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I have a potted Crape Myrtle that I need to plant in the yard. We live in SW Virginia and the location where it needs to be planted is hard clay.
I believe I need to dig a hole twice the size of the rootball and amend the soil with a clean combination of compost and topsoil and keep the tree watered regularly for the summer. Is this the best method to ensure its survival, any advice?
Twice the size is the rule of thumb, but regardless of the size of the hole in clay, it will still hold water like a bucket, Once I've dug the appropriate size hole in clay, I use a post hole digger and dig out the center as far as possible, filling that hole with organic matter....hoping to drain as much water as possible away from the root ball, and provide a better growing medium for the new root growth.
Twice the size is the rule of thumb, but regardless of the size of the hole in clay, it will still hold water like a bucket, Once I've dug the appropriate size hole in clay, I use a post hole digger and dig out the center as far as possible, filling that hole with organic matter....hoping to drain as much water as possible away from the root ball, and provide a better growing medium for the new root growth.
Regards
Gemstone1
You have an excellent understanding as to what I am up against with this specific location. I had to use a pick to dig every inch of the hole for the root ball.
Your center chimney concept is very clever and I get the concept. What if I did a similar type of drain, like a narrow tench away from the rootball and filled it with crushed stone to act like a small drain field? But, perhaps the center chimney with a digging bar and post hold digger might be easier? What would I fill it with, bagged muclch?
The locallargest nursery in the area plant trees without any soil admendment, did that with some plantings on our property and I questioned the owner. He said if you use great soil the roots will grow as if in a pot and never extend beyond that point into the hard clay. Do you agree with that thinking? Thanks !
Any method of draining water away from the root ball should work. I subscribe to the method of adding organic matter to the soil removed from the hole I dig...maybe a 75/25 mix. Roots are going to seek out water, if they are water logged, they have no need to grow outward/downward, and loosening the soil with organic matter will make it easier for roots to penetrate.
As for bagged ingredients from a big box store, I have used them in the past, but never straight out of the bag. I choose carefully, looking for open bags (so I can see what the ingredients are)...I stay away from bark based junk, and get the best available....to which I mix steer manure, mushroom compost, peat, anything but miracle grow. After working at a commercial nursery this spring, I now use what they use for a potting mix, Pro Mix, mixed with the removed soil. It is not cheap, but it works.
I have a potted Crape Myrtle that I need to plant in the yard. We live in SW Virginia and the location where it needs to be planted is hard clay.
I believe I need to dig a hole twice the size of the rootball and amend the soil with a clean combination of compost and topsoil and keep the tree watered regularly for the summer. Is this the best method to ensure its survival, any advice?
.........."keep the tree watered regularly "....
Clay soil holds water.
Be carefull not to over water.
I'll bet more people water too much vs those that don't watger enough.
Clay soil holds water.
Be carefull not to over water.
I'll bet more people water too much vs those that don't watger enough.
I look at the newly planted trees every day and water when I see the slightest sign of stress which is usually visible at the very end of the leaves or new buds.
I have been told it's very easy to kill tress if they are being overwatered which is easy to do in this Virginia clay!
As for bagged ingredients from a big box store, I have used them in the past, but never straight out of the bag. I choose carefully, looking for open bags (so I can see what the ingredients are)...I stay away from bark based junk, and get the best available....to which I mix steer manure, mushroom compost, peat, anything but miracle grow. After working at a commercial nursery this spring, I now use what they use for a potting mix, Pro Mix, mixed with the removed soil. It is not cheap, but it works.
Regards
Gemstone1[/quote]
Promise looks really good however no one in my area has it. I was thinking of mixing exterior potting soil, black cow and some store bought top soil to amend the clay and fill the chimney drain. What are your thought?? Thanks again! I really want this Crape Myrtle to live!
You have an excellent understanding as to what I am up against with this specific location. I had to use a pick to dig every inch of the hole for the root ball.
Your center chimney concept is very clever and I get the concept. What if I did a similar type of drain, like a narrow tench away from the rootball and filled it with crushed stone to act like a small drain field? But, perhaps the center chimney with a digging bar and post hold digger might be easier? What would I fill it with, bagged muclch?
The locallargest nursery in the area plant trees without any soil admendment, did that with some plantings on our property and I questioned the owner. He said if you use great soil the roots will grow as if in a pot and never extend beyond that point into the hard clay. Do you agree with that thinking? Thanks !
I agree with the local nursery on that matter, as does my instructor for my Master Gardener and Tree Steward courses, as well as the other auxiliary instructors. If you make the hole too "comfortable" for the roots with amended soil, then they will not branch out; backfill with the original soil. BTW, the reason for digging the planting hole twice the size of the root ball is to give the roots the chance to expand, because root systems are typically within the top 18 inches of the soil. Digging it deeper won't do it that much good.
I agree with the local nursery on that matter, as does my instructor for my Master Gardener and Tree Steward courses, as well as the other auxiliary instructors. If you make the hole too "comfortable" for the roots with amended soil, then they will not branch out; backfill with the original soil. BTW, the reason for digging the planting hole twice the size of the root ball is to give the roots the chance to expand, because root systems are typically within the top 18 inches of the soil. Digging it deeper won't do it that much good.
It's really conflicting information! The nursery plants some really nice pieces and when they plant, they do so with a 100% guarantee and they add nothing to the soil! A minimal size hole and then place mulch on top after its back filled.
It's just tough to think that amending the soil does not help the roots to get off to a good start, gain strength before penetrating the hard clay. Might just be my issue?
It's really conflicting information! The nursery plants some really nice pieces and when they plant, they do so with a 100% guarantee and they add nothing to the soil! A minimal size hole and then place mulch on top after its back filled.
It's just tough to think that amending the soil does not help the roots to get off to a good start, gain strength before penetrating the hard clay. Might just be my issue?
I would definitely crumble the dug-out clay from the planting hole into very small pieces before backfilling. I also like to score the sides of the planting hole (and I used to have an all red clay yard) before planting the tree/shrub/etc. to help break up the sides so they aren't like solid slabs. The mulch on top is really to help conserve moisture in the ground for the tree.
Honestly, at most you might want to amend the backfilled soil with a little compost to increase moisture retention and improve aeration, but if you backfill with ALL compost or mulch, you are most likely going to end up with girdling roots. I will say that I have 23 crape myrtles in my half acre yard, and all of them are doing spectacularly, if that's any consideration. I call my yard "Magnolias and Myrtles" due to the aforementioned plus my huge Southern Magnolia plus 2 other smaller magnolias (Jane's and Tulip.)
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Planting in Clay
