New hosta shade tree question

16 years ago

I started a new post to see if anyone has ever done this.

I have 3 white oak trees ( tallest is 12ft.) that the squirls planted for me. All three could be moved to a more ideal location. I need to know if you think they will live if moved as I would be paying $100.00 or more per tree to relocate them. One is growing towards power lines and will be severly trimmed later in life where it is now. The other 2 are too cloose to each other.

Because of the blight the oaks in this area are dying from which I hear is spread by root contact and not air born I need to know for sure if I have the correct facts before I spend this amount of $ In my mind I can picture mighty oaks with my hostas spread out under them which is what I want if possible.

Thanks for looking and hope someone can help me make the right choise.

Connie

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
hey

i move 8 footers all the time.. the key is timing .. in my z5 .. april and october are the ONLY times this happens.. bare root ...

each foot of height increased the risk of wasting your money on total loss ... and i am pretty sure ... that your budget isnt limitless to risk total loss

frankly .... check out early spring stock at bigboxstores ... and buy a couple/three potted 6 to 8 footers for for less than the $100 to move one tree .. drag them home.. and plant them where you want them [in april if z5] ... and remove the one under the power lines [kill it]... and one of the other two .. liberal application of a chainsaw at or slightly above ground level and an application of 100% roundup will take care of those ...

ya know ... you can spend a lot of time and effort .. and losses.. trying to save something a squirrel planted in the wrong place ... all i ask .. is why waste the effort... the squirrel is long dead.. lol ..

ken

PS: too close together??? i have three 2 foot caliper oaks .. some squirrel planted 60 years ago .. living on top of each other... why do you think yours are too close??? leave them there ... only one has to go ..... to dispose of the power line issue .. before you have to spend $1000 to have it removed professionally ...
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
got catalog gurney's yesterday ....

offering red and pin oaks 4 to 5 ft tall .... for sale price of $16 to 18 ...

i dont recall your zone.. but in my z5 .... the earlier in april the better ...

dig holes .... open package ... quickly read instructions .... if it says soak in water for one hour .. do so ... insert in soil ... refill half way ... water .. refill the rest of the way ... water again ... nice 3 foot mulch ring .... and walk away until late may .. when they MIGHT need there first drink ... insert finger to second knuckle ... and water when it is drying .... most trees do not appreciate too much water ..... yes it makes the hands ache.. working in april soil ....

i have never lost a tree from them .. if properly planted .. at the proper time ...

you can buy a lot of trees for your $100 rental fee ... and have a guarantee .... should they fail ...

timing is everything with tree planting .... its not a mid summer thing.. IMHO ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
Related Discussions
New fruiting mulberry shade tree pruning/training help?
Q
Comments (1)
I'm no expert. But my mulberry easily puts on 10'-15' of growth per year. The biggest problem i've seen with bigger limbs is rotting from open wounds, but this thing is an old beast of a tree. Makes magnificent shade. It's a male, and only recently grafted with fruiting varieties.
...See More
New gardener, hostas under maple tree
Q
Comments (10)
i hate to say it.. but forget about trying to grow them under that tree.. its roots are already at the surface... and frankly.. EVERY TIME YOU STICK A SHOVEL IN AND SEVER A ROOT.. IT WILL BE REPLACED BY 100 NEW ROOTS ... ergo i suggest pots... i hate pots... but many peeps have good luck with them .... i will even give you the pots that are stored in my barn for free .... barretts in adrian also has a recycle program.. and i am pretty sure you can go take them if you want them ... almost all nurseries have a pile of pots they are willing to give away ..... besides.. if you succeed .. you can take them with you when you move.. go figure on that .... now... would you care to work like a dog for some plants???? i have to move a bunch of clumps... and might be willing to give small pieces for starts for some labor .... how about you come over some evening with fiancee and have a tour and get some pots.. and we can discuss acquisition ... i am on the way to Tecumseh .... email me from my members page .... think about it ...ken PS: fall planting in zone 5 can lead to winter heave ... now is prime time to plant/move hosta ... they are beginning to grow roots and store food for next year ...
...See More
What about a redbud as the new hosta tree?
Q
Comments (45)
djwfrk: Not at all. I actually enjoy working with ESL kids at school, many of them from Hispanic countries. I have told the "landscape workers" in Spanish (because they speak no English) not to break my garden fences, to no avail. They can't even read Spanish. I am virtually in tears about the latest destruction to the Adirondack fencing around my hosta garden. Several sections are lying on the ground all torn to pieces, like garbage, and the protective foam tubing I placed on top is ripped to shreds by these ignoramuses. It looks like a city dump, thanks to them, at $5-6/section! They have also knocked down quite a few of my plant markers. I am forever having to retrieve the plant markers from the ground and put them back on their supports. I have spent backbreaking labor and funds for patching compound repairing the really nice faux stone garden edging that they busted ugly holes in. These guys are knowledgeable landscape workers like I'm six feet tall (I am, in fact, 5'2"). They do not seem to have much knowledge about gardening at all, just how to flail about with weed-whackers and blowers. Their mowing is laughable. Also, I see a different crew each time. There are places in this area where it is well known that illegals congregate to pick up day labor jobs. Many contractors, like landscape companies, go over in the morning to these places to pick up workers for the day. The illegals are happy to work for minimum pay because they are limited in what jobs they can obtain. So the quality of work is about on a par with absolute amateurs, because in effect, that's exactly what they are. And the co-op couldn't care less. They are penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to landscaping. They could care less if my fencing gets ripped up, plants get trampled, etc. Here is an article from a local Queens news source: Day laborers busted on 69th Street The police arrested 10 immigrants on Tuesday on charges that they blocked a sidewalk at a popular gathering place for day laborers in Jackson Heights, Queens, the chief spokesman of the Police Department said. The arrests came in response to repeated calls from neighborhood residents complaining about the laborers "most of them undocumented" who congregate every day at the intersection of Broadway, 37th Avenue and 69th Street, said the spokesman, Paul J. Browne. “Police responded to community complaints about them blocking the sidewalk and congregating,” Mr. Browne said, adding that there were 50 to 60 workers at the location on Tuesday morning before the arrests. “We responded and asked them to disperse,” Mr. Brown said. “All but 10 of them did.” _______________________ There is little doubt, based on what I've seen and my conversations with them, that these "landscape workers" are undocumented aliens. So, I have spent endless hours researching, planning, buying materials, digging, hauling heavy bags of soil and mulch, planting, watering, weeding, etc. so that these "landscape workers" can come and lay waste to all my efforts. I'm sure you would love them, too, if you could but see the latest damage. Life in the big city.
...See More
Trees, not good news for hosta growers.
Q
Comments (9)
"IMHO,I think Fine Gardening magazine is full of it! I couldn't grow hostas if didn't have Oaks and Poplars,as they grow just fine under them every year!" Phil The point is not that they won't grow, the point is there are issues that must be addressed. AND, it only says they will not grow well at all "some times" AND they will grow smaller than in the sun. The article list trees that are more difficult than others, if you want hosta under shade then you may want to consider planting one tree over another. If for example your favorite tree is a silver maple so you plant a forest of silver maple then you WILL have a battle growing hosta. BTW, this doesn't address your particular situation. Also, unless I missed it oak and poplar are not the most difficult trees to grow hosta under? I think the point of the article was to protect trees rather than how to grow hosta. Rhodies are actually forest understory plants and enjoy growing in a forest. I'm sure there are trees that rhodies do better under than others.
...See More
luv_hostas
16 years ago
Hi Connie,

As an arborist in my former life, I planted lots of oaks. The only ones that lived were planted as early in the spring as the soil could be worked. In the Boston area it is in March. Do it before any leaves or flowers are visible. As Ken mentioned, follow the directions for planting or if you are moving them yourself, dig a hole 3 feet in diameter, one foot deep. Then dig the tree and plant it as quickly as you can. When the roots are covered half way, pour in a 5 gal. bucket full of water. Then make sure the tree will be at the same elevation as the soil level where it was growing and finsh filling the hole. Water again. Water the third time on the next day, each time with 5 gal. of water. Then, as Ken said, let it sit throught the spring and any time it does not rain an inch of water a week, water again and continue watering as needed until the snow flies. The one inch of rainwater a week is generally enough to keep the soil moist so the roots will grow.

Good luck, Luv
hostasformez4
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks sonKen and Lov,

I'll take your thoughts under consideration. I sure hate to cut down the one near the power lines as it is not directly under them and will need to grow a little more to interfere. I'll save my $ and find other trees to shade my hosta.

I resqued 2 pine trees from the right of way a few years ago and had them planted in my front side yard. They are wonderful additions. They probably continued to live because of their shallow root system and not my care!

Thanks again,

Connie
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
moving/removing the tree under the power lines.. is a function of...

YOUR AGE ... will you be around when the power company comes and butchers it in 10 or 20 years ...

AND WHETHER IT IS BLOCKING some view you wish to obscure ... if so ... properly site and plant a replacement between you and the power lines.. so that in 20 years.. it will be there.. when the power company comes and hacks it up ...

no matter how much it kills you .. you have no rights in the power companies easement to plant things that interfere with the lines ... so though they would like to be nice about it all ... they can do what they darn well please ....

if they ever do come.. and you are there.. most often.. if you say.. just take it down ... they will be happy to not have to come back every few years to mess with it...

and make sure you get them to dump the woodchips in their truck for you .. free is free ...

ken
hostasformez4
Original Author
16 years ago
Ken,

With so much time to think before the work can begin outside I dream of how I would really like my garden to be not how it is! LOL

$$$$$ plays a major facter as I'm retired and would be spending our 'nest egg' to really do it how I would like it to be so I settle for the smaller things I can change!

I plan on leaving the power line tree. Your're correct in thinking how long will it take to get so big as to interfere. My future, well nobody is here forever!!! Live for the moment. I just want all the needed backyard revamping to be over!!!

Connie

New hosta shade tree question

Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Related Discussions

luv_hostas

hostasformez4
Original Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

hostasformez4
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

New hosta shade tree question

Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Related Discussions

luv_hostas

hostasformez4Original Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

hostasformez4Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

hostasformez4
Original Author

hostasformez4
Original Author