How high have you planted a tree with success?

13 years ago

I planted a huge sugar maple with its root flare 5" above grade (combination of mis-measuring and assumptions).

I'm curious if anyone has planted a tree this high with sucess.

For the time being I created a mound of native soil and mulch to tapper down from the rootball.

Either I take my chances or I have to get a couple people to help me get the thing out of the hole. I tried with a 2x4 and it snapped...thats how heavy it is. Of course I already took the cage and burlap off so the root ball started to break.

I was telling myself not to buy this tree because of its size but I just a couldn't find a happy medium tree for a good price. In the end the quality of this tree for the price is amazing. I can't believe they captured that many roots (hence the assumption).

Would appreciate any feedback.

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Comments (10)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
5 inches is nothing ...

clay soil peeps would have been told to plant only half the ball .... and i am sure with your monster that would be more than 5 ...

the bigger issue is probably how wide you make the mound ...

i am guessing because it dont do clay ... but the mound should probably be at least twice or 3 times the ball width.. at least ... i will defer to the clay peeps on that ...

being a maple.. i would suggest there is nothing much to worry about ... lol ...

ken
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whaas_5a
Original Author
13 years ago
I think the mound is 8' in diameter. I'm just ticked at myself that there was no need to go that high (based on the decent soil) and I ended up 5-7" high.

I'm wondering if I should mound a little further out. I'll snap a pic tonight.
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arktrees
13 years ago
I need a picture!!! Not because I think you did anything wrong, but I want to see what you ended up with and how big it is. ;-) I am one of the people that has clay soil, and I plant approximately 1/2 the root ball in the ground most of the time, and then slope down. 5" is nothing, especially over 4' from the trunk. Only real question I would have is how big was the root ball? We had put in a 2" cal Scarlet Oak last fall with a 30" wide by 24" tall root ball, it got a mound about 6' wide, and is doing great, but it did not go 12" high above grade, more like 7-8" above grade.

In short, your tree should not have difficulty from the planting as long as it didn't have a 8' wide root ball.

Arktrees
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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
13 years ago
I planted a tree on a 3rd story balcony once, that's the highest I planted. ;-)

Seriously, about 1/3 of the rootball of a Prunus sargentii and that put it about 8 inches above grade. That was 10 years ago and it is doing fine but many trees in clay are planted even higher than that.

tj
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whaas_5a
Original Author
13 years ago
Hey everyone thanks for the positive comments. Sounds like I shouldn't risk any damage by removing it.

Here is a pic...bad boy is about 18'. I can't wait for it to shade out that nappy poplar that my neighbor has...he doesn't even like them yet he has like 50 of them on his 1 acre!

arktrees, special thanks to you for helping pick a cultivar. I ended up with 'Fall Fiesta'. I'll be sure to post fall pics.

{{gwi:357763}}
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Marie Tulin
13 years ago
Regardless of grade, is the mulch not very high? And very close to trunk so after a few good rains it will be up around the trunk again. I'm actually asking the tree vets (as in veterans) remembering years of on-line training by them
marie
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whaas_5a
Original Author
13 years ago
Mulch is perfect...3" thick and about 8" away from the truck all around. Has a higher bark content so it tends not to wash away.
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arktrees
13 years ago
whaas,
I am happy to have been of help to you. I actually though it was probable the best choice for you considering the seed source for the parent tree was Minnesota, but I did not want to say so, as it was to be your tree, and your yard. It will probable be a few years before it colors normally. Ours has had some color every year, but has also improved each year. Last year may have been close to expectations but for very high, very dry winds, that shriveled the leaves just as they were a 7-10 days or so from peak. Our tree did not grow as much this year (goes for both our Sugar Maples), probable due to stress from 15.5 inches of rain over 4-5 days right when maximum shoot elongation occurs, and the fact the many terminal buds on all our maples did not survive the winter. Tree is much thicker and looks to be very healthy otherwise. Keep us up to date. Thanks for the picture.

Arktrees
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
with the shape of the berm.. i dont see how you will water the thing ???

is there some hidden moat under the mulch???

how big was the root ball .. and how long will you have to trickle the water to water thru out the root mass ....

do you see what i mean ...

as it is.. it looks wonderful ... and proper.. i am just wondering how it will work with watering????

will you be using roundup around the edge of your mulch ... as i noticed with other pix ... your grass runs right to the edge ... and it only takes hours for grass to start growing into it ...

ken
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whaas_5a
Original Author
13 years ago
You bet ark! I don't plan to do much gardening in this area as I know its almost impossible with sugar maples but they color so well in there area!

Hey ken,

Good points...there is a bit of a moat created with the soil. Not to the degree I want. I think I'm going to bring in more soil. See that dirt pile back there? That is the top 18" of top soil from the lot next door. Builder said I can take as I please. I've been going to town on it.

I did trench the bed in the front yard (may have seen the pics of the Katsura and Ginkgo). I have yet to trench and connect the some/most of the circles. I likely use roundup right at the edge of the mulch and grasss. Then mow low and smoother the rest. Trenching as usual for the edge. It just seems to be my preference at this point. I'll get some more pics up in about a week or so. So many trees have tree barely leafed. You've been quite instrumental in many of my tree and conifer selectons as well.
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How high have you planted a tree with success?

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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How high have you planted a tree with success?

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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