Ground Prep for tree transplanting

I tubling need to go into the ground about 6-8". I have a holland transplanter that we will be using to do the planting (although I am considering...if I can get the ground preped...just using a spear and planting by hand, which might work).

I am told I need to break the hardpan to prep the soil. From our experience with the holland last year, I know that it works much better if the ground has been worked and finished.

We need only work about 2ft wide rows, the rest I want to remain in existing grass.

Maybe too much information, but I am a novice. I'm sure that this has been done before. I have a 40 hp tractor (a WD 45 w 3 pt...which I may trade in for something newer).

What kind of implement will break the hard pan and finish the soil? I'd try to find an old mole board plow, but then I'd have to deal with the furrow. And I'm not sure it would go deep enough

Anyone done this sort of thing before? Any tree planters out there?

Many thanks,
NutMan

I use a picks- madic (spelling) but that would be allot of work for that many acres. They also make a planting bar. A picks- madic would go 8 " without to much trouble I plant 100 pines in about two hours, most of that time is in laying to field out, but 100 is enough of that for one day.

Madic end would be a flat shape and 4" wide, by about 7-9 " long, 1/2" thick steel; that would go on a pick handle, and normaly have a cutter on the other end for cutting roots etc. .

Teddy

That said, I will have to backfill into last springs 10 acres for die-off. Which will have to be done my nad. Do you have a link on this tool?

Thanks,
NutMan

HI Nutman I'm not the best speller, but here you go, look up this and look at pictures, make sure it is wide enough, but not too wide. We use one because we have allot of stone on our hillslides where I plant pines etc. I was thinking of making a mattock out of leaf spring steel and welding it to an old handle of shovel, but need to find a handle that is good and shovel is shot to make one, this would be lighter to carry and use. Would work for 90% of the area we plant. Last year I planted some 400-500 trees in the winter and spring. Mattock did work but like I was saying after an hour or so that is enough of that. My E-mail is [email protected] . Teddy

Interesting name (smile).

I would like to avoid plowing as well, but have been advised otherwise by the greenhouse. Not sure they are right...though. I am thinking about a 1 bottom plow...as you mentioned. Do you then blad close the furrow?

With 6000 plants going in, I don't think spading will work.

Good point on the WD-45.

I learned something valuable about the Hazels last spring. They are very sensitive to herbicide carry over. That is the main reason for loss of plants. We planted into corn ground (prev. yr.) and, although the chem co. told me that there would be no carryover...there most definitley was a herb kill. That is one of the reasons I am going into the grass strips next spring. I will not plant into former cropland again unless there is at least a 2 year rest pd.

thanks much,
NutMan

Wow, I don't have access to a dozer. Wish I did for a number of reasons (other than planting hazels).

This machine you speak of sounds an awful lot like my Holland transplanter.

Best,
NutMan

You say that you have grass strips but have yet to till? Did you spray? Did you add a pre-emergent herbicide? If you did and you till, you'll churn up new weed seeds.

You want to break up the 'hardpan'? What kind of soil are you on? Where are you located? How long since the land was last tilled? If it has been a while since it was last tilled and you have some good earthworm activity it may be best not to till. If you have a really bad plowpan to break up you may want to use a subsoiler. They can attach to a 3 point, but depending on your soil type you might need something bigger, or even a crawler.

Your right that a holland transplanter will need soil prep. If you really want to use it about the best way to prep it would be a rototiller, but I wouldn't want to rototill strips on 100 acres. The other problem with Holland transplanters is that many woody seedling transplants are a bit large to run through them. They are really ideal for shrub liners or 2-0 seedlings. I have also used a transplanter that the Soil Conservation Service locally rents that has a large 2 foot diameter culter on the front that cuts right through sod and accepts larger transplants.

Let me know some specifics and I'll help you all I can

Chuck

I used to in Mich. Little town called Portland...down by Lansing.

"You say that you have grass strips but have yet to till? Did you spray? Did you add a pre-emergent herbicide? If you did and you till, you'll churn up new weed seeds"

We did not spray. I am real leary about spraying, even with roundup based upon my experiences last year. Let me expand on that because it is a dilema. We planted into 10 acres of former corn ground after being told by chem company that there would be no carryover (we just bought the land, so we did not know what went on it, we found out and asked).

There most definitely was a carryover. The plants greened up, dried up and droped their leaves. They then greened up again and dropped again. And a third time. Don't know how they had any energy left for the third try. It wasn't moisture, we had good rain, and I used drip tapes in August to keep them moist. During the year we did a combination of mowing, hoeing (hand) and cultivating (with a 3ft wide disk)....to control weeds. Note that some areas of the field did not even produce weeds, so I have taken this as confirmation of carryover.

As I observed this taking place, I noticed that the plants that did the best seemed to be the ones that had MORE weed cover. This led me to wonder if, perhaps, the hazels did better with shade. The greenhouse disagrees, but I wonder, and think that this year I will mow along the rows, but let the grass grow up around the tublings.

Your thoughts?

We are located in SW Wisc, not far from Dubuque IA.

I would imagine our soil is quit a bit like yours. Extension tells me that the soil is "Dubuque Silt Loam". About a 10-15 percent slope.

I wonder if since these grass strips have not been croped for a number of years (some of it never), why there should be a need for breaking a hardpan. I even wonder if that is an issue anyhow. The first year or so (the critical time), they are not putting roots down 2-3 ft anyhow. Or so I would assume. Once they have survived a year, I think they will punch through it anyhow. What would be your thoughts on these ideas from a novice?

Note that we will only be planting 6000 plants on 10 acres. 3 ft between plants & 20 ft betweem rows.

Our Holland has a 2 ft colter. We did plant into some pretty hard soil last year (had clay), and it seemed to cut through OK. The problem was with closing the trench.

On option I was considering was sharpening (and keeping sharp) the planters blade, lowering the colter a bit more (has to be cut and welded) and applying some tractor wts to the back to help close the trench. Even with that, I doubt I can drill right into sod. Would be nice if I could (?). The Holland I bought runs on a wheeled cairrage, not 3 pt. I was hoping this would work better on hour hilly ground. If you have some experience with this, let me know what you think.

Thanks so much,
NutMan