When can i plant?

[mrusk]

How early in the spring can i safely plant? I have 13 winterking hawthrone to plant on a job and want to get going asap. We are suppose to have weather in the high 40s low 50s in a week.

[MuirView Design]

Matt,

What caliper trees are they? If they are semi established, I wouldn't think twice about planting them this time of year. The trees are better off in the ground then out of the ground, no matter what time of year. You just don't ever want to force new growth through fertilizing if there is a chance that the season could still bring a heavy freeze. Even this won't kill the tree generally, it will just cause some sever winter burn. I've planted trees in the dead of winter in frozen ground before. Just had to take out a wide berth of frozen soil and replace it with fresh dry soil. All the trees thrived the next season. The biggest problem with planting in the off season, is that people neglect the watering needs of things because they think dormancy means that the tree doesn't need water, or because it sucks to water in the cold, but if we have a dry winter, watering the roots is still crucial to survival. Just do it when the weather is a hair above freezing.

[mrusk]

2inch caliber trees. Soil is very rocky so i need to bring in a decent amount of top soil anyway, so replacing frozen dirt is not a proablem.

Since these trees will not be irrigated, i want to get them in early so they can take advantage of all the spring rain before it gets hot.

[MuirView Design]

No it's not a problem. I know someone that gets a ball'd tree every year for Christmas and digs a hole for it in November. He keeps the soil in the shed under a tarp. then after the holidays he'll plant the tree in the frozen ground and put in the thawed soil. He's never lost a tree. If you think about it, the soil is generally going to be warmer a few feet down and the roots will be better protected in the ground, than sitting above the ground in a nursery. Just make sure you compact the new soil good as you backfill the trees. You don't want any air pockets. If there is stoney soil around it, it will help with drainage and help prevent root rot. Just pay attention to the amount of precipitation's we are getting. You should put the homeowner on a watering schedule if we go week or two with no rain....although this is not likely going into spring.

[JZap]

Well put Adam. I couldn't agree more with getting them in the ground as opposed to above ground. Of course it they were above ground, it's good to group them up and pile woodchips/mulch all around the rootballs and over them (not thick by trunks) to insulate them. Another option for watering is also to include in your original estimate treegators. Especially when you have a feeling the customer may not water properly (i.e. Travelling businessmen, Builders, trees far from the house).