to use the planting bar shown in a post above. If you are planting in a field area, you might be able to use a tree planter that is towed behind a tractor. Many counties have these planters that are available to use on a first come first serve basis. You are not planting that many seedlings so the planting bar many be your best bet.
I am trying to reclaim some unused pasture, that is starting to get overrun with multi-flora rosebush and just something new to try.
Couple of recommendations. 1. Find a couple other species to plant. Not much worse than a monoculture that can get completely wiped out with one infestation much like your ash. Even if you can get afford only 25 shagbark, it'll provide some diversity. If you can find a faster growing species than red oak, it'll provide some competition for he red oak and lead to straighter stems and potentially better saw logs. If you drag the field, you will get pioneer species to nauturally seed in among the oaks. 2. Pay attention to precipitation and be prepared to hand water at least for the first year while the root systems are developing. Planting in an open field leaves the plants more vulnerable to drying out. 3. For a $10 tree dig a $20 hole. Maybe more applicable to landscape trees, but an investment in time on the front side will pay dividends in reduced stem losses. Good luck!!!
Planting bar, like the one shown above for a small planting like that. If you are planting several thousand saplings borrow a tree planter. I got mine for a few days of planting for under $20 from the local soil district. They asked me to store it until the next person wanted to use it which ended up being at last another month. I don't recall exactly because it was over 25 years ago.
With red oaks and the tap roots I'd just run my luck with acorns and simple single core aerator If the fir are for Christmas trees consider spacing for mowing/trimming
I'll be the first to tell you that there are other places to find out the info you're seeking. I mean, we cut the trees up and burn 'em here, right? Years back, I planted a bunch of red pine, spruce, and also transplanted some red oak and white pine that fared amazingly well! Good luck!
