I've lost 3 of the 6 Alberta Dwarf Spruce trees that I planted in April...maybe partly due to transplantation but mostly due to the fact that I planted them in a previously unknown swamp alongside my driveway.
The ground is mainly clay, so any water that hits this area gets trapped in the hole that they've been planted in. Even watering the grass around the trees has resulted in a pool of standing water around the tree's roots. I've basically drowned them (poor little trees). I'm not exaggerating when I say the hole holds water like a bucket. It's a swimming pool of water in there.
So, on to plan B. My next plan is to dig the hole much deeper, but to fill in the bottom with rocks. Essentially, the rocks are going to act like a drain...allowing the hole to hold more water and preventing the water from pooling around the root ball and top of the hole. I dug this hole 2 feet deep and tested it this afternoon. With the rocks, the hole can now hold 5-6 gallons of water before it starts to pool at the top of the rocks...which is still a good 12-18 inches below ground level.
I think this should work. I'm pretty sure the tree's roots won't be affected by the rocks in the bottom since they'll be free to grow outwards. I don't think they'll be growing down. If this doesn't work, I don't know what else to do except to go back to grass in this location.
The ground is mainly clay, so any water that hits this area gets trapped in the hole that they've been planted in. Even watering the grass around the trees has resulted in a pool of standing water around the tree's roots. I've basically drowned them (poor little trees). I'm not exaggerating when I say the hole holds water like a bucket. It's a swimming pool of water in there.
So, on to plan B. My next plan is to dig the hole much deeper, but to fill in the bottom with rocks. Essentially, the rocks are going to act like a drain...allowing the hole to hold more water and preventing the water from pooling around the root ball and top of the hole. I dug this hole 2 feet deep and tested it this afternoon. With the rocks, the hole can now hold 5-6 gallons of water before it starts to pool at the top of the rocks...which is still a good 12-18 inches below ground level.
I think this should work. I'm pretty sure the tree's roots won't be affected by the rocks in the bottom since they'll be free to grow outwards. I don't think they'll be growing down. If this doesn't work, I don't know what else to do except to go back to grass in this location.
