Page 18 - GR_March_2017_web

TREES
18 Glebe Report March 10, 2017

Trees in the Glebe:

Prepare to plant

by Jennifer humphries first of the 2017 tours is on Sunday, May
7. Visit the Events page at www.friend-
This column is dedicated to tree-plant- softhefarm.ca/. The volunteer group
ing neophytes and those who don’t Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton
have a green thumb but are keen to also offers gardening workshops (www.
get planting in 2017. It will also be of mgottawa.ca./).
interest to experienced tree-planters.
PLANTING 101
GET yOUr TrEE Sarah Johnston, president of Green-
Ecology Ottawa, which is partnering life Wholesale Nursery and Greenlife
with the Glebe Community Association Garden Care & Landscaping, kindly
(GCA) on our Trees in the Glebe initia- answered my questions on “planting
tive, is a community-driven, citywide for success.”
not-for-profit organization. Ecology JH: What are the most important
Ottawa will begin in April to give city factors in successful tree planting?
residents 10,000 seedlings that they have SJ: First of all, know your location:
been able to purchase through grants. soil, light exposure, obstructions.
The tiny trees will be made available at Much of Ottawa’s soil is clay-based
events including the Old Home Earth and that will guide tree selection.
Day Event on Saturday, April 22 at the Alkalinity and acidity are more
Glebe Community Centre. The selec- important for coniferous trees than
tion comprises four deciduous species deciduous. You can get a kit to test
(two types of maple, white birch, yel- alkalinity/acidity but reputable nurs-
low birch) and five coniferous species eries know what will work well in a
(eastern white pine, which is Ontario’s specific area.
official tree, red pine, white cedar, white In terms of light, whether your
spruce and Colorado spruce). If you tree is in a north or south yard is less
can’t make it to the Old Home Earth important than what it is located next
Day Event, check Ecology Ottawa’s to. If you put a cedar beside an estab-
website and get on the mailing list for lished one, it will be brown on the The 40-year old chestnut in Paul Durber’s back yard has been pruned to admit
other opportunities. shaded side and green on the sunny sunlight so its shape is almost elm-like.
Velta Tomsons of Ecology Ottawa side.
points out that their sesquicentennial It’s not advisable to plant directly
tree project goes back to 2013 when under electrical wires. Service sup-
the organization launched a campaign pliers don’t have the same concern
to encourage the planting of a million for your tree as you do and trimming
trees in the city as a 150th birthday gift may leave you with a misshapen tree.
to Canada. “Trees and parks are the And the prevalence of ice storms in Photo: Kieran humPhries
only infrastructure that get better over Ottawa makes trees located below
time,” says Tomsons. A million trees is wires extremely vulnerable.
a tall order, but the City of Ottawa has As to how to plant a container tree,
already committed to planting 125,000 which is how small saplings will Crabapples in winter
trees a year for four years. Still, that gets come to you, I recommend “plant-
us only halfway to the goal so Ecology ing it proud.” This means you leave closer to the surface and sloping the nurseries in April, though. There are
Ottawa is urging tree planting on both the top quarter of the root ball above soil you create the ideal conditions for more trees in May.
public and private lands. the soil then add soil up to the root the roots to anchor in to the top quar- JH: So what can go wrong?
Another opportunity to buy trees is at base to cover it and slope down to the ter and spread out. It’s also a good idea SJ: People love trimming the edges
the Friends of the Farm plant sale taking surrounding ground. The reason for to circle your tree with mulch to keep of their lawns with whipper snippers
place this year on Sunday, May 14. The this is that once you dig a hole in clay the soil moist but not soggy. Don’t take and sometimes damage tree bark in
Friends offers workshops on a range of soil you create a well. Water doesn’t off the soil when you remove your new doing so. Keep a respectful circle
gardening topics and also offers Arbor- dissipate and the newly planted tree tree from the container or pot – plant around your tree equal to the umbrella
etum tree tours with expert guides; the can drown. By keeping the fine roots all the soil with the tree and don’t dis- width of the tree.
turb the roots. JH: Are there times when it is better
If you are staking your young tree to have a professional plant your tree?
to give it extra support, always stake SJ: It depends on the investment you
on the northwest, prevailing wind side. are making in the tree. If you choose
If you have a larger tree – bigger than a gingko, popular with both the City
a 4 to 5 foot container tree – it will have of Ottawa and homeowners, it will
a larger root ball that comes in a wire cost more than other trees because
basket with burlap. The basket is not it is slow-growing and so takes more
restrictive to the tree and you do not time to get to a saleable height. If you
want to disturb the root base. Once the are uncomfortable with planting, get a
root ball is positioned in the hole, the professional horticulturalist, and make
top of the wire basket should be cut and sure that they provide a one-year war-
1/3 folded back into the hole along with ranty on the tree. We do this and if
the top 1/3 of the burlap. someone is concerned about their tree,
JH: What about watering? we ask them to send us a photo so we
SJ: Trees are ideally planted in the can determine what is needed, includ-
spring and fall. There is sufficient nat- ing looking at the tree onsite.
ural water in those times. If you do Please help Trees in the Glebe
have to water, do so three feet away track our progress by registering your
from the trunk, not directly at the root new tree or suggested space on public
of the tree and water down. And don’t or private property at: https://goo.gl/
fill that clay “well” with water. forms/377NATttd2O4ia4v2.
JH: Are spring and autumn equally
good? Jennifer Humphries is a member of
SJ: Fall is ideal, spring is good. We the Glebe Community Association’s
generally plant until the second week Environment Committee, which, in
of November. The ground is not fro- cooperation with Ecology Ottawa,
zen so there is still a water system is promoting the planting of 150 or
that the tree can use. You can plant more new trees in the neighbourhood
in the spring as soon as the ground is in 2017. Write to Jennifer at environ-
thawed. Tree availability is limited at ment@glebeca.ca.